近年來臺灣的鐵人三項比賽紛紛設立初鐵賞，以鼓勵首次參加比賽的選手挑戰艱難，他們在處理比賽中遇到的各種困難狀況絕非易事，本文探究他們在初鐵比賽中遇到的各種困境，以及詮釋困境所具有的功能性意義，藉由書籍和部落格中經常可見的比賽經驗陳述，發現初鐵選手的比賽困境有體能、技術、戰術和心理這四個面向，困境不僅幫助選手探測自己的潛能極限，也增添選手競賽經驗的色彩，更凸顯該項運動引人入勝的魅力。

In recent years, in order to encourage first-time triathletes to challenge difficulties, the number of first-time triathlon awards has been soaring among Taiwanese triathlons. It is never facile for these first-time triathletes to deal with various challenging situations in competitions. This paper attempts to study all kinds of difficulties encountered by first-time triathletes in competitions as well as the function of difficulty interpretation. By the narratives of triathlon competition experience found in books, and blogs, we find that the difficulties of competitions encountered by first-time triathletes lie in four key issues of physical fitness and technique and strategy and psychology. These difficulties not only help first-time triathletes to explore the limit of potentiality, adding a colorful touch of contestants’ competition experiences, but also emphasize the charismas of triathlons.