A biased view as I am the owner and RD for the ATC Endurance Triathlons in Upstate NY. A series of three sprint and intermediate distance races all starting at $65 each, or register for all three for only $180! Races and dates are as follows, go to http://www.atcendurance.com for all the pertinent information

Saturday June 4, 2016: Cooperstown Sprint Triathlon at Glimmerglass State Park (yes, the Baseball HOF Cooperstown). Really nice early season test in a stunning NYS Park. Post race festivities are sponsored by one of the best microbreweries in the nation Brewery Ommegang!

Saturday July 16, 2016: Delta Lake Sprint, Intermediate, and Delta Double Triathlon. Super flat and fast triathlon in Central NY. For an extra challenge, do the sprint race first, then get right back in and do the intermediate race. We call it the Delta Double. Not every challenge has an M dot attached to it!

Sunday August 14, 2016: Old Forge Triathlon in the souther Adirondacks. This is about 1.5 hours from the mecca of Lake Placid and still in the mountains. The best part here is a FREE entry to Enchanted Forest Water Safari (NYS largest water theme park and named one of the 20 best in the US).

I'd say we are as grassroots as they come. Races are between 200-400 athletes per race, low race fees, free photo downloads, great shirts by made in the USA company Atayne and more!

Our best rates begin on Black Friday and we'd love to see some ST folks come out!

Mike Brych, President
ATC Endurance
atcendurance@gmail.com

Also in San Angelo, Texas is the Goodfellow Air Force Base Triathlon $25 for a sprint that's 400 meter open water swim/ 20k bike/.5k run.

There's also a third triathlon in San Angelo a couple of weeks later. A super sprint, sprint and an Olympic.
These are very affordable too but a bit more than $20 or $25.

I think San Angelo also has a running event that's like $3.

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Find out what it is in life that you don't do well, then don't
do that thing.

SOS is really AMAZING - but, it's hardly a "value" event in terms of cost/hour, or whatever.
It's like the most expensive HIM, ever.

In terms of experience/cost - it's priceless.

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float , hammer , and jog

Definitely Triple T. Did it last year and going back next year. Such a unique event, what a blast.

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Don't forget to attack!

Chelanman in Lake Chelan, WA. $170 half, $75 international, $65 sprint.

+1 for the Evergreen Sprint. Swim in a mountain lake, some awesome climbs, stunning scenery. Oh...and watch out for all the elk along the way.

Two great triathlons in Cayman, genuinely affordable/open to locals without a lot of cash to drop on a race.

The Olympic-distance and sprint tris, in early November - $75 for the Olympic.
http://www.triathlon.ky/cayman-triathlon/triathlon-overview

And then, even more amazingly, the Mercuryman half (with aquabike option): earlybird registration is $160 for the half, $135 for the aquabike.
http://mercurymantri.com/


Amazing volunteers make this possible. Both are great races!

I've done SOS a few times, I love it (probably my favorite race ever, it's wonderful in every respect). But though it's grass roots, I don't think it's "value" in the sense the question asks for - registration is $450.

The Scott Tinley Adventures at Lake Lopez, just outside of Pismo Beach/San Louis Obispo area. Sprint, Oly, LC (1.5/50/9.3) kids races and mountain bike races as well. Scott Tinley is there racing most every year, too.

The course is tough, kinda like a mini Wildflower, but very low key atmosphere. And you can make a weekend trip out of it in Pismo to boot!

For me, here in Godzone (NZ), the best race is also the best value.

the Rotorua 1/2 IM in...Rotorua is epic. I've done it a bunch of times and it will hurt you. Every year 'Hooksie" (Shane Hooks) the RD finds new and painful ways to give you more misery, pain and suffering than last year. I haven't checked this years prices but for early bird about NZD $100 (about USD$75) you get an epically great race. $200 for late entry, with a goodie bag too!

Swim is in the crystal clear, dead calm Blue Lake.
Bike is up hill in both directions, on rough roads but has incredibly beautiful scenery of native NZ bush. Wind (the head type) can be an issue returning on the bike. The bike finishes with a ball buster hill for several kilometres. Often, near the bottom of said hill, there is a sign "prepare to meet Jesus". He isn't kidding.
The run is mostly off road on trails or forestry roads/tracks and you guessed it, features monstrous hills, matched only by the incredible views. the finish is on a dry sand and the only relief is the ice cold beer you get handed as you cross the finish line.

He used to give big bottles of bourbon as prizes. The winner used to get a life sized stuffed animal (no cash), but then changed to 'win your weight in beer'. Past winners include Keiran Doe and Terenzo Bozone (when he was too young to be allowed the beer prize). It became legendary for the after parties, but they got a bit out of hand and now he's made it more family friendly. It's still awesome and well worth doing at least once in your life.

I'm not connected with the event in any way but www.half.co.nz will get you information if you're considering coming down this way.

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

If your an elite AG athlete, Pigman in Iowa probably that the deepest field in the world proportional to participants, other than 70.3 WC. It has an open elite wave and you get to race many regional pros head to head. 2 pros that have raced the event in the last 3 years are in Kona this year.

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TrainingBible Coaching
http://www.trainingbible.com

I did the sprint distance at Blue Lake and really enjoyed it. Everyone I have talked to that has done that event has enjoyed it. We are spoiled here in NZ with all the Tri and adventure event options. Our local Triathlon club in New Plymouth puts on a sprint triathlon series every summer. For a flat fee under $100 you get into every event for the season. Most are ocean swims with the odd pool or lake swim for variety. Also a local splash and dash series during in the summer for those after a short event after work.

The first tri I ever competed in is a small local race run by a RD that also ran the swimming program that helped me get started in this sport. The adult race (which I still do and enjoy) has dwindled in numbers. There is a youth race that follows this event with kids of all ages, some of the older kids will even race in the adult race and then again in the youth race... anyways it is great event with some great young athletes down to little kids on single speeds with streamers on their handlebars w/ Barbie helmets. I get done with my race and then volunteer for this event... I don't see many youth events, this is a good one run by someone passionate about the sport. I feel bad that is adult races aren't doing well, but I'll do them every year as long as they're around... $50 or less is my out of pocket for this one.

In SC / NC, SetupEvents offers incredible value, especially with early registration prices: typically <$150 for a half, <$80 for an olympic distance, and <$60 for a sprint tri, and you can often get a discount through partners. Even race day registration is significantly less than WTC, Challenge and Rev3.

Western NC is my favorite place to race, with Enka Tri in Candler NC (just outside Asheville) and the Lake Logan festival with half, olympic and sprint distances. In the upstate, Clemson is a favorite, and the TryCharleston half is a great early season race.

Really enjoyed the Tri Tyler Half (Tyler, Tx). 1.2mi Swim/62mi Bike/ 13.1mi Run. Sponsored by Cobb. Small race, but well run and organized.

Peasantman in NY. 300 bucks for the full in advance, I think 400 after. The lake is super clean, 4 x 29 mile loops on the bike on scenic roads and the volunteers were great. I was there for the inaugural in 2013 and will be back this August. The RD and company really did all they could to make it a great day.

I didn't read this entire thread but I do know Beach to Battleship has been mentioned. I'll mention it again with some supporting details:

1. At $390 (full distance) for the early bird pricing, there shouldn't be much argument that this is a great value.
2. You get the "big race" atmosphere considering that close to 2,000 athletes race with the half & full combined

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

Also totally biased as an RD but we do a Louisiana Triathlon sprint in May that was $45 this year (race day registration is higher). We do a half in November (River Roux) for $150 starting registration (you get shirt/bottle/hat/beach towel swag and a great course) and this year if you registered for Roux early you raced the La Tri for free - $150 total for a half and a sprint. Since we are a nonprofit we intentionally try to lower barriers to entry to our events, including entry costs. I assume this discussion is focused on monetary value but we do a woman only series that offers very lost cost swim clinics with the area swim programs ($20 all fee goes to the pool/swim program), free training plans online, and our bike sponsor offers free group rides every saturday for 7-8 weeks leading up to each race (supported ride on the race course). The total value for those event, if you include the training support, is pretty high.

S

Deuces Wild triathlon festival in Arizona

I'm surprise that the Door County WI Sprint and Half hasn't been mentioned yet.

An extremely well run race, awesome setting, not too expensive and has been able to survive (and prosper) with a IM70.3 (Racine) a hundred miles away on the same day.

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"Good genes are not a requirement, just the obsession to beat ones brains out daily"...the Griz

- Musselman - Geneva, NY (1/2 iron + sprint distance): I've only done the 1/2. The race is extremely well run with lots of swag. The community support is huge. This is an area that appreciates how the race brings in visitors.

- Fronhoffer Tool Tri - Cambridge, NY - Olympic distance. This is a nice local race with proceeds to benefit a charity. I've done this tri more than any other, and I've never been disappointed. The swag is surprisingly great, and they always have a kick ass raffle after the race.

- Tupper Lake Tinman 1/2 - Tupper Lake, NY - This is now owned by Toughman, but I still consider it grass roots. This was another race with really strong support from the residents.

- Already mentioned in previous posts = American Zofingen Duathlon - There is no other race with a higher suffering to dollar ratio. It's an incredible experience that everyone should attempt. Very Scenic, very difficult, very cool party (going on in the Gazeebo throughout the race - as you run through the Gazebo on the run loop).

In New Zealand we really are spoiled for choice for events.

Open water series (one in Auckland, one nationally) plus the Takapuna beach series (variety of events), tris of various lengths, off road tri's, heaps of fun run and fun ride events, multisport, off road and ultra running. There really is something for everyone, regardless of what version of multi discipline sport you do, regardless of what area you live in and even what day of the week you prefer to race and what age you are (I'm thinking Weet-bix kids tri series).

It really is fantastic with a capital F, here in New Zealand.

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

I think two of the Piranha Sports races are pretty nice. The diamond in the rough tri in Perryville, MD has a very nice bike. Rollers, 6 miles of flats then a big climb up away from the river. The run is nice enough, through the waterfront property of a VA hospital.

The cascade lake tri is small, but has a pretty rural and definitely challenging sprint distance bike. Swim is in a private lake, run is next to a farm.

Both are good values if you get in early, if you wait til the week before the prices do get pretty steep.

Thanks for the heads-up, Travis. I've never done or seriously considered the Toughman races before, but now I'm in for 2 next year.