I'm not positive since I did the Sprint distance in 2012....OLY in 2013. But the bike course appears to be the same....not sure about the run.

I've done this race the past couple of years as TriRock. I'm registered for Olympic this year.

The run course looks different than the 2015 Olympic course. I did the Sprint last year so not sure if they changed the Olympic course. Course maps up now definitely say 2 loop run. In 2015 the run was basically 2 parts which "looped" through transition, but we did the course 1x, no loop.

In 2015 you left T2 from the other side and ran (north) down MLK (towards direction of swim start). You ran about 1.5M out, then back and through transition. You then exited transition on the other side heading south and basically did the Sprint run course for the other 3.1M. That's how the Oly was in 2015, not sure if 2016 course changed.

Bike course looks pretty much the same (2 loops for Oly)

Were do they do the swim?

In the Surekill.

My wife and I have done the Olympic for the last 7 years. The run and bike courses have never changed - The bike is 2 loops around the park and the river and the run is along the river (North, then south past the finish and down to the bridge, then back north to the finish in front of T2).

For 6 years (except when it was cancelled due to weather and bacteria) the swim started at the boat dock on the east side of the Schuylkill (pronounced Skookal) river and exited at the park beach where T1 was set up.

Last year they had everyone walk to another dock on the west side of the Schuylkill and you swam upstream, around a buoy, and then downstream like normal.

The swim will always be downstream (except for the start last year) but how much current assist you get depends greatly on the weather the past few weeks. That also determines whether a wetsuit is allowed. If has been hot and dry you will be swimming in a pool that is murky - no wetsuit and no noticeable current. If has been wet and cool you will get to lay on your back and break 25 minutes.

This year it is back in the city's hands (from TriRock) so who knows what they will do with the swim. I believe J&J is still a sponsor, and they are a class act and big supporters.

---

"...the street finds its own uses for things"

Not the Delaware!

Brain eating amoeba?

The run course seems to have changed this year. It doesn't start going North as before. It now starts south and it loops.
The event website says it's new course this year.

RUN
After exiting the transition area, athletes will head south on Martin Luther King Drive to begin the new two lap run course.

new course maps here

http://www.escapeseriestri.com/philadelphia-escape/race-information

We signed up without looking at the web site this year (like the last several years actually) so we missed that. You are correct. The swim starts on the west side of the river off of MLK drive. It says point to point, but that could mean it is the same as last year, which was universally disliked. The run doesn't go north any more. It leaves transition, goes south on MLK, then turns around and does it again. The finish is in the same place. That is going to make the run course crowded.

The bike course is the same. I guess we will see how it all works out.

---

"...the street finds its own uses for things"

FYI, Premier Event Management is now managing.....took over Philly and Nations from TriRock and part of their new five event Escape Series. And J&J announced a couple months ago they are no longer sponsoring the event. Shame because, like you said, the're a class act.......and had a great food tent.

I didn't do it last year because of injury but did the Olympic in 13, 14, and 15.

The new run course essentially takes out most of the shaded area, correct? I remember going north and it was pretty covered by trees and then after you come back through transition and go the opposite way, a lot of that part was in the sun.

I wonder why they've changed the run, seemed to work out okay in the past and as you've mentioned, it will make it much more crowded now.

I was thinking the same thing. The first half of the course was a bit shaded... the second half (the sprint course part) was full sun. Last year was very hot.

Earlier traffic release, maybe? You are correct that now the entire run will be on the hottest section of the course.

---

"...the street finds its own uses for things"

Are you kidding? Those things can't survive in all that pollution. :)

---

Pete Githens
Reading, PA

That's how I remembered the course from 2012, shaded on the north loop of the course and full sun to finish up the race. Thanks for all the input.

Cleanest body of water in the area!

---

_______________________________________________________
John Kenny, Pro Triathlete, USAT Certified Coach - http://www.frenchcreekracing.com
Philly Masters and Open Water
Swim and Multisport Events

Which reminds me, I still need to sign up for the OWS series!

Let's get on that!
http://www.imathlete.com/events/EventOverview.aspx?fEID=40474&z=1491678613432

---

_______________________________________________________
John Kenny, Pro Triathlete, USAT Certified Coach - http://www.frenchcreekracing.com
Philly Masters and Open Water
Swim and Multisport Events