Key Largo Triathlon Athletes to Swim, Bike and Run in Subtropical Setting

KEY LARGO, Florida Keys — Athletes seeking to test their physical and mental stamina can compete in the Key Largo Triathlon set for Sunday, Aug. 20, at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, located at 102601 Overseas Highway oceanside.

The racing challenge, produced by Game On! Race Events and presented by City Bikes, includes swimming in calm waters just off the beach at Pennekamp; biking on U.S. Highway 1, known as the Florida Keys Overseas Highway; and running through Key Largo neighborhoods. 

The second in the Paradise Series, the race follows a spring event that took place May 7 at the same location. 

Competitors can choose the Olympic-distance or sprint-distance triathlon or duathlon or the Olympic aquabike event. Relay teams can compete in the Olympic triathlon or duathlon, with individual team members tackling different legs of the selected races. 

The Olympic-distance triathlon features a .9-mile swim, 24.8-mile bicycle ride through north Key Largo on U.S. 1 and County Road 905, and 6.2-mile run. Sprint-distance contenders are to complete a .25-mile swim, 12-mile bike ride and 3.5-mile run. 

Olympic aquabike entrants complete a .9-mile swim and 24.8-mile bike ride. Olympic duathlon athletes run for 1 mile, bike 24.8 miles and then run 6.2 miles, while sprint-distance duathlon entrants run for 1 mile, bike 12 miles and then run another 3.5 miles. 

Participants can pick up race packets from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18, at City Bike Aventura, located at 20335 Biscayne Blvd. in Aventura, Florida. Pickup is offered in Key Largo from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. 

Participants also have the option of picking up packets on race day from 5:30 to 6:30 a.m. at the race site. 

A first-timer’s clinic is scheduled at 2 p.m. Saturday during the Pennekamp Park packet pickup. 

Sunday’s races are to have staggered starts from 6:40 a.m. to 7:20 a.m. All participants are asked to arrive at the race venue by 5:30 a.m. regardless of their start time. 

Racers are advised there will be no Saturday bike drop-off. Instead, they should bring bikes to the race site early Sunday morning.

A post-event party and awards ceremony for all participants is to take place at Cannon Beach at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. Awards await the top three finishers in varying age groups as well as the top three overall male and female finishers and top three male and female masters for racers age 40 and above. 

Motorists are advised that one northbound lane of U.S. 1 from mile marker 102.5 (the entrance to Pennekamp Park) to mile marker 105 is to be coned off for cyclists’ use between 6:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Sunday. The other northbound lane will remain open to vehicular traffic. 

Race registration, information and course maps: keylargotriathlon.com