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National Senior Games Includes Triathlon

Terry VanderWert on February 21, 2025

I first became acquainted with the Senior Games through Jeanne Minder, whose triathlon story first appeared here on September 6, 2018. Jeanne was the gold medalist in triathlon at the 2015 National Senior Games held in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. According to the NSGA website, her time that year is the 7^th best overall in the Women’s 60-64 age group.

Then, in 2023, I spoke with Joe Simonetta, whose first triathlon was at that year’s National Senior Games in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Also, at least once a year, I read in The Villages Daily Sun about residents of The Villages, Florida who compete in Florida’s Senior Games.

I decided that it was time for me to complete the picture of State and National Senior Games in the United States and Canada. This post is the result.

History of the Senior Games

The first Senior Games’ event, called the Senior Olympics, was held in Los Angeles, California, in 1969. Soon, the new movement spread to other states as the benefits of promoting healthy lifestyles through education, fitness, and sport became recognized.

Then in 1985, the National Senior Games Association (NSGA) was formed to recognize the need for organized athletic events to celebrate active aging of older adults. Their mission was: “Promoting the benefits of competitive sports, physical fitness and active aging to adults ages 50+.” The first National Senior Games was held in 1987 in St. Louis, Missouri.

Jeanne-Minder-Minnesota-Senior-Sports-Hall-of-Fame-Award — Jeanne Minder was the 2015 Gold Medalist in the Women’s 60-64 Age Group Triathlon. She was later inducted into the Minnesota Senior Sports Association Hall of Fame.

Senior Games in the United States and Canada Include Triathlon

Today, Senior Games are held each year in most states of the United States and provinces of Canada. These competitions include a wide range of individual and team sports from Archery to Volleyball, including Triathlon. Individual sports that may also be of interest to triathletes and other multisport endurance athletes aged 50 and over include swimming, cycling, and running. However, not all states include all sports or triathlon in their schedule. The table below includes websites for the many State Senior Games where you can see the list of activities and their schedules.

The NSGA also hosts the biennial National Senior Games, held in odd-numbered years. This world-class competition celebrates the athletic accomplishments of older adults and inspires people of all ages to be active.

The National Games brings together over 11,000 participants ages 50 to over 100 years, to compete in over 25 sports. These sports include individual triathlon and the triathlon relay. Athletes who wish to take part in the National Senior Games must qualify for them in the year before the Games.

To qualify for the National Senior Games, athletes must meet the following criteria:

Age: Be at least 50 years old by December 31st of the year prior to the National Senior Games.
Qualify to participate in the National Senior Games during the year prior to the National Games. This means that those who will compete in the 2025 National Senior Games qualified for these in 2024.

Qualification Criteria Vary by Sport

Standards for qualifying for the various sports is where things become, or at least appear to become, complicated. To uncomplicate this matter, NSGA publishes an extensive Rulebook. Anyone thinking of competing in the National Senior Games should review the NSGA Rulebook.

In the Rulebook, you will find that NSGA publishes minimum performance standards for many sports, such as archery, golf, swimming, and track and field events. These standards typically define a certain score, time, or distance by gender and age group at their state’s Senior Games required to qualify for the National Senior Games. For other sports, such as tennis and volleyball, finishers qualify for the National Senior Games by achieving a certain place among all competitors within their state’s Senior Games.

According to Elizabeth, a representative of NSGA with whom I spoke, page 78 of the Rulebook contains rules for qualifying for the National Senior Games individual triathlon. Triathlon is among a few sports defined as “limited” events. According to the NSGA, a “limited” event is one in which an athlete can qualify in ways other than by participating in a Qualifying State Senior Games. For the individual triathlon there are two ways to qualify for the National Senior Games in the individual triathlon:

Participate and finish in the individual triathlon of a State Senior Games, or
Finish a qualifying triathlon of equal or longer distance than that of the National Senior Games triathlon. The athlete must then complete and submit a Limited Event Verification Form for the related National Games.

Note that the triathlon relay is “open”, meaning it requires no qualification.

Triathlon and Other Multisport Endurance Events at State and National Senior Games in 2025

The National Senior Games will take place on July 24 through August 4 in Des Moines, Iowa. The individual triathlon and triathlon relay are scheduled for August 1^st. You may still have time to compete in the triathlon at the 2025 National Senior Games.

How? If you finished a Sprint or longer distance triathlon in 2024, submit a completed “2025 Limited Event Verification Form” before March 15, 2025.

Other opportunities for 2025 are to compete in one of the many state Senior Games. In preparing this post, I emailed each USA state and Canadian provincial contact on the NSGA website. I asked them for information on their plans for triathlon and other multisport endurance events in 2025. Several, but not all, contacts replied with information. Along with the state’s Senior Games website address, I have included this information in the table below. I will continue to update the table as new information arrives so check back periodically.

2025 Senior Games Schedule

Qualifying for the 2027 National Senior Games Triathlon

You may be too late to qualify for the individual triathlon for the 2025 National Senior Games. However, you can still register for the triathlon relay.

You can also begin planning to compete in the 2027 National Senior Games in Tulsa, Oklahoma. You can do this by competing in either a state qualifying triathlon or another triathlon of a qualifying distance in 2026. These triathlons need NOT be USA Triathlon-sanctioned races.

Organizers of some state triathlons say they will submit your times to NSGA for a modest fee. However, I recommend using the NSGA’s Limited Event Verification Form and following through directly with NSGA.

Comments

Do you have questions about either State or National Senior Games? Or do you have an experience with these to share?

Please let us know in the comments below.

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Ask Our Coaches: Reducing Strength Imbalance

Terry VanderWert on February 19, 2025

senior triathletes coaches specializing in training for older senior masters triathletes in their 50s 60s 70s 80s

Question

About six months ago, I shifted from two-leg to single-leg curls (hamstrings) and extensions (quads) on the machines I use for strength training in my local fitness center two times per week.

I noticed that my left hamstring appeared weaker than my right. I could not complete the 15 reps with a complete curl; after 12-13 reps, I could not pull the weight through the full range of motion. Meanwhile, I was able to complete all 15 reps with the full range of motion using my right leg.

With the extensions, I had no problem completing 15 single leg reps with each leg. Both quads burn an equal amount, and provide the full range of motion.

I began to wonder if the small amount of knee pain I have after running is caused by the imbalance in the strength of my hamstrings. What do you think?

Our Coaches’ Replies

Following is the email string with the response from two coaches.

Coach Kurt Madden

Terry,

Thanks for reaching out to us and sharing this question from an athlete. As I break it down, it appears the athlete has knee pain and left hamstring is weaker than the right hamstring.

Through my career, sometimes the cause of knee pain can be difficult to pinpoint. It could be one issue or several issues. For example,

Is this issue discomfort or pain?
Where on the knee is the discomfort or pain? Is it below the knee, above the knee, medial, or lateral?
Does the athlete run in one pair of shoes or does he/she rotate them?
How often does the athlete rotate new running shoes into their running sessions, such as once every two to three months or once every six months?
What type of foot strike does the athlete have such as landing on their heel or on their mid-foot?
Is the athlete wearing a neutral shoe or stability shoe?
What type of surface does the athlete run on?
How many sessions does the athlete run each week and what type of sessions do they incorporate such as recovery, tempo, intervals?
What type of terrain does the athlete run on such as dirt, grass, asphalt, or treadmill?
Can you share any data on running dynamics such as cadence and oscillation?
With strength training, does the athlete work on not only strength, but focused on mobility and stretching too?
With strength training, does the athlete understand and implement periodization to focus on stability, mobility, strength, and power or do the same workouts in most sessions?
How much time does the athlete spend foam rolling, massage, or doing yoga?
How durable is the athlete relative to being able to handle the stress and intensity of running?
What is the height and weight of the athlete and how long have they been actively running?
Is the athlete applying ice, CBD cream, or Tiger Balm to the knee following run session?
Has the athlete had a professional chiropractor with an applied kinesiology approach review the alignment of the spine, leg length, and assess the organs that are aligned to the areas around the knee?

As you can see, there are several factors that can contribute to knee discomfort or knee pain. Additionally, through my tenure as a coach and athlete, I have learned that typically more miles of running or higher volume at Zone 2 will weaken your hamstrings.

Hopefully, the information I have shared will be helpful.

Regards,

Kurt Madden

Email: kurt.madden@tridot.com

Sign-Up Link: https://app.tridot.com/onboard/sign-up/kurtmadden

Coach Tony Washington

Like Kurt outlined, knee pain and the observation of an imbalance of left and right hamstring strength is hard to diagnose.

I’ve had athletes do single-sided exercises with adding one rep per set on the weak until the strength is more balanced. Barring other issues (structural, injury caused, scarring, etc) this has helped my folks even up their imbalance.

Yoga and other foundation regimens are great at overall mobility, stability, movement, strength, and force improvements. [I have seen] recent success with Erin Carson’s Mobility Monday on YouTube and her subscribed plans.

Hope this helps,

Tony Washington

Email: tony.washington@tridot.com

Sign-Up Link: https://app.tridot.com/onboard/sign-up/tonywashington

What Has Worked For You?

What have you found to be effective in reducing strength imbalance? Share your experience, or questions in the Comments below.

Have a Question For Our Coaches?

Send your question to Our Coaches here.

Quickest Way To Your Faster Triathlon Swim

Terry VanderWert on January 21, 2025

jogging to the transition area after an open water triathlon swim

This post had its genesis while reading Why I Quit Masters Swimming. In this article in Triathlete magazine, the author, Marshall Ellis, colorfully described his frustration with swimming drills. He felt like he never just swam because of the time spent on drills.

Still, many books and blog posts on training for the triathlon swim encourage various types of drills. These are one reason I have a backpack dedicated to swim training aids: fins, paddles, kickboard, and more.

What Is Your Goal?

Most of us training for triathlon or aquabike are not aiming to be elite swimmers. Our goal is to swim the race course for the distance in which we have chosen to compete. We want to finish with a competitive time, especially within the cut-off time, if the race has one, so we can continue with the bike leg. And, we also want to have enough energy after the swim to continue to finish the race.

Considerations For Training For A Faster Triathlon Swim

Within this context, our swim training needs to consider the following:

Triathletes need to become comfortable swimming in open water. This means consistent swimming, some in open water mimicking race conditions, or those you may encounter. In other words, don’t just swim in calm water, but practice in choppy water as well. And, if your race is at a higher elevation than you are accustomed to, try to swim some in these conditions before race day. Through a practice swim, you will learn how your body reacts to the altitude.

Completing a triathlon swim, no matter the distance, requires aerobic fitness. Building a strong aerobic base is as important for swimming as it is for running and cycling. The good news is that aerobic capacity built through biking and running will benefit the same cardiovascular system called upon in swimming.
Swimming relies on additional muscles, many not as important for biking and running. Specific training to strengthen our core, shoulders, back, and arms leads to faster swimming.
Of particular importance to older triathletes is swimming efficiency. As we age, our fight to maintain strength becomes more difficult. For many, it’s a losing battle. However, we can overcome reduced strength by developing greater efficiency, following the “work smarter, not harder” aphorism.

In summary, training for a faster triathlon swim requires a mix of strength training, swim technique development, and yards (or meters) of swimming.

But, where should we focus?

To answer this question, I prepared a pros and cons assessment for drills-focused and distance-focused swim training. To me, there should be no debate about the merits of strength training as part of a comprehensive triathlon training program.

Drills-Focused Training Pros and Cons

Pros

Drills can be an effective tool for improving swimming efficiency by isolating movements within the swim stroke. This allows one to focus on improving stroke mechanics, body position, and the “catch.”
Through drills, we can learn what the components of an efficient stroke feel like. We begin to feel when we are and are not using an efficient stroke.
Avoiding improper movements helps prevent injury, especially when these movements are repeated hundreds or thousands of times.
Reduces the monotony of swimming back and forth tens of times.

Cons

Drills can neglect the need to put all the pieces together for an efficient stroke.
Poorly explained drills can be confusing, demoralizing, and a waste of precious training time.
Many drills do little to build aerobic fitness.

My perception, based on my experience trying to apply drills only read about, is that drills require a dedicated coach. A coach will make sure each drill is performed correctly and developing the intended skills.

Distance-Focused Pros and Cons

Pros

Builds swim fitness, both in terms of aerobic fitness and strength of the specific muscles for swimming.
Prepares for the distance required on race day and, if done right, various conditions to become a more confident swimmer. Don’t underestimate the value of confidence to face both the knowns and unknowns of race day. You are not swimming fast if you pause to catch your breath after being slapped in the face by a big wave.

Cons

Repeating poor stroke mechanics, body position, and the like, during thousands of strokes reinforces these bad habits.
Repetition of poor mechanics is more likely to produce overuse injuries.
Swimming performance will often plateau without a coach observing your stroke and offering skilled advice. Emphasis is on “skilled.”
Long, continuous swims can be boring. With boredom comes excuses to cut the training short or avoid it all together. At least that’s the way I roll.

The “Quickest Way” for Triathletes Over 50

Our performance in swimming is arguably more technical, that is more dependent on technique, than it is for cycling and running. Because of this, the quickest way to a faster triathlon swim is to prioritize a more efficient swim stroke. Strength and aerobic fitness training, including swimming in race conditions, top off the swim portion of training.

This is precisely the approach of the TriDot Pool School. According to Brandy Ramirez, Director of TriDot Pool School, “the only way to improve an athlete’s swim technique is to solve the root cause of the inefficiency. This correction can only be done by stripping away the athletes’ preconceived swim techniques (the flawed technique) and building from the ground up. While I know this sounds like a heavy lift and one might think this would take months to complete, I can attest that this is exactly what we do at TriDot Pool School.

“In the course of 2 days (4 hours on Saturday and 4 hours on Sunday) our skilled Instructors walk athletes through our program and improve their efficiency in only 8 hours time. We see an average 13% improvement of swimmer’s times and 100% improvement on stroke.”

The TriDot Pool School website describes the approach, including preparation before the two days and continued stroke development exercises afterward. The website also includes a near-term schedule of classes.

Here’s To A Faster Triathlon Swim

Each of us is unique in our habits, capabilities, and needs. Some will benefit from a new stroke technique more than others. Still, from the testimonies on the TriDot Pool School website, even professional triathletes will benefit from a periodic review of their technique.

For our fastest triathlon swim, we need an efficient stroke along with aerobic fitness and strong swimming muscles.

What Works For You?

This post is based on my reading and comments of TriDot coaches who help with some of this site’s content.

I would like to hear from you. What has worked for you as you trained for a faster triathlon swim?

How 75 Became My Best Ironman Year Yet – Rick Burgess’ Story

Rick Burgess on January 13, 2025

Caption: Rick and Elaine Burgess at the 2024 Morro Bay 70.3 swim start.

Stamina, Strength, and Wild Goals

When does getting older mean getting better? That’s the question I asked myself after completing Ironman California in late 2022. It was my fifth full-distance Ironman, and while my time of 15:45 wasn’t remarkable, crossing the finish line is always a win. Later, I realized I was the oldest finisher among the 2,600 participants. At 73, that achievement sparked a thought: If I could do this at 73, what could I accomplish at 75?

Inspired, my wife Elaine and I decided to celebrate my upcoming 75^th birthday by taking on all five California Ironman races in 2024—Oceanside 70.3, Morro Bay 70.3, Santa Cruz 70.3, Ironman California 140.6, and Indian Wells 70.3. The word celebrate felt deliberate since there are no guarantees at this stage of life. Each race would honor the health and strength I’d been given while aiming to see what was possible.

Building on a Lifetime of Triathlons

I’ve been competing in triathlons for 25 years, with my first full Ironman at Panama City in 2004. I was a runner in my late 40s. When I tweaked my back one summer, my physical therapist encouraged me to swim while recovering. Over the next few months, I worked up to swimming over a mile. I thought, I can run, I have a bike, and now I can manage the swim. I should do a triathlon.

The first year (2001), I signed up for three tri’s – a Sprint (Uvas) and two Olympic (San Jose and Santa Cruz) distances – and an aquathlon, all in the Bay Area. I still remember coming out of the water in the sprint. My bike, a mountain bike, was the only one left in T1. The next year I did the same Sprint and an Olympic tri, but added two 70.3’s: Vineman-Santa Rosa and Big Kahuna-Santa Cruz. I was off!

During that time, I was a good runner and an average swimmer and cyclist, solidly middle-of-the-pack. Over time, as the field in my age group thinned, my rankings improved.

Achieving All-World Athlete Ranking

IRONMAN® ranks all athletes worldwide that complete an Ironman race, called the All World Athlete program. The top 2% in each age group earn Gold, the next 5% Silver and the next 10% Bronze. My first Bronze award came while competing in the 65-69 age group. I earned a second Bronze while competing in the 70-74 age group.

I really enjoyed the challenge of triathlons. Having finished the Boston Marathon six times, I was a comfortable and competitive runner. I found the swim/bike cross training a challenge and an important part of balancing the wear and tear of running. Plus, tri’s are fun races and I enjoy the excitement and camaraderie.

The base I had built was about to be challenged, though, as the 2024 races were sure to be an adventure. I hadn’t competed in a triathlon in 16 months and had never raced Oceanside. Morro Bay was equally unfamiliar territory. Yet, I was optimistic and ready to embrace the challenge.

Oceanside: A Strong Start

The Oceanside race was exciting and nerve-wracking. It’s known as the unofficial California Ironman championship, so I expected strong representation, even in the 75-79 age group. Eight of us started, and I ended up finishing third out of five. The harbor swim took me 48 minutes, complicated by swimming into the sun. The bike course, winding through Camp Pendleton, was challenging, with many athletes dismounting and walking up steep hills – a rarity in triathlons. Despite the hilly course, I completed the bike leg in 3:45 and finished the run in 2:25 for an overall time of 7:16. I felt pleased and confident heading into the next event.

Morro Bay: The Challenge of the Tide

Morro Bay seemed like it would be easier than Oceanside, with fewer hills and a “saltwater lake” swim. The venue was picturesque, though the water was cold at 58°F. The swim quickly turned into a battle.

A strong opposing tide made progress painfully slow and the water temperature dropped to the low 50’s. At one point, I clung to a buoy with others, unsure if I’d make it to the finish. My swim took 1:18, far exceeding my 45 minute goal. I finished, shivering and tired, failing to meet the 1:10 cutoff.

Soon afterwards, I realized many others also struggled, and race officials hadn’t strictly enforced the cutoff. I could have continued. While I regretted not finishing, safety felt like the better choice. Ironman appropriately offered free entry to another event to the 100s of entrants who DNF’d on the swim. I used it to register for Oceanside 2025 after Ironman announced that Morro Bay would no longer be held.

Finishing Strong

The remaining three races brought redemption. At Santa Cruz, I clocked a 41 minute swim and finished in 7:15, securing second place in my age group. IRONMAN California was a standout, winning my age group with a finish time of 14:45—nearly an hour better than my time two years earlier. At Indian Wells, I was the only competitor in my age group and won in a time of 7:24.

At year’s end, I achieved an unexpected accolade: Ranked #1 globally (Gold) in my age group in the Ironman All-World Athlete program (out of 90 athletes). The recognition capped an amazing year, and my wife Elaine and I decided to tackle the Nice (140.6) and Marbella (70.3) World Championship races in 2025 along with Oceanside and St George.

Rick Burgess and his cheering squad for IRONMAN California 2024.

Lessons Learned

The year taught me three key lessons.

Consistency Over Intensity

My training over the years has evolved. I’ve used books (Joel Friel), on-line coaching, and tri club training programs and just evolved to my own cadence and distances. Three workouts/discipline/week, each one with a long, tempo and speed/power session and 1 rest day. And training consistently, even if not at high intensity, proved more effective than epic workouts. My longest runs were 2.5 hours, longest swims 1 hour and this year I focused heavily on the bike with a longest ride of 6 hours.

In 2024 I swam 86 miles, biked 4,339 miles, and ran 726 miles and remarkably stayed healthy. Joel Friel has a great post titled How to Have a Personal Best Ironman. This became a foundation of my training plan.

Healthy Nutrition

Maintaining a 90% vegetarian diet, prioritizing protein intake, and reducing alcohol made a big difference. We basically cut out red meat and eat fish once or twice weekly. I weigh 165 pounds, and target 100 grams of protein daily. Cutting alcohol improved my sleep, recovery, and overall fitness metrics. Protein bars, fruit, and smoothies became dietary staples.

The Power of Balance

Integrating training into my life with Elaine kept the journey enjoyable. Long rides together with Elaine on her e-bike and shared spin and strength sessions created memories while keeping training sustainable. The mental shift to viewing races as celebrations, not obligations, helped me stay grounded.

Gratitude for the Journey

Looking ahead to 2025, I’m embracing new adventures and challenges with excitement and gratitude. The grace of God, the love of my wife, and the enduring joy of triathlon continue to fuel me. Here’s to striving for the extraordinary and proving that growing older can also mean growing better.

I aim to continue celebrating the journey, not just the results. Wishing us all another year of swimming, biking, running—and living—with purpose.

Rick Burgess, senior Ironman triathlete — Rick Burgess at IRONMAN California 2024.

Share Your Questions and Comments With Rick Below

Editor’s Note: I know that many of you have questions about triathlon training. Here is your opportunity to ask an experienced and successful triathlete for his advice.

Click here for more inspiring stories from Senior Triathletes.