Big Lake to host swim, bike, run event

June 19, 2007

By SAMMYE POKRYFKI/For the Frontiersman

BIG LAKE - There are only a handful of triathlons in Alaska that include an open water swim. The Frontiersman Big Lake Triathlon, scheduled for Sunday, June 24 is one of eleven triathlons listed in the 2007 Alaska Runners Calendar, only five of which require competitors to swim outdoors.

The triathlon includes a 900-meter out and back swim in Big Lake, one of the Valley's most popular recreation areas. Participants exit the water and hop on their bicycles for a 25 kilometer scenic loop that takes them to the Parks Highway, Johnson Road, and the final home stretch on Hollywood Road back to the East Lake Mall. The last segment of the race is a 5-kilometer run on the bike path through town. This is the same course that has been followed for the past four years and it has proven to be a popular one. The number of participants has almost doubled since the event was resurrected five years ago.

The sport of triathlon originated in 1974 when a small group of friends in San Diego, California wanted to see whether swimmers, bikers, or runners had the best overall endurance. Triathlon really started to gain momentum in 1978 with the first Ironman race in Hawaii. According to USA Triathlon, the governing body for the sport, triathlon has grown to include over 90,000 participants in thousands of races worldwide. The Frontiersman Big Lake Triathlon is categorized by USA Triathlon as a sprint, which is approximately half the length of an Olympic distance race and a fraction of the distance of an Ironman.

The Big Lake event is sanctioned by USA Triathlon, which means that the course has been approved for distance and safety, and race day insurance is available for all participants. First time race director Kathleen Cole and her husband Steve, owners of Jolt Construction in Big Lake, are longtime race volunteers who have provided traffic control for the event for years. Kathleen is on the Board of Directors for the Big Lake Chamber of Commerce, whose members work together to welcome visitors to Big Lake for one of the busiest weekends of the summer.

The Frontiersman Big Lake Triathlon welcomes athletes of all ages and abilities to participate as individuals and teams. Although the race has historically attracted the top triathletes in Alaska, the atmosphere remains relaxed and friendly, making it a great venue for beginners who want to test the water.

And speaking of water testing, an unexpected development this year was the inclusion of Big Lake on a recently published federal list of polluted waterways. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency sampled Big Lake in 2004 and 2005 and found levels of petroleum hydrocarbons that exceed the state limit. However, the lake is still open for swimming and the triathlon will take place as planned. Staging a triathlon in Alaska requires race organizers and participants to be ready for just about anything.

Air temperature can range from a windy or rainy 50 degrees to a scorching 75, and water temperature can be anywhere from cold to ... extremely cold. Wetsuits are strongly recommended for all swimmers.

The triathlon begins at 11:00 a.m. and participants can register from 8:00 until 10:30 a.m. at the North Shore Wayside. The entry fee is $40 for an individual and $100 for a team of three or $75 for a team of two. All proceeds go to the Big Lake Chamber of Commerce, a nonprofit organization.

Volunteers are still needed and should contact Kathleen Cole (892-6993) or the Big Lake Chamber of Commerce (892-6109) to find out how to help.