Race Radar: San Diego Triathlon Classic

Since 2009, the San Diego Triathlon Classic has been drawing triathletes to the top-notch venue of Liberty Station near downtown San Diego. This year, 800 athletes are expected to race the sprint- and Olympic-distance races, says Sara Danford, one of the race directors for the event.

The races start and finish from the former Naval Training Center at Liberty Station, and are organized by bike shop Moment Cycle Sport. Athletes start with a swim in the calm, protected waters of the Liberty Station boat channel (an inlet of the San Diego Bay), then take on a challenging bike course through Naval Base Point Loma with amazing views of the San Diego Bay and even south to Mexico, and will finish with a flat, fast run on the trails of the NTC Park.

The race is unique for a number of reasons: The national anthem is played by the Marine Band San Diego on race morning, the transition is very fair (no rack locations are better or worse than others), the course is extremely spectator-friendly and the venue features plenty of free parking a block from transition, and the race includes a post-race beer garden with local Stone Brewing Company beer as well as wine and mimosas. “We work hard to provide a high-quality, challenging and enjoyable event every year,” Danford says. “We’re continually working to improve our event and our participants’ experience.

RELATED: Triathlete Magazine Training Camp

Note: You can use the discount code TRIATHLETE to save $10 off race registration.

Details

What: San Diego Triathlon Classic
Where: San Diego, Calif.
When: Sept. 6, 2014
Distance: Olympic (1500-meter swim, 40K bike, 10K run) and sprint (750-meter swim, 22K bike and 5K run)
Website: Sandiegotriathlonclassic.com

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