I'm glad that someone finally put River Cities down there. It's been one of my favorite races since the mid 90s. And this year I think that it celebrates something like its 22nd year.

A good race with a great course, good packet, and good food. I don't know if it qualifies as a small event venue though as something like 700-1000 people sign up annually.

Tinman Louisiana is another good one as is the Gatorman Triathlon in Lake Charles. Heck, even the Xterra race in Ruston last weekend was great.

The Dog Ridge tri in Harker Heights, Tx is supposed to be a good one as well.

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Brandon Marsh - Website | @BrandonMarshTX | RokaSports | 1stEndurance | ATC Bikeshop |

Mike

That is a great list. I have done some of those and plan on doing all of them eventualy. I would add the Mullet Man triathlon on the Florida/Alabama border held at the Florabama lounge and package. It has a real grass roots feel. The post race party can't be beat.

Mike P. in Perdido Key

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Simplify, Train, Live

Short / Oly Course :

Tri-Shark - Bloomington,IL

Race For Sight - Columbia,MO

Lake Hagg - Portland,OR

St.Louis has a 8 race series of short mostly non-USAT races which are pretty good, low key races.

Long Course :

Pigman Half - Iowa

Ironhorse - Springfield,IL

Ultramax - Ozarks,MO

I thought MulletMan was a bit sloppy organization-wise this year, and I hated the weird way the bike course either had you dodging pedestrains in the bike lane, or forced out onto the rumble strips. For informal in that region, I'd go with Crab Trap sprint in Destin instead which is still a nice mellow old school race, but a little better run, IMO. (and for those that care about such things, they didn't limit you to three beers at the post race bash like MulletMan did)

I was impressed with the recent Abitaman race they ran at Navarre Beach, FL. Very professional job, great location on the beach and a bike course through Gulf Islands national seashore. Here's hoping they come back next April.

And would someone please do a Panhandle Oly distance race again? I don't want to have to drive to Tampa to find something longer than a sprint, but shorter than Gulf Coast, and I suspect the one they used to do at Tyndall is permanently defunct for national security reasons.

In Ohio:

hfpracing.com

25+ events this season set in nice parks throughout the state. Races range from sprint up thru 3 halves and 1 full IM. Some off-road stuff, a series of races, and all well organized.

The Pacific Coast Triathlon is a fun sprint in a coastal venue between Newport and Laguna Beach, Cal. Protected ocean swim in Crystal Cove, rolling bike course, paved/sandy beach run. I did it in 2000 when it was the USAT National Championships, and there were tons of spectators, superb post-race buffet, great atmosphere.

http://www.pacificcoasttriathlon.com/

At $85 a pop, though, it's expensive as heck for a sprint (in my book) -- but that price range seems to be par for the course for the SoCal tri scene. Even the Bonelli races are getting more expensiver.

bub