Is there a ‘one and done’ culture in triathlon, and if so, does it matter?

This was the focus of a recent 220 feature that lit a touchpaper for readers to provide hundreds of responses, drawing on their own experiences of racing and sparking further debate.

From newcomers to triathlon to athletes who have been taking part for decades, we’ve picked out some of the best comments below.

*Some reader comments have been edited for grammar and brevity without losing context.

The biggest factor that came up time and time again – usually directed at Ironman events – was cost.

Emma Chapman said: “[Ironman] is the best thing I’ve ever done but I think (short of buying my house or van) the most expensive thing too! So whilst I can’t wait to get out there and do it again, it’s not going to be any time soon sadly.”

Jonathan Richards said: “It’s a freaking fortune. End of. Awesome though.” And Simon Underwood put his view forward more bluntly: “Ironman forgot about the athlete and only focussed on making money.”

But Simon Olney disagreed that it was all about finances. “I don’t think it’s a cost thing so much as the way the challenge has been framed,” Simon said. “In years gone by, an Ironman finish would be the end result of years of hard graft racing at different distances. Now people realise they can train for one in a single year and do so to get the Instagram clout that comes with being an Ironman finisher, with no interest in doing another. There’s nothing wrong with that if it’s what brings people happiness, but there’s a lot more Ironman could do to encourage repeat participation.”

Patrick Buckley came up with a suggestion to keep athletes returning. “I think if you do more than one Ironman you should be given some kind of discount,” he said. “They should introduce some kind of a rewards scheme – every five fulls or 70.3s you get 50% off the next one, and after 10 you get free entry.”

Thomas Deliopoulos believes it’s not only the financial investment that means triathletes stop. “The effort, commitment and training it takes to complete one is something that most people can’t endure in a continuous fashion,” he said. “I assume that’s the reason why shorter distances bloom, such as 70.3 and T100.”

Simon Pick trained with our interview subject Emily Bell when she started her triathlon journey and agrees with Emily’s view about compromises to social life being a long-term reason people move away from the sport. He said: “Going out for a six-hour bike ride week-in, week-out just doesn’t fit with family life. It’s doable with buy-in and support from your partner but it’s not easy. We have friends who’ve done it as single parents which is just mind-blowing.”

James Kaiser agreed with the sentiment. He said: “I had a year to train for Ironman. It included a couple of sprints, two half-iron distance, a full marathon as well as many 90-mile bike rides and 3hr swims and hundreds of miles of running. Gear, coaches, race entry fees, nutrition, flights, hotels, meals, massages. After finishing Ironman, I was done. Been there, done that. Glad I did. Probably would not do it again.”

Stefan Macfie said social media was to blame for the short lifespan of triathletes. He said: “Instagram and TikTok created the one and done. Those platforms also created the high DNF rate at Ironman and Milers, and every fresh 70.3 finisher claiming ‘I did an Ironman’.”

There was also an interesting discussion on whether the one-and-done triathlete is more of a recent phenomenon.

Peter Richards said: “As a triathlon competitor and coach for over 40 years, I’ve seen the ‘bucket list’ mentality come into triathlon, particularly in the last decade, where, for many, the first triathlon event is a branded Ironman! My timeline to Ironman took seven years of learning the sport, moving up distances and doing my first Kona in 1994. When I started doing triathlons, I didn’t even know what Ironman and Kona were.”

In contrast, Stephanie Miller replied directly to Peter to say that Ironman inspired her into tri: “My first triathlon back in 2001 was an Ironman,” she said. “I was at the gym and the NBC special for Ironman came on and said it was the hardest one-day event. I completed Ironman Wisconsin the next year with no coach, no bike fit, nothing. Twenty years later, 40 plus Ironman finishes, 50 plus half irons. And a two-time Kona finisher legacy place.”

Connor Spray also disagreed strongly that triathletes should work their way up to a full distance with shorter events. “Surely you’re not saying that anyone with an interest in triathlon or a huge personal challenge in going for full distance off the bat are doing it all wrong?” Connor said. “There’s no standardised approach to any goal people set out to achieve in sport other than working at it with 100% commitment. If they still fail after 100% effort then they found their limit. To be honest, anything less than full distance personally feels like a waste of time.”

Peter doubled down on his view, replying to Connor: “The short answer is yes, they are doing wrong if their first race is an Ironman with limited or no prior triathlon experience. As a long-time tri coach, I’ve had people approach me with limited or no experience wanting to do an Ironman within six months without understanding the potential health risks or having a knowledge of their family health history. The average finish time for a male is over 12 1/2 hrs and for females over 13 1/2 hrs, and these are trained athletes. Ironman places enormous amounts of physical and mental stress on the body even for those fully trained, not to mention the stresses leading up to the event.

Alan Brown raised a point about athletes who train with triathlon clubs. He said: “Ironman didn’t create the [one-and-done athlete], but the model does encourage it. I think that those who join clubs to do triathlon and engage with local events tend to stay engaged longer than those that identify they want to do an Ironman solely. The clubs build a face-to-face sense of community 24/7 that a race organiser cannot.”

Bucking the trend of many commenters, Bob Balfour is still thoroughly enjoying triathlon life. “One and done is for skydiving!” he said. “I’m 65 yrs old, I can’t afford the Ironman cost, but I grind it out and make it happen! For over 15 years Ironman and the Ironman staff, athletes and volunteers have been part of every day conversation in my home. My wife and two adult daughters have never thought of swimming, biking and running but they get off-the-wall excited as Ironman weekends approach.

“They have a blast volunteering and meeting athletes, other volunteers and locals at each venue we visit. What does it cost for a family of four to spend a few days and nights in Disney? How about a long weekend skiing, eating and drinking at a good mountain? They don’t even give t-shirts when you spend a fortune there! I’m sticking with Ironman for another 15 years. Just watch me!”

Finally, if triathlon has become the domain of one-and-done athletes, Mark Rimmer makes an astute observation about kit and equipment prices.

“I love the one and done thing. It means there will be loads of wealthy people who have bought all the best kit, done their race and are selling all that lovely kit nearly new at a serious markdown. As somebody that loves the sport but lives on a very tight budget, this would be good news for me.”

Do you agree or disagree with the comments above? Let us know.

Lead image: SWANSEA, WALES – JULY 12: Athletes wave to the photographer ahead of IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea on July 12, 2026 in Swansea, Wales. IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea forms part of the televised IRONMAN Super Series. (Photo by Huw Fairclough/Getty Images)