I know it is early but…Exciting news for the areas multi-sport scene! An Xterra Triathlon/Duathlon will be held on Sunday, May 20th at Ft Custer park. This race is part of the America’s Championship Point Series. The series culminates with the National Championships in Lake Tahoe, NV.
The Ft Custer Last Stand will be a 0.5 mi swim, 12.5 trail ride and 4 mi trail run. There will also be a duathlon with a 2 mi run/ 12.5 mi bike / 4 mi run format. This is a USAT sanctioned event.
Yes the trails are always open. Elite Endeavors will post the course at some point in time. I will also be organizing course rides in the spring. These dates will be posted on the Kalamazoo Triathlon & Multisport web-site www.trikats.com .
The course starts out at Eagle Lake and is a combination of the fast blue trail and the more technical red trail. The run takes you along the beachfront sand into a gnarly footpath then onto the green loop.
Actually that is about the time of year we do our first tolerable open water swims in this area. It will definitly be nippy. Probably 60F. Another reason why we have the duathlon component.
The MTB portion…would you classify it as technical (where a great xc racer can really make some time) or fast/non-technical (a ride that comes down to mainly fitness)?
I know this is a nebulous answer but it is a combination of both. The first 2-3 miles gives you the sense that is will be fast and open which will allow people to position themselves before hitting two decent climbs and then into Granny’s Garden which is the most technical section on the course. Then it goes back and forth between fast and open and a few other technical sections like the amusement park and the crazy beaver.
Very cool. I haven’t done an off-road tri in a while. This could be fun. Although my technical skills on my mtn. bike are sorely lacking.
I have ridden the red trail at Fort Custer a couple of time now and think it’s great. Racing on it will be interesting. Hopefully, I will be able to get out of the water early and just be in people’s way in the technical sections. There are a number of sections where passing will be impossible.
That works - thanks. I’m thinking of heading there with bunch of xc MTB racers who are interested in trying an Xterra. Their all decent runners and good swimmers, but stupid fast xc racers, so I’m just trying to get an idea of what to expect. Sounds like lots of opportunity to pass, which is great.
Should be fun. These guys are approaching it like ‘lets see what a fast xc rider can do in the big picture’ so obvisouly their hoping for a tough technical ride, with lots of hills, but also room to pass. They want to make up time on the ride. Should be interesting for them, at least. If you see a bunch fast riders dragging their heels on the run, then you know it didn’t work out!
We will also have a great Post Race Party - hosted by Arcadia Brewing Company. http://www.arcadiabrewingcompany.com/ They will be bringing in their portable smoker to serve BBQ pork for a “Back Yard BBQ”. We will also have chili, pork n beans, potato salad and rolls.