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Want the protagonist to become a fitness fanatic? Well, look no further than the triathlons that have been brought in for multiple entries in Rockstar Games’ mega-hit franchise Grand Theft Auto. Traditional triathlons are used not once but twice within the massive open worlds. Funnily enough, the triathlons seem to like Los Santos settings.
They were first introduced during Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and brought back for Grand Theft Auto V. They can be a bit tedious for players to complete, especially the last one in GTA V, but not only do they help boost character stats, but they’re also a nice way of taking in the views of the world you’re in.
Let us look at the events that can be found dotted around the maps of the Grand Theft Auto world.
Welcome to a Triathlons Challenge Guide.
What is a Triathlon?
A triathlon is a high endurance race that consists of swimming, cycling, and running. The mega marathon is staged all over the globe, and in 2000, it became an Olympic sport. In the world of GTA, they follow the same order. Some triathlons are pretty small, whereas others are mammoth and take a good old time to complete.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
The traditional triathlon was first introduced in GTA: San Andreas as “Beat the Cock!“. While the name is a clever pun on beat the clock, the triathlons are also sponsored by Cluckin’ Bell.
There are a total of two triathlons for CJ to complete. The first one unlocks after the mission “Ya Ka-Boom-Boom”. To make it easier for players, the triathlons are only on in-game weekends, and there is no road traffic to get in your way.
For the triathlons to be officially completed, Cj needs to be the victor in each one, so it’s best to ensure you’re thoroughly prepared before attempting one.
The best thing to do is make sure you have 100% stamina. Going to the gym, running, swimming, and biking are the best ways to do this. Another effective way of getting your stamina up is competing the Burglar side mission. Doing this will give CJ unlimited stamina while running.
You can also add to your cycling skill by completing the “BMX Challenge” at the skate park in Glen Park.
One of the funny points of GTA: San Andreas is how much you can make CJ’s weight fluctuate. However, being under or overweight can make completing the triathlons a tricker. It’s recommended for CJ to have around 20-50% muscle mass.
Now you’re all prepared, let’s crack on with the first mega marathon.
From Los Santos to San Fierro
The first triathlon’s start point is located on Santa Maria Beach in Los Santos, and nine of you compete to be the best.
The first section is swimming. CJ will have to pass through various checkpoints as he swims through the Los Santos inlet. Eventually, you’ll end up in Flint County on the eastern part of the San Fierro Highway. After getting out of the water, you’ll have 25 seconds to get on your bike and start the second stint.
The bike stint will take CJ through Back o Beyond, dirt tracks of Flint County, Shady Creeks, Whetstone, and Angel Pine, back onto the San Fierro Highway before ending at Avista country club in San Fierro.
The final part is the run, which takes you along the road leading up to Missionary Hill and ends underneath the radio tower. If timed right, the whole triathlon should take around eight and a half minutes to complete, and you’ll be rewarded with a cool $10,000.
Northern San Andreas Marathon
The next triathlon starts at the mini beach at Palomino Creek in Red County. Yet again, there are nine of you hoping to be the fastest.
The swimming comes up again, taking you along a river until you get to a river bed in the most northern part of Mulholland. Hop on a bike as quickly as you can for the next stint.
The bike ride is lengthy, taking approximately 10 minutes to complete, so of course, it takes you through some sites. You start in Red Country, journeying through Hilltop Farm, Blueberry, past Blueberry Acres, and the Panopticon, heading along the road that leads to San Fierro.
Carrying on, the trail takes you through San Fierro and onto the Gant Bridge. You pass straight by Bayside, keeping on the road heading towards the Sherman Dam in Tierra Robada.
After passing the Sherman Dam, you head along a few windy roads before passing by Fort Carson in Bone County. Keep with me, there’s still a long old distance left on this bike journey.
You next past Green Palms before getting back onto the Highway, this time leading into Las Venturas. The trail then takes us on a cycle around Las Venturas before stopping just as we get to the Strip.
The final stint, the run, takes CJ along the Las Venturas Strip, with all its glitz and glamour to view along the way. The sprint ends near The Four Dragons Hotel and Casino, awarding $20,000. A good place to end up if you want to blow all the cash.
Grand Theft Auto V
GTA V decided to go to the extreme when it added triathlons. If you’ve been brave enough to complete them all, then I feel story for your thumb!
There are three to complete, with the third and final one taking a whopping 30 minutes!!
Unlike GTA: San Andreas, these triathlons can take place on any day of the week, but they do need to be unlocked. The first one is unlocked when Michael’s mission, “Daddy’s Little Girl” has been completed.
If you want to get some practice in, The Mary-Ann stranger missions are an excellent place to start. She’s an avid fitness girl and is training for a triathlon. Although, she isn’t the nicest of people to train with…
As usual, it’s best to have your stamina stats maxed out. Completing the triathlons with Trevor gives you an edge over the other characters, as his maximum strength and stamina are better than Michael and Trevor’s.
While it’s not compulsory to compete in each triathlon, you do need to get a medal in all three to gain 100% completion in GTA V. One downside is no dollar reward. You would have thought you’d get a nice cash prize after all the button-bashing needed.
A nice touch is the triathlons are followed by a helicopter in the sky, used by Weazel News. You can change your camera angle to see the copter’s view, but it makes the triathlon a little harder to complete.
One warning. Michael or Trevor can’t complete the first and third triathlons while in exile. I don’t think Martin Madrazo will allow that…
Vespucci Sprint
This one starts near the water on the northwestern side of Los Santos Airport. The swim is first up and takes you along the Pacific Sea and ends at Vespucci Beach, near a lifeguard hut.
You take a short journey to the bikes for the next stint. The bike section takes you around the cycle paths and roads of Vespucci Beach before ending outside the Burger Shot.
Now, it’s time to get your run on. The final part takes you along more roads of the Vespucci area before crossing the finish line along Vespucci Boulevard.
Out in Sandy Shores
We head to the lovely area of Sandy Shores for our next triathlon event. The start position can be found on the eastern edge of the Alamo Sea, just south of Grapeseed. As it’s been all along, the swim is the first part, taking you through the Alamo Sea and ending at the eastern end of Zancudo Avenue.
Next up, we have the bikes. The bike journey takes us through a sort of circular loop of Sandy Shores along various roads before ending on Marina Drive.
We head down Algonquin Boulevard for the sprint before turning onto Niland Avenue and continuing to Armadillo Avenue. The finish line is situated just on Cholla Springs Avenue. That was one Red Dead ending…
The Big One
I hope you’re in it for the long haul because this one is the whooper of a triathlon, taking you all over Los Santos and Blaine County.
Out start point is in Sandy Shores, just off of Marina Drive. Yet again, we’re diving into the water for the first section and taking a leisurely 10-minute swim across the Alamo Sea.
The endpoint sits at the northwestern part of the Alamo Sea, with bikes ready for the taking on Calafia Road. We carry south down Calafia Road, passing the trailer park and going southbound along Joshua Road. We take a slight detour before riding along Senora Road.
Next, we turn off to Baytree Canyon Road and follow that road all the way to Los Santos. Now, we make a big old loop around Los Santos. We go along that many roads that I’ll give you a gist of whether the cycle path takes you.
First, we go through Vinewood and down to Downtown. We go east from Downtown, heading along San Andreas Avenue and El rancho Boulevard. We carry along this road through East Los Santos, then on to a journey through South Los Santos.
Next, we head along Alta Street and then turn onto Vespucci Boulevard. We zig-zag through the roads of Vespucci before taking a ride along the beach. Head back into the city and see the sights at Rockford Hills before finally ditching the bike at Richman, just to the north of the golf club.
The final section, the run, takes you through Richman and up the road leading to the Kortz Center, where the checkered flag will be waiting, and the torturous triathlon has reached its end. You can have a breather after this one.
Different Triathlons for The Ballad of Gay Tony and Vice City Stories
They did include triathlons in The Ballad of Gay Tony DLC for GTA IV, but they did it with a twist. Instead of having the three traditional activities of cycling, running, and swimming, they opted for something with a bit more horsepower.
The triathlons included parachuting, boating, and a street race. So, how does that work? First, players are taken up to a parachute point via a helicopter. They’ll then parachute down to the ground and hop into a boat.
You’ll navigate through various checkpoints before finishing close to land. The final section will see players hop into a car and race through the streets of Liberty City. There are three of these events in total, located in Normandy, BOABO, and Charge Island. The reward for winning each one is $1,000, and there are just three other people to compete against.
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories similarly follows this bizarre twist on a triathlon. They have two in total. The first is called “Hyman Memorial O.D.T” which includes flying a plane, taking to the water on a boat, and soaring through the streets of Vice City on a motorbike. Instead of competing with other NPCs, this one you do entirely on your own. However, you only get the $500 reward if the entire course is complete in four minutes and 50 seconds.
The second event, “Land Sea and Air Ace” switches it up a bit, with you riding on a motorbike first before taking to the water and finishing off in a helicopter ride. This one has to be done a tad quicker, with a time of four minutes and 30 seconds needing to be beaten to get the dough.
Both events have to be completed for 100% completion.
FAQ’s
Question: Can You Use Shortcuts to Make the Triathlons Shorter?
Answer: All the triathlons have checkpoints you need to go through, so it would be pretty hard to try and sneak a shorter route in without failing the whole event.
Question: Which Triathlon is the Hardest to Complete?
Answer: Technically, none of the triathlons are that hard. they’re more just tedious to complete. If you keep persevering and have taken on board my pre-triathlon tips, then you should be good to secure the win!
Question: Is There Any Reward for Completing the Triathlons in GTA V?
Answer: It’s disappointing that you get no money, but Rockstar ensures you get a reward, albeit not on the large size. Once you’ve completed a triathlon, the outfit you’re given for competing is now yours to keep.