COURSE INFORMATION
Overview
Not to much to go into here with a pool swim triathlon in Ypsilanti, MI. You will be swimming long course in the EMU pool, home of dozens of MAC records and incredible history. Swimming serpentine style you will be seeded according to your 500m swim time. Then out of the pool into the parking lot behind the pool for the transition. Then up on the paved bike path where you will be free of vehicles. The big thing here is COMMUNICATION, when you are passing slower riders you need to let them know where you are passing. So yell it out folks. Back into transition you will follow a course laid out by many of the athletes on campus taking you in and around campus before finishing behind the pool in front of the EMU pond. This is just a great fundraising event in MaKayla’s name for a scholarship honoring her incredible personality, spirit and fight.
Transition
Located right beside the pool you will exit the pool door in the back about 50 feet around the corner and into the parking lot adjacent to the pool.
Opens – 7:15am
No friends or family members allowed in the transition area for any reason. The race director and race officials will close the transition area 30-45 minutes before race start to ensure all athletes are at the starting area for mandatory course meeting and announcements. Once the transition area is closed, you will NOT be permitted back in before the race starts. Family/Friends will not be permitted in for any reason at any time throughout the event.
Re-Opens
When the last cyclist is off the course and has headed out for the run. This time is variable and we will make announcements at the event when the transition area is ready to re-open.
Any athletes removing gear from transition areas before the announcer or race director has officially opened the transition area will be DISQUALIFIED from the race! This pertains to all athletes of all distances. All athletes deserve a clear transition.
In the event of inclement weather, it is recommended you have warm, dry clothing outside the transition area to put on following your finish due to other athletes still being on the bike course.
Swim: 200m or 500m Pool Swim
The swim will take place in the Eastern Michigan University Indoor Competitive pool. It will be a serpentine style course with a time trial start. That simply means you will swim down in lane 1, back in 2, down in 3, back in 4, and so on. You will be seeded according to your TRUE swim time.
YOU MUST seed yourself according to your latest 100m or 500m swim time. IF YOU DO NOT seed yourself honestly, you can potentially create a backup in the pool. Seeding will start about 20 minutes before the start of the event on the pool deck. First athlete will start at 8:45am. So everyone must report to the pool no later than 8:20am for seeding.
Bike: 14.7 miles or 5 miles
Road bike or cross type bike is best suited versus a time trial bike for this course
Exiting the Snow Health center parking lot / Transition area you will head straight out Circle Dr. to a RIGHT on Lowell st, to a RIGHT on W. Forest ave. to a coned RIGHT lane on W. Cross street. Take that down to a RIGHT on Oakwood. This is a fast downhill, then up a slight climb to a LEFT onto Mayhew. In 1/4 mile (Cornell), jog LEFT then RIGHT onto the Border to Border trail. (This is a paved 6 foot bike path through the woods.) RIGHT along North Hewitt (next to the football stadium parking lot). This will connect back up to the trail at the north end where you will jet down to a RIGHT on Huron River Drive back to a RIGHT on back to EMU This is a 4.9 mile loop. Sprint athletes will complete this 3 times. Super Sprint 1 time.
Run: 1 mi or 3.1 mi
After exiting the transition area the run course is going to take you in and around all of the Eastern Michigan University Campus with two loops for the sprint athletes. It will be flat and fast before finishing next to the EMU pond. Super Sprint athletes will turn at a point on the course for your 1 mile course.
Aid stations will have water and Gatorade Endurance Formula. located when you pass the transition area for lap 1.
Aquabike
You will start with your specific swim wave. Check the information cube at the event for wave start information.
You will complete the Swim and Bike disciplines of the event. Following your Bike discipline, you will dismount your bike, cross the Bike In timing mats and place your bike back at your spot on the rack in the Transition Area. You will then proceed across the Run Out timing mats and you are done! Your finish time will be when you cross the timing mats at that point.
DO NOT re-enter the transition area through Run In/Out or Bike In/Out. This will cause a timing error.

