Published January 3, 2011 01:13PM
In a reminder that triathlon does not always equal swim/bike/run, athletes took on Alaska’s winter conditions in a TriFlake race in Anchorage.
They ran like ducks through slush, leaped over a downed tree, and skied on scary glare ice. But when they finished Alaska’s first attempt at a winter triathlon, most of the racers said they had a blast.
Trail conditions were a challenge and turned Sunday’s TriFlake race into a competition with skiing and running, but no biking. Organizers checked out the wind-whipped cycling course early on race morning, decided ice and open water made it too dangerous, and dropped the bike segment.
So what was planned as the Alaska TriFlake Winter Triathlon didn’t have enough winter and wasn’t a triathlon.
No matter. Dozens of tough Alaska athletes turned out for the race on Hillside trails and all but a few powered through for a 5km ski leg, a 5km run, then another 5km ski.