What makes a triathlete?

No doubt that in my mind, you're a triathlete!

Train & finish!

Now, I want to do an Olympic Length, so I cannot work on the same day as the race, so I can leave it "all out on the course".  Then I'll feel like a REAL triathlete.  (But those are my feelings, and shouldn't apply to anyone else).

Her definition was a 1/2 Oly...and I don't particularly care...I know what I have done and am proud of it...I was just curious as to what others thought. 

Your friend is just sour grapes.  You're a triathlete whenever you think you are.

Nope or at least my DH doesn't think so...not totally sure I would want to be

What makes a triathlete is the pursuit of three sports in an effort to combine them into a single event for time, or a single feat of endurance.

You can fill in the blanks with whatever those parameters mean to you.

And yes, you're a triathlete. I've known a few that never toed an official starting line, but I'd never tell them they're NOT a triathlete.

"what makes your friend think a sprint makes you a triathlete"

Maybe because that's the distance that she'd done?

If you asked any of my children (5, 9, 11) if they were a triathlete they would each answer yes.  They have each competed in a mini kids triathlon.  They each experienced the stress, competition, and excitement of competing in such an event and in their minds they are each triathletes.  There opinion of this might change over time, but that is how they each feel currently.

Michael

Let's follow your friend's reasoning for a moment.  This is going to be like giving a mouse a cookie:

You did a super sprint, but it shouldn't "count", because it is too short.

So you do a sprint. 

But you know, the standard for any sport is the olympics, so you should really only count yourself a triathlete if you do a standard Oly.

So you do an Oly. 

Then your friend says "tons of people do olys.  That's like calling yourself a runner because you did a couple of 10k's.  You should really challenge yourself with a HIM."

So you do a HIM. 

Then your friend says the distance most people associate with triathletes is the full IM. 

So you do an IM. 

But your friend says it shouldn't count.  The only "true" IM is Kona.

So you find a new friend...

The fact that you trained and finished makes you one, IMHO.

In addition, the fact that your friend would choose to crap on your accomplishment in such a way speaks volumes about your friend's insecurities and inadequacies.

Big x2!