The history of triathlons began in the 1920s when a Frenchman swam across the English Channel and then cycled and ran to complete his journey. The first official triathlon was held in 1974 in San Diego with a swim of 1/3 mile, a 5 mile bike ride, and a 2 mile run. Today triathlons have grown in popularity worldwide and include distances from sprint to Ironman competitions.