Sorry for the long delay between updates, but preparations have been very time consuming recently. Today is the last day for registration and it looks like we will get close to 150 total participants which is pretty satisfying for a first year event and should make for an exciting event for both racers and spectators. We’ve got new maps for swim, bike, and run that you should check out on the course section of this website. Here are some recent course updates:
Swim – We swam through one loop of the swim course yesterday with a group of 20+ and it went very well. The water feels balmy and is well into the low 70′s. Swimmers will be comfortable both with and without wetsuits. The current under the bridge and downriver was almost non-existent, and the watching the bottom cruise by through the clear water on the northbound leg was pretty cool. Even better, we found that the none of the legs of the triangle had any issues with sun in our eyes. Participants of all abilities left feeling confident and even had fun practicing their dives/jumps back into the water from the dock. It should be a greats start to the race.
Bike – The bike course turnaround is now marked and their are distance markers at 10k, 20k, and 30k that will be accompanied by signs on race day. County road crews and volunteers plan to do some thorough sweeping along with patching or marking of the most significant potholes over the next couple days. We will have great signs and numerous marshals to keep everyone on course, plus a good crew of support vehicles and official motorcycles to keep things safe and fair. Plan for a bumpy ride in a few spots, but some fun, challenging course features and memorable views.
Run – The majority of the run course will be measured and marked tomorrow (Wednesday) morning and will have painted arrows, cones, mile markers, and key corner marshals on race day. There will be one aid station in the park at the start of the run and then five more at every mile marker (except 6) on the run course. Aid stations will serve water, HEED, and ice, so plan to carry your own energy gel if needed. The course is all on pavement except a 400-meter section in the park at the start, a 200-meter gravel section at the 1-mile mark, and an 800-meter grass loop at the 5-mile mark. There are some significant hills, but once you get to 3.75 miles, it is all downhill and flat to the finish.
I plan to get finish the racer guide and get it up on the website tomorrow (Wednesday) .
