My First Triathlon: Training Tips and More!

Four Races Worth a Tri

Earn your bragging rights at one of these sprint or Olympic-distance races.

The 29th annual Avia Wildflower Triathlon Festival race in Bradley, California, boasts more than 7,500 competitors (beginner and elite), who camp out on-site, sit around bonfires, and listen to live music -- true to its nickname, the Woodstock of Triathlon. (May 1, 2011; 1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run; $150 registration fee)

The Danskin Triathlon Series is the largest and longest-running race of its kind. Among the six beginner-friendly courses in six states, our favorite is the sprint tri in Orlando, which cuts through Walt Disney World. (May 8, 2011; half-mile swim, 12-mile bike, 3.1-mile run; $115 registration fee)

Race alongside other newbies in the women-only Iron Girl National Event Series in locations such as California, Colorado, Georgia, New York, and Wisconsin. (March through November; distances and prices vary)

While the Big Apple is known for its marathon, the Nautica New York City Triathlon is equally memorable. You'll swim with the fast-moving Hudson River current (and surely break your old swim PRs), pedal in and out of the Bronx, and run to the finish in Central Park. (August 7, 2011; 1,500-meter swim, 40K bike, 10K run; $245 registration fee)

Originally published in FITNESS magazine, October 2010