I did my first 'half' (2nd triathlon) at the Inaugural Tinman Triathlon in Menomonie, Wisconsin August 1980. The distances were 1 mile swim, 55 mile bike and 12.4 mi run. TriFed/USAT did not exist so apart from not cutting the course there were no rules. I recall the water was in the upper 60s and we all wore speedos. Everyone used road bikes because tri-bikes were not yet invented, nor were aerobars or lockstep pedals. We did not wear helmets. We drafted....legally. We stopped and got off our bikes to refill a water bottle and eat a banana or fig newton...no one was handing you anything. And it cost a whopping $12 to enter.