Iron Girl Columbia Triathlon: Everything You Need to Know

Attention female runners, swimmers and cyclists: If you’ve ever thought about participating in a triathlon series, a sprint triathlon is a great place to start. While the distances for each activity are abbreviated, compared to a full triathlon, there is still an incredible amount of work that goes into training and completing a race. If you’re searching for your first triathlon in which to compete, the Iron Girl Columbia Triathlon is a great race place to begin and it’s coming up soon!

Iron Girl Triathlon: Everything You Need to Know

The Iron Girl Columbia Triathlon is celebrating its 10^th anniversary in 2015. This year’s event will take place Sunday, August 16 and registration closes July 17, 2015. The spring triathlon will include three legs: a .62-mile swim, a 16-mile bike ride and a 3.4 mile run.

As the largest event of its kind in the Mid-Atlantic states, you’ll enjoy running, biking and swimming with a crowd of inspiring women. As the Iron Girl website states, the event is about a “journey to live better, challenge yourself to be the best that you can be!”

Should you choose to run, be sure to register by July 17, 2015. The expo and packet pickup are held Friday, August 15 and Saturday, August 16. Saturday the 16th is also the day you would place your bike in the rack.

The event itself will be held at Centennial Park in Ellicott City. The race begins at 6:30 a.m. and is followed by a Post Race Party in the Athlete’s food tent from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

The swim course is marked by buoys in Centennial Lake. This fresh-water lake offers plenty of space fot the .62 mile swim. The bike course takes you through the beautiful countryside and farmlands of Howard County. Described as “challenging,” this 16-mile bike course follows paved two-lane roads and several aid stations along the way. The run course follows a 3.4-mile route around Centennial Lake, and through an adjoining neighborhood. Several aid stations are located along this route, as well.

About the Organization

The Iron Girl event series hosts races nationwide. It was created in 2004 by women for women. In the beginning, the series only featured two races, but it now includes everything from 5Ks to sprint triathlons. There are even three international Iron Girl events, including two races in South Africa and one in Canada.

Tips and FAQs

If this is your first race, Iron Girl organization website offers a lot of information on its website regarding training, how the event itself works, what to wear, how to set up your transition areas, and more.

Where to Stay

As you are planning your trip to the area to partake in the Iron Girl Columbia event, take some of the guesswork out of it by downloading our Free Vacation Guide. This guide is packed with useful information about all the fun and interesting things to do and see in the area. The Wayside Inn is a great place to call your home away from home whenever you visit the Baltimore/Washington, D.C. area. Our six beautiful guest rooms offer all the comforts of home, and you can enjoy a delicious breakfast each morning that you didn’t have to make!

Photo Credit: skeeze / Pixabay