One of the most anticipated events of the summer returns to Greenfield on Sunday.
The Greenfield Triathlon — the longest running triathlon in New England — will take place for the 41st time on Saturday, beginning at Green River Swimming Area.
Those competing in the international race will get going at 8 a.m. while the spring competitors will take off at 8:30 a.m. After a week of blazing hot weather, the predictions are for near perfect conditions on Sunday with the temperature in the low 80s and no rain in the forecast.
“People look forward to this and are always happy at this event,” Greenfield Recreation Director and Triathlon Race Director Christy Moore said. “We’re excited to get it underway.”
As of Wednesday, signups were at over 150 athletes but that number will certainly change after a determination was made on whether the swim portion of the triathlon could commence.
Last year the water was unsuitable to swim in, leading the race to change the swim portion to an added run portion. With the water needing to be tested within 72 hours of the event, the race won’t know whether the water at the Green River Swim Area will be eligible to swim in, though there is optimism that the swim portion will return this weekend.
“We know it’s disappointing for some athletes and those that train year round for an event like this when we can’t have the swim event,” Moore said. “We want to remind everybody the reason for the test is for safety. The Olympics had to delay for the same reason.”
As always the race features two distances: the international course and the sprint course.
The international course begins with a 0.63-mile swim down the Green River, with racers exiting at the transition area located at the Recreation Area.
After exiting the transition area, athletes will mount their bikes and proceed to go on a 30.28-mile bike ride. The course begins by taking a left onto Nash’s Mill Road before taking another left onto Leyden Road. Next is a turn onto Eunice Williams Drive, after a turn onto Green River Road followed by turning onto Colrain Road. Finally, racers turn back onto Nash’s Mill Road toward the transition area.
For the international course, that bike route is repeated four times.
After exiting the bike, the run portion of the triathlon begins. The run for the international race measures at 6.5-miles long, beginning on Nash’s Mill Road before turning onto Plain Road. The route proceeds to Greenfield Road before turning onto Eunice Williams Drive. The route continues onto Green River Road, turns onto Colrain Road and ends back on Nash’s Mill Road in the transition area to the finish line.
The sprint course is the more popular distance. It starts with a 0.31-mile swim down the Green River and follows with the same bike course, except the sprint course is only two bike laps compared to the four for the international route. The sprint bike ride is 15.14 miles.
The run follows, which is 3.08 miles. Athletes head down Nash’s Mill Road, turn onto Colrain Road and follows that into Plain Road. Athletes then run left onto Meadow Road, turn back onto Colrain Road before making their way back to Nash’s Mill Road and to the finish line.
“We’re keeping the course the same,” Moore said. “The finish line and transition areas will be the same as they’ve been.”
A lot goes into getting a race like this ready, with Moore crediting her staff and the group of volunteers who put the time in to make the race what it is.
“We have a group of committee members who continue to work hard to make this event a fun one and safe one for our athletes,” Moore said. “We have volunteers sweeping, putting up signage, making sure the mile markers are set for those training on the course. I’m grateful for the great team I have and I certainly couldn’t do it without them. The DPW here and the parks department has done a great job setting up the transition area, dropping off the road closures and barricades for us. They are the unsung heroes for this event.”
South Deerfield’s JoEllen Reno is going for her seventh consecutive sprint title on the women’s side while Greenfield’s Daniel Bensen is registered and going for his fifth sprint title on the men’s side.
For those traveling around Greenfield on Sunday, two roads, Nash’s Mill Road and Eunice Williams Road in Greenfield, will be closed to accommodate the triathlon. Their closure occurs from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.