This was the 2nd year of USAT Multisports Nationals in Omaha - I was here in 2024, too. The location, at Lake Cunningham, is appealing from a S/B/R POV, but there is nothing else here to keep athletes around after their event. USAT did a much better job of organization this year with multiple food trucks, beer, etc. The layout of the venue was also far more appealing. Props to USAT. Better expo, too.
My own (brief) race report for the draft-legal sprint duathlon today…The run course was the same as 2024, slightly rolling and along the lakeshore. I had a clean break stress fracture in 2022 and a suspected stress reaction in 2024, so my run buildup this year was all Z2 until May. Everything felt good - until it did not. Foot pain, x-ray, nothing evident, but a suspected metatarsal stress reaction. Shut down the running for 10 days, rejected the MRI (I did not want to know!) and let it rip today. The bike course was different this year vs. 2024 (more technical), so a direct timing comparison 2024 vs 2025 isn’t perfect, but I was a little faster this year. The 2nd run, in particular, was quicker (despite the recurring foot pain!). I aged up (now 65-69 - hard to write that!) and wound up in AG 2nd, my 1st podium at Nationals. Really, a pretty amazing progression. My 1st Nationals (in Tuscaloosa, 5 years ago) was the last to have a draft legal and a non-draft sprint du. I did not make Worlds then in the non-draft, came back the next day and qualified in the draft legal by the skin of my teeth. Qualified mid-pack in 2022 and 2023 (in Irving, TX). 5th in 2024. 2nd in 2025. Super fortunate to be doing this. FWIW, I could barely run a 7:00 mile in HS (too much beer drinking). I can do that now, 45 years later! Still drinking too much, though (wine, mostly, now).
Very grateful for the opportunity to do this and for the terrific community. I hope that this thread might inspire others to comment on their experiences at 2025 Multisport Worlds…
I was also out in Omaha for the draft-legal sprint du. Agreed about the overall organization and logistics, it was a nicer atmosphere and setup this year than in 2024.
For anyone not there, the bike course was changed somewhat. 2024 had 2-lap course with 3 U-turns (two out&backs plus transition), the longer out and back with a medium hill on the way out and the shorter with the turnaround at a roundabout. 2025 moved to a 3-loop course, shortening the longer section and decreasing the length (and I think max grade) of the hill, with the shorter leg increasing a bit (further down the road to a second roundabout). The run courses were the same, simple out & back on concrete paths along the lake.
I have mixed feelings about the bike course changes. I’m sure that the decrease in lap length and corresponding road closures made it much easier for USAT/the organizers to work with the city and neighborhoods, and for the announcers + spectators it’s nice to have people come through on the bike another time to see how the race is developing. On the other hand, the shorter lap means that overtaking lapped traffic happens a lot more often, which is slower for the leaders to safely move through traffic and potentially an issue with interfering with chase groups trying to make up ground. Thankfully, the possible morning rain in the forecast didn’t materialize and the roads stayed dry, because wet corners and overtaking could have made that even worse.
Can’t say I would have gone to Omaha without the race here, but overall I think the change for the multisport weekend instead of individual events has been a success in event health, and I’m looking forward to nats next year. Haven’t heard an announcement, but the rumor mill was saying Waco, TX.
860 athletes for 5 days, you consider this a success in event health?
(USAT told folks they would have 1300, so they were only off a little )
Location, location, location. I guess Waco is something every family has been dying to go to.
Success? By absolute standards or by the size I wish it was: no. Relative to the other duathlons that used to be on my calendar that no longer exist, the standalone duathlon nationals numbers that I recall (going back to 2013), and the admittedly limited view I have of only racing one day: yes. The niche sub-disciplines don’t get the numbers that standard S/B/R do.
I have no knowledge of what anyone at USAT may or may not have claimed the numbers to be (though I’m wondering if you’re doing the same mismatch count that you had going in the Wildflower thread for counting unique athletes vs race entries/starts), and frankly don’t care that much. As long as the financials are good enough to keep hosting it, I’ll keep coming, given that to my knowledge there’s no other competitive draft-legal du in the US.
Hmmm…OP here…not where I expected this thread to go… That ‘1,300 athletes’ piece seems to be the PR that USAT sold to Omaha, not necessarily what USAT’s participation target was. But I do agree that the number of athletes seemed fewer in 2025 than 2024 (also Omaha and about the same time of year). Not sure why - perhaps the 2024 experience was subpar and some elected not to come back for 2025. Just speculation.
I was there and have to say I think USAT did an exceptional job producing and managing the 5 day event schedule. I don’t really care or want to dwell on numbers, the races were good and competitive up front. I raced the Aqua Bike on Thursday (and won my AG) and also was one for 4 bike techs working before, after and on course for most of the races all 5 days (except the Aqua Bike Thursday). Looking forward to going to Milwaukee in August to work again and not race this time.
Yeah, I agree that the organization was 1st rate and the attractiveness and facilities at the venue were significantly improved in 2025 vs 2024. My 1st Nationals podium!
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