Many Northeast Ohio athletes have raced this event, including Eric Gibb, a member of Snakebite Racing who successfully completed the Triple T held May 22-24.

Race #1: Prologue

Starting Friday evening, athletes begin with a 250-meter swim, a 5-mile hilly bike and a 1-mile run. Although this looks like a short race on paper, it is a fast-paced and challenging preview of the coming events. This race is unique in that the beginning of the swim is a two-person send off so the course does not get too crowded with the more than 400 people who race. On his blog (trierictri.blogspot.com/), Gibb wrote that he enjoyed the prologue and used it to get the feel for the coming races.

Race #2: Individual Time Trial

Beginning at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, athletes complete a 1,500-meter swim, a 24.8-mile hilly bike and a 6.55-mile run. This race is pretty close to a standard Olympic-distance triathlon. As in the prologue, the time trial start allows for fewer people in the water at once and on the rest of the course. Gibb said the bike was very challenging with some fast and curvy downhills and a couple of steep uphills.

Race #3: Team Triathlon

No rest for the weary in this event. After a quick break, athletes repeat the morning distances in a different order, bike-swim-run, at 3 p.m. Saturday. Individuals who are part of a team must start and finish with their partner. The company of their team member helps give the extra motivation they need to complete the second triathlon of the day. An added benefit of a team is the ability to draft on the bike with your partner. Gibb said keeping a conservative pace is critical in this race to conserve energy for the next day’s half-ironman.

Race #4: Team Time Trial

On the final day, the Triple T finishes with a half-ironman distance triathlon including a 1.2-mile swim, a 55.5-mile bike and a 13.1-mile run. After the swim, they are faced with another hilly bike course. The run is also very hilly until mile 10, and the last 3 miles of the run are downhill. Athletes who complete the race receive a finisher’s medal and a T-shirt.

Gibb said he enjoyed the camaraderie of this race and the course’s well-designed scenery. He also said this was the best HFP race he has ever done. The 2010 event will take place May 21-23 and registration will open Nov. 1. Sign up early because this race will close.

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