ABOUT THE ASHEVILLE TRIATHLON
The Asheville Triathlon course is a super event for every level of triathlete, from novice to elites. Novice + Beginner triathletes love this race! The pool swim is great for new swimmers & the run is flat and easy to navigate. Please note: the bike course has been challenging to some beginners in years past. Be prepared to ride over several challenging hills with steep grades. You will be required to stay on your bike. You may not get off your bike and push it up hills, as this is a safety hazard. Elite athletes – get ready for a PR! This race is fast and is a huge hit among local elites. The time trial swim start in a 50m pool allows swimmers to spread out. The bike leg is flat the first couple miles, so get down in your aero bars and push it. The middle section has some steep hills. Just get outta the saddle and roll over ’em! There are several downhill sections that are smokin’ fast! Many elites have PR’d during the 5k run, so bring your racing flats!
COURSE INFORMATION
SWIM COURSE
The event will begin with a 400 meter outdoor pool swim at the Asheville Rec Park pool. The swim features a time-trial start with the fastest swimmers going first, and the rest following in approximately 5 second intervals. Swimmers will enter the water by running across a mat at the water’s edge near the shallow end of the pool and run into begin the swim.
SWIM WARM UPS ARE 7-7:20 AM
SWIM START TIMES
Your start time will be assigned to you. You can anticipate approximately 5 seconds between each swimmer, if you would like to anticipate your approximate start time. During the registration process you will be asked to submit your 100 yard swim time. This is not the fastest you can swim 100 yards but the time you expect to average during the entire swim. Here is a good guide when deciding what swim time to register:
0:50 – 1:20 : Super Fast (In contention to win the race and you swim competitively)
1:21 – 1:45 : Fast Enough (Still starting in the first 1/3 of the event)
1:46 – 2:10 : Average Swimmer (Swim well enough and don’t need to stop at the end of each lane)
2:11 – 2:44 : Novice (Still getting used to swimming in a triathlon)
2:45 – 4:59 : Complete beginner (I want to start at the back)
BIKE COURSE
The 11.6 mile bike course will feature some rolling and challenging hills making for a true Asheville kind of bike ride before returning to Asheville Recreation Park for a final, very fast run.
The roads will be open to the public so all participants are urged to be alert to traffic. All intersections with a traffic light and/or turn will have law enforcement stopping traffic.
Elevation Gain/Loss: 283 feet
Bike Route Cue Sheet:
Right onto Gashes Creek Road
Left on NEW BRIDGE at Azalea Road E.
At roundabout take a RIGHT onto Azalea Road
Left onto Tunnel Road
Quick Right onto Lower Grassy Branch Road
Right onto Old Farm School Road
Left onto Riceville Road
Right onto Tunnel Road
Left onto Swannanoa River Road
Left onto Azalea Road
Right onto Gashes Creek Road
Right into Rec Park pool area/Transition
RUN COURSE
The run is an out and back style course and is one of the flattest 5k’s you will find in the area! Runners will stay on the right side of the road for the run. While the road will be open to traffic, most of the course is lightly traveled. Flat and fast is the name of the game on this 5K.
Please note: We will have photographers on the course, but we cannot guarantee photos of each participant.
