Triathletes can compete year-round in greater Houston. More than a dozen triathlons are scheduled inside, outside, around lakes or city streets, in the heat of summer and cool of winter, for fun or to qualify for Olympic training. Well-organized triathlon clubs and commercial sports facilities offer training, gear, coaching, teams and member forums.
Houston
Two Houston triathlons stand out, the Memorial Hermann Houston Triathlon (swim 1500 m, bike 24.9 miles, run 6.2 miles) in Cypress in September and the shorter Memorial Hermann Bridgeland Triathlon (500 m, 14 miles, 3.5 miles), in Bridgeland in August. Many local triathlon training programs aim to peak at just the right time. Both events award trophies in narrow age groups, including to first-time racers. Both use chip timing.
Suburbs
Nearby cities host a wealth of triathlons. Athletes may compete in distances shorter than sprint to half Iron. Check out the Tejas (600 yards, 12 miles, 3 miles), the Kona Eastside (600 yards, 16 miles, 4 miles) and the Iron Star (1.2 miles, 56 miles, 13.1 miles, or half Iron distance). Swims are in lakes; the biking course is flat and the run is out and back. The award structure is narrow and the events use chip timing.
Specialty Events
This novel triathlon is conducted entirely indoors. The Life Time Fitness Indoor Triathlon series totals distance over 60 minutes and three sports, all in a fitness facility. Each competitor swims 10 minutes in a lap pool, pedals a fitness cycle for 30 minutes and runs 20 minutes on a treadmill.
The TKC/JCC Family Triathlon has something for every age. Kids 9 to 12 swim 200 m, bike 3.1 miles and run 1.2 miles. Youth 13 to 15 swim 300 m, bike 6.2 miles and run 2.4 miles. People 17 and older run a sprint triathlon (400 m, 9.3 miles, 3.7 miles). All three events are held on the same May day.
Clubs
Triathlon clubs offer training buddies and programs, coaching, small events, single-sport trials, online forums and gear research. The Houston Racing Triathlon Club may be the best known club in the city.
Training
Many fitness facilities and training service companies also include or specialize in nurturing triathletes. Women may train together and compete in all-female events like the TriGirl Sports Super Sprint (200 yards, 8 miles, 2 miles) on Mother's Day, the August Sprint (300 yards, 11 miles, 3 miles), the nearest Danskin Women's Triathlon Series event (Austin, .5 miles, 12 miles, 3.1 miles) and the co-ed Memorial Hermann Sugarland Triathlon.
Young Triathletes
Kiwanis Club of Houston Sunrise sponsors the Kiwanis Kids Triathlon Series, eight races for young people up to 15 years old in which competition is de-emphasized. Six of the races include events for kids 7 to 12. Series triathlons span May to August in 2010, and there are summer camp sessions for ages 9 to 15.
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