Wildflower

May 1, 2010

Lake San Antonio, CA

The AVIA Wildflower Long Course Triathlon is one of the premier triathlons nationally and internationally. The 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run is one of the most challenging courses anywhere. Beach Hill, Nasty Grade, Polar Heart Rate Hill and the back country trail run will test the skills of the elite, age group triathlete and the first time long course competitor.

• official site
• link to 2009 athlete guide pdf
• Registration: Sold Out

Lake San Antonio, CA Weather: monthly averages

Swim: 1.2 miles

The 1.2 mile swim course will begin at the Lynch Ramp. There will be approximately 18 wave starts with Professional Men, Professional Women, Age Group Men, Age Group Women, and Relay Teams. Swimmers will swim in a clockwise direction on a rectangular course. The course will have sailboats with bright objects attached to their masts as the corners, and there will be course marker buoys every 100 yards along with lifeguards on kayaks lining the course. The swimmers will exit the water, go up the ramp, through the timing area and into the transition area.

• average water temperature on race day is 63-64F
• water type: freah lake
• start: 18 waves

Bike: 56 miles

The bike course is a single loop that goes around Lake San Antonio, comprised of many rolling hills. The sections of the bike course are legendary; mile 1 is a steep climb up lynch hill to get out of launch ramp at transition. The next 40 miles are filled with rollers, at mile 41 the real fun begins with the start of Nasty Grade hill, a 5 mile, 1,000 foot climb.

Once at the crest of Nasty Grade athletes hang another right for a little more climbing "Polar Heart Rate Hill". This is where competitors need to be careful; a decent at mile 45 has a fairly technical sweeping right-hand hairpin turn. A bit of caution negotiating this turn is in order, especially when pushing a taxed body after a bunch of hard climbing.

Aid Stations: approximately every 7 miles, serving:

• Mile 6 (Water and Gatorade Endurance)
  Mile 12 (Water and Gatorade Endurance)
  Mile 19 (Water and Gatorade Endurance)
  Mile 26 (Fruit, PowerBars, Gatorade Endurance and Water)
  Mile 35.5 (Water and Gatorade Endurance)
  Mile 42 (Water abd Gatorade Endurance)
  Mile 48 (Fruit, PowerBars, Gatorade Endurance and Water).

Video on Nasty Grade

Run: 13.1 miles

The 13.1 mile run course is 60 % trails and 40% roads. The first 5 miles take you along the trail looking over the lake. Be prepared to walk many of the steep climbs. Once you run down "Steep Hill" at mile 5 the course takes you back into the camp grounds where you will enjoy the cheering from the campers and tri clubs on the sidelines. Finally at mile 11.7 you will run down Lynch hill back to the finish line chute, don't let your knees buckle. Besides the trail hills the only limiting factor on the run is the heat.

Aid Stations: There will be 13 aid stations on the run course. Water and Gatorade Endurance will be provided at all aid stations. The official energy bar, PowerBar, official gel, PowerGel, PowerBar Gel Blasts, and Fruit will be provided at some of the aid stations.

Mile 0.8 (Water and Gatorade Endurance)
Mile 1.9 (Water and Gatorade Endurance)
Mile 2.6 (Water, Gatorade Endurance, PowerBars, PowerGel, Fruit)
Mile 3.9 (Water and Gatorade Endurance)
Mile 4.9 (Water and Gatorade Endurance)
Mile 5.9 (Water, Gatorade Endurance, PowerBars, Gel Blast, Fruit)
Mile 6.8 (Water, Gatorade Endurance, PowerBars, PowerGel, Fruit)
Mile 7.3 (Water and Gatorade Endurance)
Mile 8.2 (Water, Gatorade Endurance, PowerBars, PowerGel Blast, Fruit)
Mile 9.8 (Water and Gatorade Endurance, Power Bar Gel)
Mile 10.6 (Water and Gatorade Endurance)
Mile 12 (Water and Gatorade Endurance)
Finish Line (Water, Gatorade, PowerBar Recovery, Fruit)

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