I wanted to write a quick race review on the Springs Back Duathlon because it was a very fun race and it deserves the recognition. The race is in its fourth year and is organized by the local i Tri Event Productions. I’ve done a few other races with them and have had good experiences.

When I signed up for the race it was a triathlon, but that was before Houston and the surrounding areas were slammed with 10-20 inches of rain in the month leading up to the race. The excess run off caused poor water quality (and apparently some increase in reptiles!) in the lake where the swim was to be held causing Race Director Tina Whiteford to move it to a duathlon the day before the race.

The communication from Tina ahead of the race was great and she definitely made the right decision by eliminating the swim portion of the race. By adding a run prior to the bike and turning it into a duathlon, she really made the most of the unfortunate conditions.

Both run courses and the bike course had excellent course support along the way. Turns were well marked, intersections were policed and there were multiple water stations on the second run. While the bike course is not completely closed, it felt very safe and the roads were not crowded.

The first and second run course meanders through the Cross Creek Ranch subdivision in Fulshear, Texas. The first run followed the main road out and back. The second run goes into the subdivision and follows a bike/run path around some natural areas. It is very pretty.

The bike course leaves the subdivision and takes the farm roads around Fulshear. It always amazes me how remote it feels even though you are just minutes away from the fourth largest city in America. There were wildflowers still in bloom in some fields and quite a few horses and other animals in the ranches surrounding the county roads. It is a very nice place for a bike ride.

The post-race party had all the key ingredients: beer, food, water, post-race massages and an award ceremony. The weather was nice and it was fun to hang out and celebrate with the other duathletes after the race.

Overall, I’d highly recommend this event. I briefly chatted with Tina after the race and she mentioned that she is considering adding a duathlon to her race calendar in 2017. Based on how much fun this was, I’d highly support it!

For more info on my review, a race recap and pictures, visit my blog: http://www.pathtotri.com/race-review-2016-springs-back-duathlon/

The No Label Triathlon is organized by i Tri Event Productions, a local company that organizes triathlon and running events in the Houston area. I found them last year and raced in three of their events including the 2015 No Label Triathlon. I had fun last year and was looking forward to this one as well.

Tina Whiteford, the Race Director, had some pre-race challenges with this race. She was notified a month before the race that the roof at the swimming pool was damaged and the whole facility was closed for repair. Tina had to scramble to find an alternative location and was able to work with the Mary Jo Peckham Park in Katy and convince them to host the swim portion of the race. With this out of the way, Tina then had to re-do the bike and run portions of the race. The bike portion ended up being 10 miles instead of 14 due to the new swim location, but it was great that she was able to salvage the triathlon instead of making it a duathlon.

Pre-race communication and organization were excellent. We were notified of the course changes and packet pick-up times in advance. Packet pick-up was convenient and had all the information I needed prior to race day.

One benefit of the new course was that there was only one transition area this year. The transition was open well before the start of the event and gave everyone time to set-up. Once racked, you drove over to No Label Brewery (where the finish was located) and were shuttled back to the start. This was all very smooth.

Prior to the start, racers were asked to line up in order of their expected swim times. This obviously leads to some issues as people over or underestimate their times, but it worked pretty well overall. Swimmers then started every 5 seconds and snaked up and down the lanes before exiting the pool and running to the transition area. Because this pool complex was smaller than the normal complex, swimmers had to line-up outside of the building before their turn in the water. Luckily, it was not a particular chilly morning.

For those of you who have done a pool swim, you know it can be chaotic as swimmers snake down the lanes of the pool. Space is tight and passing is very difficult. It’s not the same as an open water swim, but it is still a lot of fun. I had to pass two swimmers in front of me who were slower and it took some patience but I was able to get by.

After the first transition, racers bike a 10 mile loop around the Katy area. The wind was in our face on the way out and behind us on the way in. Each intersection had police officers and the bike lane had been cleared so it was a very safe ride. The bike ride wasn’t crowded since swimmers had been spaced out, but there was some traffic from bikers entering/leaving the transition area on the small path. Overall, it was a nice ride.

The three mile run course took racers through the streets of Katy ending at the No Label Brewery. It was a nice, flat course with police and volunteers at intersections. There was one water stop which is plenty for the short course.

Finishers were greeted with a medal, water bottle and cold towel. Once you’ve had a chance to gather yourself, the Brewery was set-up with recovery food, a massage tent, and of course, beer. The weather cooperated wonderfully and the venue was a great place to hang out and chat with friends, family and other racers.

The overall organization and execution of the event was excellent, especially given the forced course changes. The course is easy to navigate and great for new triathletes as well as those looking for a warm-up race in their season. I highly recommend you add the 2017 No Label Triathlon to your calendars for next year.

For more information and photos, visit http://www.pathtotri.com/race-review-2016-no-label-triathlon/

The Oktoberfest Triathlon is a Sprint and Olympic distance event in Fulshear, Texas outside of Houston. The actual course spans through the sprawling Cross Creek Ranch development and out into the country roads of Fulshear. The race was organized very well and I would highly recommend it. For a full review, please check out my blog post: http://www.pathtotri.com/race-review-oktoberfest-triathlon/

It’s been three weeks since my first Olympic triathlon, the Springs Back Triathlon in Fulshear, Texas. I previously posted about my personal experience and all of the excitement that came with my first Olympic distance race. Today, I want to tell you about the overall race experience. Choosing a triathlon to compete in can be difficult as there aren’t any comprehensive Yelp-like sites to help in your search. Hopefully this review will provide some insight into the Springs Back Tri and it’s organizer, i Tri Event Productions, so you can feel confident signing up for one of their future races.

Read the rest of the review at http://www.pathtotri.com/race-review-springs-back-triathlon/