Triathlon Season is Here!

By Darryl Caron

The Capital Region’s four multisport clubs are excited to reconvene their members through weekly open-water swims, bike and run training, social events, and triathlon, duathlon and aquabike races of all distances at various locations, near and far.

The Capital District Triathlon Club, Bethlehem Triathlon Club, Saratoga Triathlon Club, and the Adirondack Multi-Sport Club each have activities and events planned. Beginners, all ages and abilities are welcome. Weekly open-water swim (and bike and run) training is the core of area club triathlon activities and in-season workouts. They are great opportunities to learn, practice, and refine your triathlon abilities, as well as meet other athletes in the region.

For Capital District Triathlon Club, the weekly Crystal Lake swim and bike/run summer training schedule kicks-off on Tuesday, May 30 and continues through August 29 at Crystal Cove in Averill Park. About 100 athletes train most weeks on the Crystal Lake Triathlon course, which consists of a 0.5-mile swim in calm water, 18-mile challenging out-and-back bike, and three-mile lake loop run. Swim training starts are at 6 and 6:30pm, and if you’d like to do more loops, lifeguards are on the water until 7:30pm. 

This year’s 22nd annual Crystal Lake Triathlon is on Saturday, August 19 – a classic race that’s popular with experienced triathletes, beginners, and aquabike is back. CDTC is again offering their “Crystal Lake or Bust” tri training camp on Tuesdays, 6/6-8/15 at the summer training sessions, where beginners can learn the basics of triathlon and get prepared for a great day at the Crystal Lake Tri. For details, email Kristen Hislop: hislopcoaching@gmail.com. Registration for the triathlon and aquabike is open so signup by 7/15 for the best price and awesome swag. Visit: cdtriclub.org.

Bethlehem Triathlon Club welcomes weekend warriors to uber competitors in a motivating and supportive manner. The club offers weekly, supervised open-water swims, group running and biking at Lawson Lake County Park, 15 minutes south of Delmar. The BTC membership fee includes Thursday night open-water swims with lifeguards from late May to early September, plus biking and running from the park. Go to: bethlehemtriclub.com.

At Saratoga Triathlon Club, they’ve scheduled the weekly training swims that begin on Thursday, June 1 and run through August 31 at Moreau Lake State Park in Gansevoort. With over 50 athletes swimming most weeks, it’s a good opportunity to have fun, meet training partners and plan bike rides. STC has had spring club meetings with guest speakers and outdoor gatherings are being planned. Check out: saratogatriclub.com.

At Adirondack Multi-Sport Club in Glens Falls, members have been biking and running, plus getting ready for swimming in Lake George. They’re hosting a Women’s Cycling Clinic on May 13 with workshops, yoga and bike rides in Glens Falls. On Sunday, June 25, their second annual Rapid River Fondo starts in Warrensburg with gorgeous road bike rides of 33, 48 and 62 miles along meandering waterways, and rest stops at The Hub in Brant Lake. Adirondack is also hosting their Summer Time Trial Series (10 miles) in Ballston Spa on Wednesdays on 5/31, 6/14, 6/28, 7/19, and Fort Edward on Tuesdays on 6/6, 6/20, 7/11. All are welcome and encouraged to do these great events! Info: adirondackmultisport.com. Register: bikereg.com.

Spring fever is here so lace up your shoes, get on your bike, and grab your PFD. Schenectady County presents their 10th annual Pedal-Paddle-Run at Aqueduct Park in Niskayuna on Saturday, May 13 at 8am. With a paddling leg, it’s not your typical triathlon! Challenge yourself, get fit and have fun. The course consists of three legs: a seven-mile bike loop on the Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail and along Aqueduct Road; a two-mile kayak, canoe, SUP or guideboat paddle on the Erie Canal/Mohawk River, and 5K run on the bike-hike trail. Compete as an individual or a two- or three-person team. At the finish line, you’ll receive a Pedal-Paddle-Run medal. If you need a boat, Upstate Kayak Rentals has them as part of the online registration. Register: schenectadycounty.com/ppr.

Saratoga Springs Lions Club presents their 18th annual Memorial Duathlon & 5K Run/Walk at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Sunday, May 28. Duathletes and runners/walkers of all levels on Memorial Day weekend. The duathlon features a 5K run, 30K bike and 5K run. The run is relatively flat near the horse race tracks, and the bike is on the popular Saratoga Lake training loop. There’s also a raffle with $5,000 in prizes so enter online for a chance to win a Trek FX3 bike, Bare Bones mattress/box spring, Mirror Lake Inn stay, SPAC tickets, Saratoga Race Course seats, Saratoga National golf and more. Compete as an individual or as a two- or three-person team. Proceeds benefit Lions Club efforts to help people with sight/hearing disabilities, funding diabetes research, and community initiatives. Register: thememorialduathlon5k.com.

Wilson Endurance Sports, led by Mark and Tonia Wilson, brings fun, challenging events all around New York. They’re grassroots races for individuals and relay teams with no cutoff times. The Hudson Valley Triathlon Club: Summer Tri Series includes three Sprint triathlon and aquabike races on Wednesdays, 5:30pm on June 14, July 12 and August 16. It’s held in Kenneth Wilson State Park in Mount Tremper, an hour south of Albany. 

On Saturday, July 17, the Ticonderoga Triathlon Festival has Sprint and Olympic triathlon and aquabike distances, plus Double Ti (Sprint and Olympic tri) and Double Ti Aquabike (Sprint and Olympic aquabike). The Sprint starts at 7am and Olympic at 9am. It’s held at Black Point Beach in Ticonderoga, with swim in Lake George, bike along the lakeshore, and run on quiet roads. The Stissing Triathlon is on Sunday, June 25 with a Sprint triathlon and aquabike. Pine Plains is halfway between the Hudson River and NY/CT border.

On Saturday, July 8, the Litchfield Hills Triathlon has Olympic triathlon and aquabike courses to enjoy New Hartford, Conn. The Delta Lake Triathlon is on Saturday, July 15 at Delta Lake State Park in Rome. It features Sprint and Olympic triathlon and aquabike races. If you’re feeling ambitious, do the Delta Double! Race the Sprint tri and get back in time to do the Olympic tri. On Sunday, July 30, the Findley Lake Triathlon Festival, two hours south of Buffalo, has Sprint, Olympic, Aquabike, and Double Findley races.

The CassadagaMan will be held on Saturday, Sept. 2 in Cassadaga, one hour south of Buffalo. It’s a 70.3 challenge with similar elevations to the Lake Placid courses, but no cut off times. On Saturday, Sept. 16, the Kayak Bike Run (KBR) Triathlon in Cassadaga, include a one-mile kayak, 13-mile bike, two-mile run. E-bike users welcome at KBR but entered into a separate category. Register: runsignup.com.

In its 38th year, the Vermont Sun Triathlon Series is six great triathlons, meticulously directed by the Steve Hare and family with Ruth Bullock, at Branbury State Park on Lake Dunmore, just southeast of Middlebury, Vt. It’s a pristine place to race with beautiful courses in nearby central Vermont, 80 minutes from Glens Falls. If you can’t wait for summer, the Vermont Sun Half Marathon, 10K & 5K is on May 14. The Vermont Sun Triathlon is on June 18, July 16 and August 13 with a 600yd swim, 14M bike, and 3.1M run. The Lake Dunmore Triathlon is on June 18 and August 13 with a 0.9M swim, 28M bike, and 6.2M run. Both races have aquabike options and the June 18 races are also the USA Triathlon Vermont State Championship. For something different and fun, I highly recommend the Branbury Classic on July 16, a 1.5M canoe/kayak/SUP, 14M bike, and 3.1M run triathlon – this was my first multisport race 30+ years ago! Register: vermontsuntriathlonseries.com.

Race in the Adirondacks at the 41st annual Tupper Lake Tinman on Saturday, June 24. Based at Tupper Lake’s Municipal Park, see why the iconic Tinman is one of the longest running triathlons in the US. Situated at the crossroads of the northern Adirondacks, Tupper Lake is a quaint destination with pristine lakes, picturesque hiking trails, The Wild Center, good restaurants, and a friendly atmosphere. Participants can choose one of five races. Tinman 70.3: 1.2M swim on Raquette Pond, 56M bike to Cranberry Lake and back, and 13.1M run in and around the village – with Aquabike and Team Relay options. Olympic: 0.93M swim, 26M bike to Childwold and back, and 6.2M run. Sprint: 0.5M swim, 12.6M bike to Piercefield and back, and 3.1M run. Save 10% with discount code: TRITINMAN10. Register: tupperlaketinman.com.

The Alpha Win: Hudson Valley Triathlon is on July 1 in Kingston on Williams Lake with a distance for everyone: Open, Sprint, Olympic, 70.3. The Alpha Win: Lake George Triathlon is on Sept. 3-4 in Lake George with Sprint, Olympic, 70.3. The Lake George Triathlon Camp is on August 11-13. The Alpha Win: Saugerties Triathlon is on Sept. 17 with Sprint, Olympic, 70.3, Splash & Dash. Register: alpha.win.

The 11th annual Peasantman Steel Distance Triathlons are on August 20 in Penn Yan on Keuka Lake. Races include: Full, Half, Intermediate, Sprint. Register: peasantman.com.

Finally, Wilson Endurance Sports announced the OnondagaMan triathlon for June 1, 2024 at Jamesville Beach Park, just outside of Syracuse. With the departure of the Ironman 70.3 Syracuse in 2018, the venue remained a terrific place to hold a triathlon. Local triathletes missed the race and permission was granted in March 2023. OnondagaMan will be open to individuals and relay teams, and limited to 300 racers. Register: coachmarkwilson.com. 

There’s plenty to look forward to this summer so join/renew your club membership, sign up for races and events that interest you, train with other people, and make new friends. See you out there!