The best inspiration is not to outdo others, but to outdo ourselves

The costs of competing in a multisport race are very varied and there is a solution out there to fit every pocket.  The most obvious consideration is the race entry fee itself and I'll be talking about that and some of the incidental costs in this, the third article in my Beginners' Guide Series.  Kit can be another major cost but I'll cover that in other articles.

Charges for races range from next to nothing to hundreds of pounds, with the distance, location and popularity of the event all having an influence on how much it'll cost you to enter.  Club races are often free to members, this allows you an opportunity to race against a similar crowd several times across the season and to pit your improvements against theirs for next to no outlay.  Wakefield Triathlon Club, of which I'm a member, runs a summer season of races for members comprising events of different distances and formats.  There is something going on for everyone, other clubs orgainse similar events.  As a general rule of thumb I would expect to pay the following amounts for reasonably sized and organised events:

• Aquathlon - between £15 and £20 depending on the distances involved
• Duathlon - around £25 to £40 for the standard distances, obviously it would be more if you were to tackle a long distance race
• Triathlon -
  • Fun distance costs between £20 and £40
  • Sprint ranges from £30 to £45
  • Olympic distance races typically come in around £50 to £65
  • A Half Ironman will set you back about £75 to £100
  • An Ironman could easily be around the £200 mark

It is worth consdiering joining Triathlon England, Scotland or Wales for many reasons, but cost is part of it.  A year's membership will set you back about £50 but is more than worth the money.  The most obvious benefit of this is reduced race entry fees, typically it will costs abouot £5 less for each race you enter, that soon adds up if you're planning an active season.  Probably of more value than this however is the insurance cover that you receive as a member, meaning that if you are injured either training or racing you will have them in your corner helping you get the situation sorted out.  You will also receive a handbook with race calendars and other useful information as well as regular updates from the world of triathlon in the form of their magazine.  Also, joining a club will allow you access to free or very cheaply priced local races and training sessions, it will also reduce your Triathlon England etc. membership fee.

You also need to consider the location of your chosen race when deciding on the costs involved.  Entering an ironman could set you back considerably more than the race fee as there are far less of them in this country, many triathletes travel abroad to get their first taste of this distance.  Whether you are jetting off to Lanzarote to complete the ironman or whether you fancy giving a fun tri a go, travel and accommodation still need to be part of the equation.  Once again, being a member of a club would make for cheaper racing as your club events will generally be in and around your area.  Simply a case of getting yourself there and back again after the race. 

We are very fortunate in the range of races available in Britain at the moment, there are races in every area, so competing doesn't have to mean travelling.  However, should you choose to, some events make this easier and cheaper than others.  A great example is some of the fun2tri events which allow free camping near transition the night before the race - stroll up on Saturday, get the lie of the land, register and feel calm and organised, pitch your tent and then relax, no rushing the next day, no worrying about what you'll find on race day - lovely!  Many of the budget hotels do very good deals for family rooms, a consideration for many people, and tend to be quite happy about your bike being brought into the room (I once left mine outside clamped to the bike rack and hardly slept a wink for worrying about whether it would still be there in the morning).  According to a recent 220 Triathlon article you could ask for a reduction from more expensive hotels on the basis that you'll be missing breakfast as you get up and out for your race, I've never tried this but it's a thought.  Mind you, one Holiday Inn Express near to Trentham had so many triathletes staying that they laid on a buffet breakfast at 'horrid o'clock' so we could eat before we set out to race - brilliant!  There's always the family, we often attend races that are nearer to family members than home, a great way to combine visiting with racing and that all important balance between sport and life.

With rising fuel costs the petrol bill is worth considering (not to mention our carbon emissions), so perhaps a more local race is a good option if you can find one to suit your requirements.  If not then factor it in.  This is even more the case for races abroad where you will need to consider it as more of a holiday with all the usual costs of such an excursion.  Just remember to add on the costs for shipping your kit, that bike isn't everyday luggage!  Still, tying your race in with a family holiday is another great way to balance the demands of the different areas of your life.

So, don't let costs put you off.  There is a multisport event to fit every pocket.  Just do it!