One of the best Olympic distance in the country, IMO. I could be biased since I lived in MEM for 8 years, but I don't think you'll find many people saying bad things about MIM.

Swim is a time-trial start. Bike is FLAT as a pancake, and I do mean flat. Run is flat to rolling. And the post-race party is one of the best. But watch out, weather can be pretty toasty!

Any other q's....fire away. Good luck.

Well done race (I did it a few years ago), the only negative I thought was the swim in a small lake/pond with the smell of gas--maybe it is better. Everything else was tops! Enjoy it!

Great race was my first triathlon in 1986(course had changed few times since then) I've done 20 in a row.
Love the time trial start(makes swim and bike less crowded) Don't worry about the gas smell it comes from the 2 cycle outboard motors of the support boats in the water.
It's not flat flat at least the current course but there are no serious hills on the bike. The run does have a couple of good hills in it and then theres the heat.
Then the post race food and beer top things off.
Also you might see elvis running in the last finisher.
Theres a combo race for money if you do the mountain bike race on saturday and the oly next day this year $5000 purse split for top 15 male and female placeings combined time.
Great race.

MIM was my first tri as well - in '85. The swim was out in the country in something called "Herb Fisher's Pond" as I recall. Two transitions back then - was kind of a pain. I did it every year from '85-'90, but haven't been back since. Great memories of the race though. '90 was the first year for the staggered swim start and the new location in Millington I believe. I didn't care for the swim start, but the dead flat bike course was one to hammer. Still my Oly bike PR. I have several friends who have done it a few times recently and they report it is still a great race.

I watched in 85 got the buzz and did my first tri at memphis in 1986(it was herb parsons lake in fisherville) I remember marines at swim finish helped you out of the water because finish was in thick mud.
Been in Millington since 1990 I think but some course changes during that time. The super fast bike is long gone used to go through the naval base(yea I know no oceans but there is one) but after 9/11 they wouldn't let us go through there(can't figure it california has races through camp pendleton which is more a real military base over a paper one but such is life).
The old course would go through the base out and back on singleton parkway usually head wind going out tail comeing back which made for fast finish.
run is pretty close to same run with some varations.
New bike course (last few years) has 19(20 or 21 if you count transition) turns in it which is a bummer to go around the base instead of through it and only about mile of it's on the parkway so not as fun but still a good race. I've done it everyyear since 1986 watched in 1985 Think this is 23rd or 24th run of the race great race.

We'll be heading down again this spring for the race, and the BBQ. I wouldn't say the course is flat considering that the only hills around me are over passes.

It's a good race a lot of first timers and a lot of Team In Training there.

My favorite Oly. The only "problem" is that it is not near downtown Memphis, and I don't think there are many hotels out by the park. But just a great race, including Elvis impersonators and beer trucks at the finish. Do it.