The Courses
Swim Course
The swim portion of the tri is a 500 yard pool swim. That’s down and back 10 times. Depending on registrtion numbers, you could be in the outdoor or indoor pool. Both are 80 degrees or warmer so a wet suit is not needed.
At registration time, you’ll need to submit a swim estimate time for seeding purposes. Max swim prediction time is 20 min. Lap counters will assist you keeping track of your laps so you don’t have to worry about keeping them in your head. Exits to both pools converge on a common walkway and are equal distance from the transition area.
Bike Course
The bike course is somewhat challenging, but no hills that will break you. It’s a simple out and back course. The roads are marked with spray chalk and critical intersections are traffic controlled with police and volunteers. In New Springfield you’ll be making a “U-ee” in the middle of the road and head back the way you came. There is traffic on the course, but it’s minimized on a Sunday morning. Even still, keep your eyes and ears open for traffic dangers.
Run Course
The run follows a course across Market St. and into a very quiet neighborhood. It’s reasonably flat except for a bit of a climb at about the half way mark. The run makes a sharp right turn near transition and heads west about 75 yards into the finish. There is one water aid station on the course at about the one mile mark that you can hit at one mile or again at two.
Transition
Transition is accessed equal distance from either the indoor or outdoor pool. You’ll run up the concrete sidewalk trying to dry off and cross the timing mat at the west end. Find your bike, suit up (with helmet), then head out the east side of transition across a second timing mat. Once you’re across the mat, mount your bike and head out.
Once you complete the bike course, you’ll enter the same end that you left, walk/run your bike across the mat and try and remember where you left your running shoes. Slip ’em on and head out the transition area the same end where you entered after the swim.
At the end of the run course, you’ll head back down the main drive the way you left. Once you make the right turn, the finish is about 75 yards.
