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| Athletes and fans will gather for Waseca Triathlon Sunday |
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Posted: Tuesday, July 27, 2010 6:02 pm
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File Photo Matthew Priess of Minneapolis pumps his fist as he crosses the finish line to take second place in the Sprint Course in the Waseca Triathlon last year.
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By ZACH HACKER
zhacker@wasecacountynews.com
WASECA — If it’s good the first time, why not give it another ‘tri?’
For the second year in a row, Waseca will be hosting a 1/3 Iron Man Triathlon Sunday morning with the help of Final Stretch.
In 2009, the inaugural year of the Waseca Triathlon, nearly 300 participants from throughout the country showed their ability to swim, bike and run their way to the finish line. Last year, event organizer Bill Nevala had capped the number of participants at the 300 to “test the waters.” Mark Bongers, this year’s race organizer, said as of Monday there were already about 300 signed up and he expected those numbers to reach 350.
“We’re ahead of last year so that’s always a good thing,” he said.
One thing that makes Waseca’s triathlon so popular is the flexibility of who can participate. Serious triathletes can use 1/3 triathlons to train for full, Iron Man events. The distances are one-third of the distance of the full event, meaning those athletes can build their way up and get in shape for a full tri.
Those participating in the 1/3 Iron Man event will be greeted by a one-mile swim in Clear Lake, followed by a 34 mile bike ride and finish up with an 8.8 mile run around the lake.
For those who may not think they’re quite ready for those distances or just want to get a taste of what competing in a triathlon is like, the sprint course offers shorter distances in all three events.
Anyone participating in the sprint course will first go for a 1/4-mile swim, transition into a 14-mile bike ride and rounding it all off with a 4.4-mile run.
There is also an option for athletes who only want to do one component of the triathlon. Triathletes can also team up with two other people and compete in the sprint course relay. One person on the team completes the 1/4-mile swim and when they finish up, one of their teammates hops on their bike for the 14-mile ride. The last person on the team goes for the 4.4-mile run after the biker is done. Relay teams can also be put together for the 1/3 Iron Man distances.
“It’s nice because it’s not only for triathletes,” Bongers said. “There is also a team participation component. The sprint course relay is a prime opportunity to do something as a team so even if you’re not a triathlete you can come out and compete.”
Bongers spent all of Monday in Waseca putting the final touches on preparations for Sunday’s event. He met with local law enforcement, emergency officials, and communications representatives among others to lay out all the final logistics for the big day.
“It’s looking great,” he said. “All of that leads to a very fun and exciting event.”
Bongers said anyone competing in Sunday’s triathlon, no matter the 1/3 Iron Man or the sprint course, can expect a great event, with a scenic course that is flat and conducive to fast times.
“One thing that’s great about this course is it really highlights some nice areas of town,” he said. “With the run around Clear Lake, you get to use the nice trails around the lake. One thing that’s unique about the course is that, on the whole, it’s pretty flat. There are some rolling hills north of town on the bike course on Snake Trail but nothing really steep. It will be flat and fast.”
Even people who aren’t wanting to spend their Sunday morning swimming, biking and running can be involved in the triathlon. Bongers said about 80 volunteers are needed for the event and are filled up mostly by local people. He said about 10-15 spots still remain, most of which are course marshal positions. Meaning the volunteers would help steer the athletes in the right direction as they navigate through the course.
Volunteers also receive a free T-Shirt and a catered meal provided by Hy-Vee at the conclusion of the race.
“Being a volunteer is great because you get to see everyone,” Bongers said. “You see all of the fastest people as well as the slower people. You can really see all the different levels of athletes that compete in a triathlon.”
Anyone wishing to help out with Sunday’s event can do so Online at www.finalstretch.com/volunteer or contact Mark Bongers via email at info@finalstretch.com.
Last year, Bongers said about 400-500 spectators turned out for the Waseca Triathlon. He hopes this year will garner the same interest as the amount of people there to watch and cheer on the athletes adds to the liveliness of the event. He said there will be music playing throughout the event near the finish line and local vendors will be there to provide food and drink for anyone hoping to come out and watch.
“This course is especially friendly to spectators,” Bongers said. “You get to see the athletes every time they come into transition because all of them are at Clear Lake Park where the finish line is. Once an athlete finishes their swim, people will be able to see them finish up and come get on their bikes and take off on that portion. Then, when they finish that they’ll drop off their bikes in the same spot and start on the run. This allows you to see the same participant four or five times throughout the course of the race from once location. It’s always pretty festive and exciting.”
In its first year, the Waseca Triathlon brought triathletes in from all over the country, with people from as far away as New York participating. That is something Bongers said the whole community can benefit from.
“As a community, you always want to bring people into town and show off what it has to offer,” he said. “This is a great way to do that.”
Anyone interested in competing in Sunday’s triathlon who has not registered yet can do so right up until the day of the race. Race day registration will be from 6:00-7:00 a.m. Sunday morning at Clear Lake Park. Cost is $90 for 1/3 Iron Man, $120 for the 1/3 Iron Man Relay, $70 for the sprint course and $110 for the sprint relay.
Festivities will fire up with the first participants in the 1/3 Iron Man taking off at 7:30 a.m. from the beach at Clear Lake Park. New waves will take off every three minutes.
For more information on Sunday’s event, visit www.finalstretch.com/races/wasecatri/info.html
Zach Hacker is the sports editor for the Waseca County News. Reach him at 837-5447. |
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