Southern Indiana Triatlon Preview

This is the second year for the Southern Indiana Triathlon (aka "Race the Bridge"). I didn't participate in the inaugural race last year, but from what I heard, it was a good time. After my June 16th race in Washington DC was cancelled, I started to look for a race to do in June. This one seemed like a good choice...and it was a tiny bit closer to home. 

As you can guess by the name, the race takes place in Southern Indiana, just across the Ohio River from Louisville. The swim portion of this Olympic distance race will be in the Ohio. I know that this is going to come off sounding insane, but I have missed swimming in the dirty old river. I had a weekly swim in the river last summer leading up to Ironman and I kind of like the feeling of being out there in such a huge body of water.

The first 500 or so meters of the 1500 meter swim have racers going upstream. Then you turn around and get to finish the remainder of the swim with the aid of the current. Sounds like an exit ramp has been added this year after several people fell on the large rocks last year trying to get out of the water.

The 40K out-and-back bike will take riders east out of downtown Jeffersonsville. A few turns on some streets in Jeff and then its onto Utica Pike...a long, flat stretch of road right along the river. You turn off of this road and head up a long, steady incline on a two-lane road to the turn-around. Pretty straight forward course that should lend itself to some fast times. 

The 10K run took runners across the bridge to Kentucky last year, thus the "Race the Bridge" name of the race. The bridge is currently under some repairs, so a change in the course was necessary. The run now goes west from the transition area along a scenic path next to the river. Sounds like a pretty cool run with lots of good views of the river and Falls of the Ohio. However, I find that I rarely notice the scenery during races...I'm usually staring straight ahead trying to keep myself from slowing down. No time to stop and enjoy the view!

The combination of the river swim and a pretty flat bike and run should lend itself to a fast race. My Olympic distance PR is a 2:25:11, which I did at the 2010 Boilerman Triathlon in West Lafayette, IN (very, very flat course). If all goes well, I hope to break that PR this Sunday.