This was my third year competing in this race. Every year it seems to draw me back as the course has a flat design. It is easy to give it your all and hold nothing back. Even if you are new to the triathlon/duathlon world, the sprint course has a nice feel with a little variety from other events. This event hosts a Sprint (500m/20km/5km) triathlon, an Olympic (1.5km/40km/10km) triathlon and a Sprint (3.2km/20km/5km) duathlon. The event that I usually compete in is the Olympic distance triathlon.
The swim starts off a few meters off shore. The water is usually warm (above 76 degrees F) which makes it comfortable for all types of swimmers. The course is one loop, either 500m for sprint or 1500m for Olympic distances. Since this event caps out at 500 competitors, you can usually find enough space to do your own thing while in the water. The event organizers do their best to clear the course of any seaweed, since this lake seems to have an overabundant supply of it.
Out of the water you have a short sprint (about 30m) to the transition area. This is where the fun begins. You can usually find enough space to setup your supplies. Once you have your bike gear on it’s off to the bike course. As mentioned earlier, this course is almost completely flat. Except for one small bridge, this out and back course sees almost no elevation. So if you have any toys that you want to experiment with, this is the course for you. You pass some nice houses, a few farmer fields and then travel through a small town. There is enough variety to keep you interested. The course is not closed, so you do have to look out for cars that are sharing the road. However, due to the time of day and the remoteness of the event, you will have little to worry about.
On your way back into the transition area, the crowd is lined up to cheer you on to the next leg of your event. Change into your running gear and you’re off, out the chute to the run course. It starts through a wooded forest which helps out since having the event in August, chances are it’s going to be hot and sunny. There are plenty of aid stations along the way to help you alleviate your thirst. Again, like the bike course, the run course is mainly flat. There are no big hills to worry about. Most of the run is in the shade, along tree lined roads. Overall, it is a very well designed course.
So for anyone that is looking for an event out of town, and a little bit across the border, this is an event that should be given a “Tri”.
