Active contributor and EveryMan Triathlete Roman Mica and the endurance-loving folks over at raceAthlete.com have created a challenge worthy of celebration. Well, chances are you were going to be celebrating on your birthday anyway...
But this takes the party one step (or several, depending on how old you are) beyond the traditional cake and ice cream. The idea behind the B-Fit B-Day Challenge is to swim, bike and run your new age. To do this, take your age and:
1) Swim the number of miles in the first number
2) Run the number of miles in the second number
3) Bike the number of miles in the combined number
So a 45-year-old athlete would:
1) Swim 4 miles
2) Run 5 miles
3) Bike 45 miles
"My goal in creating the Challenge was to come up with something that has all of the athletic appeal of a triathlon, but with a much more gentle and family-friendly atmosphere," says Mica. "We really hope this new Challenge will encourage athletes, their friends, and their family to celebrate their birthday in a unique and healthy way."
The B-Fit B-Day Challenge is completely free and open to anyone of any age. The website currently boasts over 120 members. Those who join can create profiles with photos and video, interact and encourage others, post completion times and take part in some great sponsor premiums offered on the site.
(Thanks to B-Fit B-Day member Stronger for permission to use her awesome photo montage!)
The Challenge is divided into three levels: Gold, Silver and Bronze.
Bronze: Do all three (swim/bike/run) during the week of their birthday.
Silver: Do all three (swim/bike/run) in the 72 hours (three days) before, after or during their birthday.
Gold: Do all three (swim/bike/run) in 24 hours to celebrate their birthday!
Some important notes: Since "0" birthdays (like 10, 20, 30, 40, 50...) are important milestones, the "0" represents a 10. This means that on those "0" birthdays athletes must celebrate this big milestone by running ten miles.
Also, note that transitions don't count in the overall time.
"It's not so much about how far or how fast you go or how many people you pass, but more of a celebration of your life, health and fitness on your birthday," Mica says. "In other words, where a race is highly competitive, stressful, punishing and very public--you know...a race--the B-Fit B-Day Challenge is personal, intimate, rewarding and stress free."
Active Endurance Sports
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MelissaE
in response to: Tom
My birthday is coming up. I think I'll convert everything into minutes or meters. That seems like it would be much more realistic for me.
Mary
in response to: Tom
As a 51 year old, I swim 5, run 1, bike 51...pr run 5, swim 1, bike 51? Almost a dream come true
Roman Mica
in response to: Tom
Hi Tom,
Thanks for your great suggestions.
The point of the B-Fit B-Day is to Challenge yourself in a new and different way.
Our goal in creating the Challenge was to come up with something that has all of the athletic appeal of a triathlon, but with a much more gentle and family friendly atmosphere. In other words, where a race is highly competitive, stressful, punishing and very public. You know...a race. This B-Day B-Fit Challenge is personal, intimate, rewarding, and stress free.
That's why you can choose to complete the Challenge in a week (Bronze Challenge) 3 days (Silver) or 1 day (Gold).
It gets harder as we get older because in general athletes:
1) Get better at endurance sports
2) Have more time to train for endurance sports
3) Need a bigger challenge each year
In other words, what's the point of climbing a smaller mountain each year 
But mostly this is about a personal celebration of your wellness, health, and fitness.
If you can say to yourself I can swim, bike, and, run my age each year and actually do it....that's something to celebrate on your birthday.
1) You are well enough...
2) You are fit enough...
3) You are healthy enough...
To Go for Bronze, Silver or Gold!
And more importantly, you are lucky enough and you have worked hard enough to accomplish something that most people would never even contemplating trying.
That's the Challenge.
The Choice is yours..
Neil
Whether it's a week, 3 days or 1 day, this challenge is definately age discriminating! My swim distances are twice those of people half my age. Are you serious about that? Let's see, as a 30 year old I swim for 3 miles, but as a 60 year old I swim for 6 miles! Okay, I can swim six miles and still do other things. Wait, run 4 miles - piece of cake, poor person at the end of their decade or just starting a new decade! But, cycle 30 miles as a 30 year old and cycle 60 miles as a 60 year old? Again, age discrimination.
Creating a challenge for your b-day is a great idea. But, this formula will not encourage those that need this the most - us older endurance athletes - to take up the challenge.
Instead, start with a base of 100. Subtract your age and then use your formula - 60 year old cycles for 40 miles (100 minus 60), runs for 10 miles (okay, decades remain tough!) and swims for 4 miles. Much more reasonable, and not very complicated.
Missed my 64th b-day last week, but I think I'll do this next week.
nlc
Roman Mica
in response to: Neil
Neil,
Sounds like you've got your own Challenge going.
Good Luck and Have Fun!
FYI: Using your formula the 11-year-olds are in deep deep deep trouble
john harrison
in response to: Roman Mica
I think all the formulas have their own "good and Bad" points and are not as fair to older or younger athletes alike. Hey, remember that while you're swiming and someone passes you (I don't know what that's like, but) their age or gender never comes into play out on the course. I think that they are all good examples of what Mica is trying to do and has apparently succeeded. "GEt us thinking about FIT things to do on our Bday's" . For your own personal thing, isn't this what we needed? A challenge that can be FUN? I'm getting to the point where I can't win every time against insane competitors that are crazy out of their minds in shape. I personally have all kinds of formulas runing through my head now, one for certain holidays as well as Bdays, as a matter of fact I'm going to do one for my late mother on her B'Day May 17th. she died at 63, I'm going to swim 6K run 3K and bike 100-63 = 37K. for you super at's out there this isn't even a workout, but it's not for you, it's for me and it will mean the world to me. Thank you to everyone for getting me into this way of thinking and "Have some FUN"
john harrison
Roman Mica
in response to: john harrison
Hi John,
That's the spirit and best of all the only race fee is celebrating a B-Day.
BTW: Come join us over at http://www.bfitbday.com if you want a fun supportive community.
Darin
I am one 46 year old who is looking forward to the challenge of the bfit bday challenge. I had a serious cycling accident over 2 years ago that postponed my first ultra-triathlon. After successful surgery and recovery, I am thrilled to swim, bike, and run the distances prescribed. Each year I will make a plan to make this part of my celebration. While consistently hitting new personal records for race times can seem daunting, increasing the distance each year is definitely something I can shoot for. A celebration of life, health, and looking for new challenges!
George
Great idea but agree with those comments regarding age. As a 67 year old I can't swim, no shoulder, lost to cancer, can't run because of bad knees but can still do 200 km rides. Really is the issue to get out there and do what you can.
Looks to me like the math is wrong! Your example would have a 25 year old swimming 2 miles, running 5, and biking 27. Hardly a challenge! Conversely, it would require a 59 year old to swim 5 miles, run 9, and bike 59 miles. Not too bad, but proportionately significantly more difficult than it works out for the younger person. Perhaps using the following slight adjustment in your formula would help: Subtract the first number in your age from 10 and swim this number, subtract the second number in your age from 10 and run this, and subtract the sum of your two age numbers from 100 and bike that distance. With this change a 45 year old would swim 6 miles, run 5, and bike 55. Not perfect, but perhaps better.