Triathlon Preview

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Triathlon Season Preview

As the local triathlon season gets underway and extends through September, it will offer races that provide challenges at all distances. Never have we had the luxury of such breadth of choice. Sprint, Olympic, long-course, and ultra events are all slated within the region. That area is calculated by a couple-of-hundred-mile tape measure stretched with one end held firmly on the Arch. This potpourri is enhanced by offerings that encourage the first-timer as well as regional championships for the most competitive among us. The following are a few of the editor's choices to dot your calendar.

April ushers in the Coors Light Steamboat Classic in Cape Girardeau. This sprint offers a swim in the 'bubble" and fickle Spring weather. It probably favors the runners with a 5 miler after relatively short swim and bike legs. Here is an opportunity to dust off the winter cobwebs and see where your game needs work.

May 5th has St. Louisans driving to Columbia as the Race for Sight offers cash and a chance to add some early points to your USAT ranking. Strong bikers have the edge in this sanctioned race with hills being the primary challenge. The start is distinguished by the long, single-file line as racers head for their turn to swim laps up and down each lane in the pool. This is a well organized event and draws a crowd.

Those willing to make the drive to Memphis for the May 20th Memphis in May Triathlon, are rewarded with one of the best Olympic-distance races in the country. This well-oiled machine delivers on all cylinders. Super-fast course, single-file lake-swim start, restaurant quality food, $10,000 in cash and prizes, live music, and competitors from around the world are the hallmarks of this regional championship. And did I mention the world-class barbecue and weekend-long festivities? This is a don't miss event.

June brings the tri schedule into full swing as both the action and the weather heat up. Fathers Day finds many dads going long at the Ironhorse Triathlon in Springfield, Illinois. At nearly half-iron-distance proportions, this race can drive athletes into survival mode if the thermometer rises. At nearly a hundred bucks the entry fee is a little stiff when you consider most participants will also have food and lodging bills. If the run course follows the same path as years past, be prepared to pick tar out of your running shoes for days afterwards. We still recommend this event as one to train towards. We particularly like the 3D course map on their web.

No July is complete without the South County YMCA Triathlon (314-849-9622). Although the distances are short and some athletes view it as a workout rather than a race, close proximity and the hospitality make it appealing. The run has a couple of nice hills. A twenty mile bike ride would move this event up several notches on my list. None the less, the 20 minute drive home beats the 2-3 hour stay-awake marathons of some out-of-town races. Sign up early or miss the fun.

Another local sprint brings out the mountain goat in us within the steep confines of Babler State Park this August 4th. The Babler Beast ( 636-532-3100 ext. 266) will give your small chain ring a workout not to mention your quads. The swim is in a long pool instead of a 25 yard job and the run is a very short out and back with one relatively healthy climb. The three H's are at work here....heat, humidity, and hills. Again, this one fills so get your application in the mail.

Labor Day weekend beckons tri-purists to the open-water swim of the Lake St Louis Triathlon. New clubhouse construction has sent the event back to the big lake where in it's early years the race drew more than 1000 athletes from all over the Midwest. This year the field has been upped to 850 between two races and draws mostly local triathletes. Staged in easily the best local venue for an event of this kind, the race is very popular. The only thing that baffles me is that the "long course" flirts with Olympic distance. Hey, if we're going to do this thing......anyway, the race still retains its grand-daddy status with 2002 being the 20th annual. As one participant told me after last years LSL Tri, "it's still the local championship."

The new kid on the block has everybody talking. The first ever Missouri iron-distance Ultramax Triathlon at the Lake of the Ozarks, September 28th, should deliver a physical challenge not previously offered in this neck of the woods. St Louis already has a host of athletes who have trekked to Lake Placid, California, Florida, Kona, and Wisconsin to race this distance. It should be interesting to see how this event fares and what kind of future it holds. The sheer magnitude of 140 miles of Ozark country will eliminate newbies and sprint specialists, but the allure of a mere two hour drive will appeal to many. At 250 bucks plus hotel it's still a bargain when you eliminate the hassle and cost of air travel. What a way to cap your season.

I'm sure everyone has their own list of favorites. We certainly don't intend to slight any event. There are many other quality races from which to choose. Budgets, travel, family constraints, and many other factors enter into deciding which ones are right for you. For those of you that have done these for years, I'm sure all this comes as no wondrous enlightenment. For those of you new to this great sport, I hope this has put a little perspective on things. Train hard and see you at the races.