Going the Distance

Swim. Bike. Run.

For 25 years, hundreds of Northlanders have been lining up to do just this at the Brewhouse Triathlon. From humble beginnings to what race organizers anticipate to be a sold-out race, the Brewhouse Triathlon is now considered a top-notch triathlon for both serious athletes and those looking to have some fun.

“This triathlon draws people from all over Minnesota and Wisconsin,” Brewhouse race director Mike Scherer says. “We’ve watched this race grow from 100 participants to up to 700 participants as the interest in triathlons has grown nationally.”

This region’s natural beauty draws many triathlon runners to enter the event each year. Former Duluthian and now Eau Claire, Wis., resident Matt Evans makes the trip annually to help set up the course and compete.

“People who do triathlons tend to love the outdoors,” he says. “For them, Duluth is the perfect place to add a vacation on to their competition. This is definitely a race destination and vacation compared to other

cities (where) races might take place.”

Come August 7, participants will have a long and short course option. The short course tallies a .34 mile swim, 10.3 mile bike ride, and a 2.5 mile run. There is also a relaxed swim option for people nervous about that leg.

More seasoned athletes can enjoy the full course which includes a .8 mile swim, 20.6 mile bike ride, and a five mile run. A relay race rounds out the options for competitors.

“The course is in a nice spot,” Evans says. “There is also a festive atmosphere which encourages people to stick around and enjoy the day versus just taking off and leaving. It makes for a race that’s serious, yet fun and relaxing at the same time.”

The end result is a triathlon that’s welcoming for newbies to the sport, but also a draw to a core group of serious athletes that come back annually. “There are not a ton of races in the north,” Evans says. “After a while you start to see the same people every year which is different than other races. It gives an added sense of belonging to the race.”

For more information: www.brewhousetriathlon.com

The details: 25th Annual Brewhouse Triathlon

Date: August 7

Location: AAA Beach Club on Pike Lake

Cost: $85 before June 30 $95 before August 4 $105 on race day

Special: As part of the race’s Silver Anniversary, a limited edition

Brewhouse Triathlon commemorative beer stein and 25th anniversary t-shirt

will be made available to the first 600 individual athletes.

Tags: ln outdoors, livingnorth, outdoors, duluth, running, sports