High Five Events

2011 Kerrville Triathlon Participant Guide

2011-09-25T09:49:00.001-07:00

The 2011 Participant Guide is now published at: http://www.kerrvilletri.com/athletes_participant_guide.asp

Kerrville Tri: Hotel Rooms are Available!

2011-09-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

As of today the following accommodations are available event weekend:

Big Texan Inn

Days Inn of Kerrville

Guadalupe RV Park

Kerrville Schreiner Park

Registration will remain open through at least Friday, September 30th.

Austin Tri makes Outside Magazine's list of The 15 Best Big City Races in America!

2011-09-19T13:27:00.001-07:00

http://www.outsideonline.com/fitness/endurance-training/Critical-Mass.html

Kerrville Water Quality & Swim Update

2011-09-14T06:35:00.000-07:00

High Five Events is pleased to announce that the swim portion of the Kerrville Triathlon will take place as planned. The water is adequate depth for swimming and the Upper Guadalupe River Authority (UGRA) tests show that the bacteria levels in the water represent a low risk.

Observations by the event staff found the water visibility is about 5ft and there is little to no debris in the water. There are a few stumps and branches that have been exposed due to the low water level, but those will be removed prior to the triathlon. The preliminary water temperature is 77 degrees.

The low water levels make access to the water difficult from the shore line at the location of the swim start and swim finish. Special ramps will be built for the triathlon to provide easy access into and out of the water.

The Upper Guadalupe River Authority (www.UGRA.org) conducts Swimability Studies on a weekly basis throughout the summer. The latest test on September 6, 2011 shows that the levels are well below the threshold level considered safe for swimming. The test results may be viewed here: http://www.ugra.org/pdfs/Swimability2011.pdf. The location of the Kerrville Triathlon swim is the UGRA Dam. UGRA will conduct a test the week prior to the triathlon.

Water Temp & Wetsuits

2011-09-03T20:25:00.001-07:00

The official water temperature for the 2011 AVIA Austin Triathlon is 83 degrees Fahrenheit. Due to the warm air and water temperatures, wetsuits will not be legal for any participants.

2011 AVIA Austin Tri Participant Guide

2011-08-29T18:32:00.001-07:00

The AVIA Austin Triathlon Participant Guide is available for viewing and download at http://www.scribd.com/doc/63537104/Austin-Tri-Guide-2011. A hard copy of the guide will be included in the race packet.

World-Class Triathlon Coming to Corpus Christi

2011-08-21T11:46:00.000-07:00

World-Class Triathlon Coming to Corpus Christi

Event to Offer Great Experience for Beginners and Veterans

(Corpus Christi, TX) – Officials from the City of Corpus Christi, High Five Events, Jack & Adam’s Bicycles, and Ryan-Sanders Entertainment announced a world-class triathlon coming to CorpusChristi on April 14^th & 15^thof 2012.

The Republic of Texas Triathlon Festival will feature sprint, Olympic and half-distance triathlon events, along with an expo and city-wide health and fitness challenge.

The triathlon will be produced by Austin, Texas-based High Five Events, whose principals were in town Monday for the announcement.

“Growing up in Sinton and working on the Corpus Christi beaches for many years, I have always known that downtown Corpus Christi would be the perfect place for a triathlon. We are excited to showcase the city with an event that all of Corpus Christi can be proud of,”Jack Murray said.

Said Dan Carroll, Murray’s partner in High Five Events: “Corpus Christi offers a venue with fantastic spectator opportunities and the city’s infrastructure is ideal for hosting a large triathlon.”

The weekend festival consists of three separate events. The sprint distance is a 400-meter swim, an 11-mile bike, and a two-mile run, ideal for first-time triathletes. The Olympic and half-distance events offer a more challenging experience for the seasoned triathlete. Rounding out the weekend festival are events for the entire family, including a health and fitness expo and a fun run for kids.

The event starts at the barge dock parking area in front of the American Bank Center. The finish for all events is located nearby at the newly-constructed Bayfront Park.

Proceeds from the event benefit STARRS Bike for Kids and other fitness programs. STARRS (South Texas Area Runners and Riders) is the region’s largest multi-sport organization.

About Dan Carroll & High Five Events:

Dan is a Level 2 certified USAT race director, one of only 25 in the entire United States, and co-founder of High Five Events.

High Five Events is a multi-sport event production company and the official race director for Jack & Adam’s Bicycles events. High Five Events produces many of the largest triathlons inTexas and provides event management consulting and equipment leasing services to over 30 events per year. www.highfiveevents.com

About Jack Murray & Jack & Adam's Bicycles:

Jack is head mechanic for the USA Triathlon and owner of Jack & Adam’s Bicycles.

Located in Austin, Jack & Adam’s Bicycles is a complete triathlon and road cycling store. Founded in 2004, it has been voted Best Triathlon Store in Texas every year since its inception. The store is renowned for its friendly service, incredible product support, and community involvement. www.jackandadams.com

About Ryan-Sanders Entertainment

Ryan-Sanders Entertainment, a division of Ryan-Sanders Baseball, is the company’s special events arm. Ryan-Sanders entertainment has produced concerts, music festivals, boxing, professional soccer and professional women’s fast pitch softball at The Dell Diamond in Round Rock and Corpus Christi’s Whataburger Field. Whataburger Field is home of the Corpus Christi Hooks, the most successful professional sports franchise in Coastal Bend history. The Hooks have drawn over 3,000,000 fans in their seven-year existence.

Event Website

http://www.republicoftexastri.com/

Pro Triathletes Top Podium at Ninth Annual Jack’s Generic Tri

2011-08-02T16:48:00.000-07:00

Austin, Texas (August 2011) - On Sunday, July 31st, over 700 athletes converged at the Texas Ski Ranch in New Braunfels, Texas for the Ninth Annual Jack’s Generic Triathlon presented by Jack and Adam’s Bicycles.

This popular triathlon, with distances of 500 meter swim, 13.8 mile bike and 3 mile run, has seen numerous professional triathletes take part over the years including Michael Lovato, Kelly Williamson, Desiree Ficker, Amy Marsh, Pat Evoe and Andrea Fisher. This year was no exception with James Bonney taking first overall and former pro, Jamie Cleveland coming in second. On the women’s side Hollie Kenney and Christeen Hodge took one and two.

Jack’s Generic Tri has been voted best triathlon by Competitor Magazine readers and listed as best “under the radar” triathlon by Triathlete Magazine. Texas Governor Rick Perry has also participated in the triathlon a couple of times. “Jack’s Generic Tri is a fun and very beginner friendly venue,” explains Race Director, Dan Carroll, of High Five Events. “It’s a challenging but fast course with a rockin’ post race party. Even the governor got on stage and played guitar with the band.”

This year participants received technical t-shirts, free post-race massage, custom water bottles and swim caps, ice cream, New Belgium beer, a post race meal and much more. In addition, professional timing and photography, as well as a great volunteer crew, make this triathlon a top notch event year in and year out.

Jack’s Generic Tri is the fourth event of the Texas Tri Series (www.texastriseries.com), a six event series of triathlons designed to start with a short sprint triathlon and finish with a half distance. To complete the series a person must participate in or volunteer for each of the events. Every finisher of the series is invited to the Finisher’s Party at the Hyatt in downtown Austin. The final two events of the series are the Austin Tri (www.TheAustinTri.com) in downtown Austin on Labor Day and the Kerrville Tri Festival (www.KerrvilleTri.com) October 1-2 in Kerrville.

About Jack and Adam's Bicycles:

Located in Austin, TX, Jack and Adam’s Bicycles is a complete triathlon and road cycling store. Founded in 2004, it has been voted Best Triathlon Store in Texas every year since its inception. The store is renowned for its friendly service, incredible product support, and community involvement. www.jackandadams.com

About High Five Events:

High Five Events is a multi-sport event production company and the official race director for Jack & Adam’s Bicycles events. High Five Events produces many of the largest triathlons in Texas and provides event management consulting and equipment leasing services to over 30 events per year. www.highfiveevents.com

Jack's Generic Triathlon Participant Guide

2011-07-27T06:15:00.000-07:00

The Jack's Generic Triathlon participant guide is available to view and download at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/60276797/JGT-Tri-Guide-2011

A hardcopy of the guide will be included in your packet.

Next Up: Jack's Generic Triathlon

2011-07-11T09:41:00.001-07:00

Congrats and thank you to all of the participants and volunteers who came out to the Couples Triathlon this weekend. We are now officially half way through the Texas Tri Series! Next up is original J&A / H5E event: Jack's Generic Triathlon (http://www.jacksgenerictri.com). On July 31st, come check out the event that started it all! Who knows? You may even get to meet Mr. Generic himself.

Couples Triathlon Participant Guide

2011-07-05T07:37:00.000-07:00

The Couples Triathlon Participant Guide is available for download at http://www.scribd.com/doc/59010831/Couples-Tri-Participant-Guide-2011. A hard copy of the guide will be included in the race packet.

Texas Tri Series Tracking - LPT Results Added

2011-07-01T13:04:00.000-07:00

Tracking for the 2011 Texas Tri Series has been updated to include the Lake Pflugerville Triathlon. There has been a lot of movement on the age group leaderboard as participants show they are committed to finishing the series.

The third event in the series, Couples Triathlon, is on July 10th. Registration is still open.

Please review your results carefully to ensure they are correct. Please report any issues to racedirector@highfiveevents.com.

Results are posted at www.texastriseries.com/results.asp. The age group leaderboard is on the Texas Tri Series home page.

Texas Tri Series Tracking Updated

2011-06-03T12:42:00.000-07:00

After a very busy spring filled of events, we've finally updated the tracking for the 2011 Texas Tri Series. Series registration is officially closed as of June 1st, but some slight variances in the post results should be expected as initial results and registrations are corrected.

Please review your results carefully to ensure they are correct. Please report any issues to racedirector@highfiveevents.com.

Results are posted at www.texastriseries.com/results.asp. The age group leaderboard is on the Texas Tri Series home page.

Texas Hill Country Gets New Kerrville Triathlon Festival

2011-05-25T16:40:00.000-07:00

http://tinyurl.com/66h3d5v

2011 Rookie Triathlon Participant Guide

2011-04-12T08:52:00.001-07:00

The 2011 Rookie Triathlon Participant Guide is available for reading and download at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/52502401. A hard copy of the guide will be included in the race packet.

RR Express Ride on YNN

2011-04-11T10:49:00.000-07:00

Coverage from the inaugural Round Rock Express Ride benefiting Please Be Kind to Cyclists on YYN: http://austin.ynn.com/content/top_stories/277718/cyclists-ride-to-promote-harmony-on-austin-s-roads

Express Ride Participant Guide

2011-04-06T17:51:00.000-07:00

The participant guide for the Round Rock Express Ride is now published at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/51738597/RR-Express-Ride-Participant-guide-2011-for-website

A hard copy of the guide will be available in your packet.

See y'all on Sunday!

Rookie Water Temperature

2011-04-06T13:29:00.000-07:00

Unofficial water temperature at Lake Walter E. Long this morning was 68 degrees Fahrenheit. We are pretty confident that the swim will be wetsuit legal. However, at 68 degrees and only 300m, this swim certainly does not require a wetsuit, so no worries if you don't have one. Many participants may opt to go without a wetsuit since the swim is so short.

We'll take the official water temperature on Friday before the event.

Austaco/Taco Bell named presenting sponsor of Texas Round-Up

2011-03-24T18:13:00.000-07:00

Austin, Texas (March 24, 2011) – Texas Round-Up, Inc is proud to announce Austaco/Taco Bell, as a presenting sponsor of The Texas Round-Up 5K & Family Mile, to be held in Austin, Texas on April 30, 2011.

2011 will mark the 8^th edition of the Texas Round-Up. This event, consisting of a 5-K and Family Fun mile in downtown Austin and around the Texas State Capitol, has become a favorite of Texans due to its exciting course great family atmosphere. The race culminates in a family-friendly carnival held directly in front of the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. The 5K attracts both seasoned runners and first timers using this as their kickoff to an active lifestyle.

“The Texas Round-Up is thrilled to forge a long term partnership with Austaco. The mission of the Texas Round-Up is to improve the health of Texas through education and promotion of physical activity. Austaco has been a strong supporter of this event for several years, and their actions as a business and in the community show that they are dedicated to its mission. Together we hope to expose even more Texans to healthy living and the joy of physical activity,” says Lindsay Rosenthal, President of the Board of the Texas Round-Up.

“Austaco is very excited to partner with the Texas Round-Up. We have been looking for that right partnership to promote wellness, exercise and the importance of physical activity for both our employees and the communities that we serve, and we are pleased to have found that with the Texas Round-Up,” states Caleb Stirling, Brand Development Manager for Austaco, Ltd.

The 2011 Texas Round-Up will be held on April 30, 2011. Visit www.texasroundup.org for more information.

About The Texas Round-Up

The Texas Round-Up running is owned and produced by Texas Round-Up, Inc. It is one of the few non-profit operated running events in central Texas. The mission of the Texas Round Up is to improve the health of Texans through education and promotion of physical activity and healthy living. 100% of the proceeds from the event go to organizations working towards improving the aspects of healthy living and physical activity in Texas public schools.

www.texasroundup.org

About Austaco/Taco Bell

Austaco, Ltd, founded in 1968, is a franchisee of Taco Bell and is owned by Dirk and Katie Dozier. With over 75 Taco Bells throughout the Central Texas region, Austaco is committed to their motto: ‘Here to Serve’, by operating on the principles of hospitality, quality, service and cleanliness and by taking care of their employees, customers and community. For store locations, menus and more, visit www.austaco.com

JGT named part of USAT Talent ID Series

2011-03-06T17:50:00.000-08:00

Jack's Generic Triathlon has been named part of USA Triathlon's Talent ID Series for boys and girls ages 16-19. The purpose is to encourage and identify youngsters with potential in the sport of triathlon.

For more information on the series events please go to http://smwtriathlon.org/athletes/youth/junior_race_series/index.htm.

Austin Fit named presenting sponsor of The Rookie Triathlon

2011-02-24T15:44:00.000-08:00

Austin, Texas (February 18, 2011) – High Five Events and Jack & Adam’s Bicycles are proud to announce Austin Fit Magazine, Austin’s first and only health and fitness magazine, as a presenting sponsor of The Rookie Triathlon, to be held in Austin, Texas on April 17, 2011.

2011 will mark the 8^th edition of The Rookie Triathlon. This event, consisting of a 300m swim, 11-mile bike and 2-mile run, has become the annual rite of passage for central Texas triathletes to start their season. It’s also the ultimate event for first-timers, with a true Rookies division, super safe swim, and short distance.

2011 brings some big and exciting changes for the event. After seven great years at the Texas Ski Ranch in New Braunfels, the event is moving to Austin and will be held at Walter E. Long Park. The new venue will ease the congestion for the extremely popular event and allow for more participants. Also new in 2011 are the separate divisions for Rookies and Veterans. The Rookie division is restricted for true first- timers while the Veterans division is for the seasoned triathlete. Of course, there’s also the Open division in which many of the top professionals in the region will duke it out at the ultra sprint distance.

“The Rookie Triathlon has been looking for a partner who shares our goal of getting people into a healthy and fitness-based lifestyle. We are thrilled to be partnering with Austin Fit Magazine as their enthusiasm for health and fitness is a great influence in the community. Together we hope to expose even more people to the fantastic sport of triathlon and show them a path towards a healthy lifestyle,” says Dan Carroll of High Five Events.

“We’re extremely excited to be partnering with High Five Events and Jack & Adam’s Bicycles on The Rookie Triathlon this year, as it’s a unique opportunity to increase our presence in the Austin multi-sport community,” says Drex Earle, Ph.D. of Austin Fit Magazine. “This is among the most anticipated and well-executed events all season, and we feel very fortunate to be a part of it.”

The 2011 Rookie Triathlon will be held on April 17, 2011. Austin Fit Magazine joins Jack & Adam’s Bicycles as a presenting sponsor. Visit www.therookietri.com for more information.

About High Five Events

High Five Events is a multi-sport event production company and the official race director for Jack & Adam’s Bicycles events. High Five Events produces many of the largest triathlons in Texas and provides event management consulting and equipment leasing services to over 30 events per year. www.highfiveevents.com

About Jack and Adam’s Bicycles

About Austin Fit Magazine

Founded in 1997, Austin Fit Magazine emerged as Austin's first and only health and fitness magazine, with bold ambition and a powerful mission — to improve the lives of its readers through entertaining and informative health and fitness content. Today, Austin Fit Magazine has grown into one of Austin’s premiere publications, as well as the exclusive resource for those looking to develop, achieve and maintain a healthy and fit lifestyle.

www.austinfitmagazine.com

Round Rock Express Ride Jerseys

2011-02-16T10:04:00.000-08:00

There is no better way to spend your Sunday then on a fully supported bike ride followed by a Round Rock Express Game.

And there is no better way to ride . . . then to ride in style! New for 2011 and for a limited time only:

Jerseys are available for purchase with your event registration at www.myraceregistration.com OR at the Jack and Adam's Online Store.

There will be a limited amount available for pickup at packet pickup, but more will be ordered after the event. Jerseys will not be mailed out. They must be picked up at the event or at Jack & Adam's Bicycles.

ROOKIE BIKE JERSEYS

2011-02-16T09:42:00.000-08:00

Have you signed up for the Rookie yet?

Be sure to check out the rad new jerseys for 2011!!

Available for a limited time only, purchase available when you register at www.myraceregistration.com.

Also available at the Jack and Adam's Online Store.

Orders placed with registration will be given first priority on inventory, and then a second order will be placed after the event. Jerseys will not be mailed out. They must be picked up at the event or at Jack & Adam's Bicycles.

What happened to the 10K?

2011-01-10T14:28:00.000-08:00

Many of you who participating the Texas Round-Up events in the past may be curious as to why the 10K event has "disappeared" from the 2011 event schedule.

The Texas Round-Up non-profit organization underwent significant change during the summer of 2010. The organization needed restructuring in order to remain financially stable and to be able to continue to work on its mission of promoting healthy living through physical activity. The Texas Round-Up running event is now separate from all the other Texas Round-Up programs. Those other programs have merged into other existing state programs with similar objectives. The sole purpose of the Texas Round-Up is to produce the running event in order to promote health and fitness and to raise funds to support health and fitness programs in Texas schools.

The 10K event has been part of the Texas Round-Up from the beginning and it is certainly an attractive distance to many participants. Plus, it has been declared the official 10K of Texas by Governor Rick Perry. However, a 10K course that goes through downtown Austin is an extremely expensive event to produce due to the extensive road closures. The board of directors of the Texas Round-Up felt it was necessary to eliminate the 10K course for 2011 to ensure that the event remained fiscally responsible and raised money towards its objective. It is the hope and intention of the board of directors to host the 10K event again in 2012.

The 5K will use the same start / finish line as years past, with the Texas State Capitol in the background. The course will tour through downtown Austin and the University of Texas campus.

As runners ourselves, the board members of the Texas Round-Up can understand the disappointment with the removal of the 10K. However, we are more motivated to see the Texas Round-Up continue and ensure that it makes a difference in the lives of young Texans. They hope this brings some clarity to the decision and keeps you motivated to participate in, and support the Texas Round-Up.

Sincerely,

The Texas Round-Up Board

Need a New Year's Resolution? Try the new Texas Tri Series

2010-12-24T20:59:00.000-08:00

Looking to put some strong commitments behind your New Year's resolution to stay fit & healthy? The Texas Tri Series might be just what you are looking for. The original premise behind the creation of the series was to provide motivation for anyone to stay fit and active throughout the year. The idea was to tie together some of the regions best events into a series that would be fun and competitive, but achievable by anyone. We also wanted to put out a strong enough reward, the Texas Tri Series Finisher Party, so that it would help get you out of bed for that morning run or stop you from eating the 3rd slice of pie.

2011 looks to be the best Texas Tri Series yet. It's the 5th annual series, so the party will be sure to be good, plus there are some exciting changes and additions:

The Rookie Triathlon -The signature kickoff to the triathlon season has been moved a few weeks earlier to April 17th, and to a new venue near Austin. The event was moved for 2 reasons. First, we wanted the Rookie to be the first event of the season for most everyone. Second, we needed a venue that could accommodate more people. The Rookie has become so popular that many first time triathletes were being shut out because all the triathlon "veterans" also wanted to do the event. The new venue allows us to host both a true "Rookies" event for first timers, and there is a "veterans" race for all the experienced triathletes.
A sixth event has been added to the Texas Tri Series lineup, the Lake Pflugerville Triathlon on June 19th. We've had our eye on this event since it started, and we think it will make a great addition. The Pflugerville tri community puts on a well organized, safe, and fun event.
Last, there will be a new anchor event to the series. It will now be the Kerrville Triathlon festival, on October 1-2. This new event will bring a new long course triathlon to Texas hill country on an outstanding course with a downtown finish. There's also a sprint event the day before. We'll have more info posted soon.

Don't forget that you must register for the Texas Tri Series before June 1, 2011. It's free! Second, you must register for each of the events individually. Some of the events are sure to sell out so register early. There are early bird registration discounts too. Why wait?

Announcing the Round Rock Express Ride

2010-12-06T13:40:00.000-08:00

Jack & Adam's Bicycles, Please BE KIND to Cyclists, the Round Rock Express, and High Five Events are pleased to announce the inaugural Round Rock Express Ride cycling event. This one-of-a-kind cycling event has ride distances of 77 and 27 miles, and includes tickets to a minor league baseball game! The ride exists to promote health & fitness through cycling and to benefit the Please BE KIND to Cyclists non-profit organization.

Details on the event can be found at www.rrexpressride.com.

All New Rookie Triathlon

2010-12-03T11:56:00.000-08:00

2011 will bring a re-vamped Rookie Triathlon, with a new date, new venue, new course, and improved format! The event will now be held at Walter E. Long Park, just minutes outside downtown Austin, and earlier in the year, on April 17th.

The triathlon will still be the same super sprint distance of 300 meter swim, 11.2 mile bike, and 2 mile run. Although, the bike course will have few more hills. The swim and run courses will be brand new for the venue.

The most significant improvement is the addition of a true "Rookies" division. This division will be open to only those participants who are doing their first or second triathlon. There will be separate swim waves and award categories.

Stay tuned for more info as we work out the finer details. It's sure to be a nice improvement to an already great event!

Texas Tri Series All Star Volunteers

2010-11-01T07:10:00.000-07:00

Final Results for the 2010 Texas Tri Series are posted on the home page of TexasTriSeries.com. Jack & Adam's Bicycles and High Five Events would like to especially thank all of you who volunteered at events throughout the series. This year, there was a record number of individuals who volunteered at all 5 events in the series. AMAZING!

2010 All Star Volunteers:

Gordon Alexander, Laurie Allen, June Black, Vic Black, Jodi Denyszyn, Mary Dodson, Paul Edmonds, Mary Egan, Stacy Farrugia, Doug Gillenwater, Rhonda Halliburton, Annette Kobus, Teri Lybecker, Carolyn Marek, Tom Marek, Christine Marquette, Judy Melchor, Nancy Moore, Roy Moore, Rob Murphy, Kathleen Murray, Jennifer Phillips, Shawn Phillips, Javier Pina, James Thomas, Denise Trybalski

TRIATHLON 101 - The History of Triathlon

2010-10-06T19:46:00.000-07:00

Early triathlons were held as off-beat training exercises for runners. The first known swim/bike/run triathlons were held at San Diego’s (Calif.) Mission Bay in 1974. Organized by members of the San Diego Track Club, the events were held on summer evenings and were intended as no more than light-hearted breaks in the normal grind of training for marathons and 10Ks. One athlete who raced at the first Mission Bay Triathlon, John Collins, was very influential in the further development of the sport. Collins, a U.S. Naval Officer, took the triathlon concept to Hawaii and used it several years later to combine three of Oahu’s endurance events – the Waikiki Rough Water Swim, the Around-Oahu Bike Ride and the Honolulu Marathon – into one race: the Ironman.

Only 12 men completed the first race held in January of 1978. In 1979, 13 men and one woman crossed the finish line. But a Sports Illustrated article by Barry McDermott in May 1979 increased the 1980 field into the hundreds and brought ABC’s Wide World of Sports to Hawaii for the first of an unbroken string of annual network broadcasts. In 1982, the last year no qualifying was needed to compete at Ironman, the dramatic footage of Julie Moss crawling on her hands and knees to a second-place finish at Ironman, triggered an explosion of interest. The same year also witnessed the birth of Triathlon Magazine, the sport’s first national publication; the founding of the U.S. Triathlon Association (later named USA Triathlon), triathlon’s national governing body; and the U.S. triathlon Series, the first national racing series.

The decade that saw phenomenal growth in triathlon, the 1980s, ended with a step toward the future. In 1989, after several failed attempts, triathlon formed an international governing body. Twenty-five nations were represented at the founding congress of the International Triathlon Union in April in Avignon, France. The focus of the International Triathlon Union (ITU) was to gain acceptance by the International Olympic Committee and have triathlon accepted on the Olympic program. The first step in that process would be to create a triathlon world championship. The race took place four months later in Avignon with Mark Allen of the United States and Erin Baker of New Zealand winning the inaugural world championship.

The Ironman World Championship in Hawaii may be triathlon’s most recognizable event, but the international distance is the sport’s most popular. The 1.5K swim, 40K bike, and 10K run is triathlon’s international standard and the format used at the triathlon world championship and eventually the Olympics. The 1980s also saw the development of the "sprint distance" triathlon, which is about half the distance of an international distance race.

In 1991, the IOC recognized the ITU as the sole governing body for the sport of triathlon at its 97th session in Birmingham, England. In 1993 the Pan American Games approved triathlon for competition at the 1995 Pan Am Games in Mar del Plata, Argentina. The first Goodwill Games Triathlon was held in St. Petersburg, Russia on July 23, 1994. Then in September of 1994, triathlon was named to the Olympic program as a medal sport at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

The first Olympic triathlons were held Sept. 16-17, 2000 in Sydney, Australia. Switzerland's Brigitte McMahon won the women's race and Canada's Simon Whitfield won the men's race.

The United States won its first Olympic triathlon medal on August 25, 2004, when Susan Williams of Littleton, Colo., placed third in the women’s event in Athens, Greece. Kate Allen of Austria won the women’s race and Hamish Carter of New Zealand won the men’s race the next day.

For more on triathlon: www.usatriathlon.org/resources/multisport-101/history-of-triathlon

ALL STAR VOLUNTEERS - Judy Melchor

2010-09-28T14:14:00.000-07:00

We would like to spotlight Judy Melchor this month. Thank you Judy for all of your time and amazing energy! You add so much to each and every High Five Event!

How long have you been involved in triathlon as a volunteer and as an athlete?
Started racing triathlons and volunteering at races since '99.

Why do you volunteer?
When I am racing, volunteers make my race day so much better. In either rain or shine they cheer, provide water/gator and everyone can feed of their energy to get through the race. What a better way to give back to the sport! By volunteering I can pay it forward and help make someone else race a success.

What is your favorite High Five Volunteer Perk?
Besides volunteering with amazing friends who I have raced with a time or two. The volunteer party!! It is so much fun to see everyone and just laugh and have a good time

What is the most memorable volunteer moment you've experienced at an event?
It was very late in the day and only the family of the last athlete left and I were at the finish line. We saw her coming around the corner walking in and we just busted out cheering her in, encouraging her to finish strong and run in the last few yards. The huge smile on her face as she saw us and started to run to the finish. She crossed the finish line with the biggest smile on her face and thanking us all for getting her there and for staying around to see her finish. Seeing how her family celebrated with her was well worth the wait. As I was cleaning up she returned, still with a big grin on her face, and thanked me for staying around to make sure she finished and for volunteering. That alone made my day!

Of all things you've seen as a volunteer, what is one suggestion you would make to athletes to help their day?
Enjoy the day and smile through out the race! You have worked so hard in training why not enjoy your success in achieving your goal. Enjoy the moment!!

Which is your favorite High Five Event and why?
Love Couples Tri! It is a lot of fun and it is always great to see the groups that race! Not to mention the team names, you just have to love the creativity!!

What do you like to do when you're not volunteering/racing?
Spending time with family and friends. May it be a BBQ, camping, day at the park or catching up with drinks and a movie.

Which is your favorite High Five Volunteer Shirt?
I can't remember what race this was from but has been my favorite so far. All it said in the front was "Volunteer".

What is your favorite Volunteer Assignment and why?
Definitely finish line! Love to see athletes cross the finish line with big smiles knowing they achieved their goal.

Do you listen to music when you train? If so, what are some of your favorite tunes?
To many to list! Anything from Salsa to Top Hits! If its music you can dance to and has a great beat then it is on my play list to train with. What a better way to motivate you when you train than some very upbeat music!

Tracking updated with AVIA Austin Triathlon results

2010-09-21T06:42:00.000-07:00

Tracking for the Texas Tri Series is updated to include results and volunteers from The AVIA Austin Triathlon. Only participants in the Olympic distance event were eligible for time tracking. All others have been given credit towards finishing the series.

Please check your results closely and email corrections to dan@highfiveevents.com.

Austin Tri Results

2010-09-07T06:40:00.000-07:00

By Brom Hoban American Statesman Correspondant

Not even a flat tire on his bike could stop Great Britain's Philip Graves from winning the fourth edition of the Austin Triathlon on Monday.

Despite the tire mishap, which came with more than two miles to go in the 24.8-mile bike leg of the Olympic-distance race, Graves still finished first overall, 1 minute and 21 seconds ahead of Australia's Ritchie Cunningham.

The two men, who now live and train in Austin, scrambled out of Lady Bird Lake in a dead heat after completing the 1,500-meter swim in 17:56. The 21-year-old Graves pushed hard on the bike, leaving Cunningham behind as he completed the first two loops of the downtown course.

As he rode on Cesar Chavez Street, though, Graves blew out his rear tire. Realizing he had no time to perform an on-the-fly repair, Graves covered the last couple of miles on the bike's wheel rim.

" I put my bike in the biggest gear and put all my weight on the front wheel, trying to limit the damage," said the 21-year-old Graves, who last year became the youngest male winner of a major Ironman event with his victory at the Ironman UK in Bolton, England. "I just wanted to get to the run start safely and in one piece."

Not only did he arrive safely to the start of the 10-kilometer run, but Graves' time of 56:08 in the bike leg put him two minutes ahead of Cunningham.

Still, Cunningham is known as one of better runners competing in triathlons, and Graves took nothing for granted.

"He is a much stronger runner than I am so I usually try to get off the bike ahead," Graves said.

Sure enough, Cunningham cover the 10K course in 33:41, but he couldn't make up enough time to catch Graves, whose overall time was 1 hour, 52 minutes and 11 seconds..

"The way Philip hit the bike course — that was pretty impressive. I couldn't respond to that," said Cunningham, whose finishing time was 1:53:32.

A former Austinite, Michael Lavato of Boulder, Colo., placed third in 1:54:43.

In the women's Olympic-distance race, Austinites Kelly Williamson and Desiree Ficker entered the closing run neck and neck. Williamson, who was coming off a victory at the Steelhead 70.3 — a half-Ironman event — in Benton, Mich., on July 31, pulled away in the run to finish first in 2 hours and 25 seconds. Ficker, the defending women's champion, was second, 2 minutes and 9 seconds behind.

Williamson and Ficker both trailed Canada's Tenille Hoogland coming out of the water, but they passed Hoogland during the bike leg.

"Desiree caught me right at the same time we both passed Tenille," said Williamson, "but my biking has been really strong lately so I think that helped me start the run with less fatigue."

Williamson, who will be competing at the 2010 Ironman World Championship in Hawaii in October, cruised through the 10K run in 34:55, steadily moving away from Ficker, who clocked a 37:06. She earned $1,200 for her victory, as did Graves.

"I felt a little rough today," said Ficker, who recently returned from a month of racing in Europe, where she won the TriStar111 Triathlon on Aug. 7 in Estonia. "I tried to hang with her as long as possible, but I could tell about a mile into the run that she was the stronger runner today."

Hoogland hung on for third place in 2:05:56 .

Mike Montoya, a middle school teacher in Las Cruces, N.M., won the sprint-distance race designed for aspiring triathletes, finishing in 1 hour, 14 minutes and 53 seconds.

Jessica Waninger, a cross country runner for the University of Texas at Tyler , was first woman to finish the sprint-distance event, posting a time of 1:23:37.

For Full Results, click here.

Austin Tri Participant Guide

2010-08-28T15:19:00.000-07:00

The AVIA Austin Triathlon Participant Guide may be downloaded at www.theaustintriathlon.com/Participant-Guide.pdf. A hard copy of the guide will be included in the event goodie bag provided at packet pickup.

TRIATHLON 101 - August 2010

2010-08-26T07:41:00.000-07:00

With The AVIA Austin Triathlon approaching, we thought it would be a good idea to give you an inside look as to the “ins-and-outs” of this fantastic course! We’ve asked High Five Events Race Director, Dan Carroll, to give some quick pointers – so you can get excited and be ready for what’s ahead:

Packet Pick-up & Transition
A little different from the past High Five Events events so far this summer is the packet pick-up and Transition set-up procedures.

Packet pick-up will be one-day only and will take place on Sunday, September 5th at the Hyatt Regency Hotel from 10-6pm. During packet pick-up, there will also be a really cool athlete expo and informative seminars throughout the day. TIP: Need last minute essentials, Jack & Adams will be there for you at the Expo! Also, come prepared with your photo ID and USAT card to be able to pick up your packet.
Transition set-up is done the day BEFORE event day. After picking-up your packet at the Hyatt, you will need to check-in your bike at the transition area that same day. Having the bikes already checked-in the night before will make event-morning a lot easier and less stressful. TIP: Be sure to put your numbers on your bike before checking it into the transition area. Also, don’t put any plastic bags over any parts of your bike. This will cause the bikes to blow in the wind and the plastic often gets stuck in the gears. Check out the bikes in the Open wave rack. None will have plastic bags on them.

Swim Course
The AVIA Austin Triathlon is one of only a few times that the City of Austin allows people to swim in Lady Bird Lake – and what a great experience it is!

The swim start is a deep-water start. Come prepared to jump into the water off a dock (about a foot above the water) to prepare for the race start. Participants will tread water and line up in front of the dock to wait for the starting horn (about 1-2 minutes). TIP: If you are a slower swimmer, or are less comfortable treading water for a period of time, be prepared to enter the water last and be towards the back of your swim wave.
With multiple bridges and banks on both sides, this swim course has many great points for sighting. TIP: Before jumping in for your wave, have a look for these points and use them to help you swim in the right direction.
On Labor Day, the water temperature is usually around 75 degrees, so the swim will likely be wetsuit legal. However, anything is possible with these warmer temperatures we’ve been having. TIP: Be prepared for both a wetsuit and non-wetsuit swim.

Bike Course
Three loops for Olympic distance and two loops for sprint distance on the scenic downtown roads make this an exciting course for all levels of participants!

Be prepared for a short hill at the very start of the bike course. This means, having your bike in the right gear coming out of transition. It’s not really steep, but if you find yourself stuck in a hard gear you’ll have a bit more trouble. TIP: The road at the start and finish of the bike course is very narrow. Take it easy heading out and coming in. There’s plenty of course to put the hammer down, but this is not the place.
With this multi-loop course, you will have some u-turns. Be prepared and know ahead of time when to expect these u-turns, as you will want to slow down, stay your line, and be aware of those around you as you all safely make the turn. TIP: If you have weaker bike handling skills, stay towards the outside (or the right) as you make the turns – this will give you a wider turning radius.
As this is a pretty fast bike course, please be aware not to draft. Drafting is being less than 3 bike lengths behind the person in front of you. We will have officials patrolling the course enforcing the no-drafting USAT rules. TIP: Come to the pre-race meetings at the expo to learn more about the USAT rules.

Run Course
The AVIA Austin Triathlon run course is flat and compact, which makes it extremely spectator friendly and competitive. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Expect it to be hot with very little shade. Use the aid stations to help you keep cool. TIP: Consider wearing a hat or visor to help keep your head cool.
At some of the aid stations, there will be the opportunity to get wet underneath a sprinkler or hose. Take advantage of it. A little cool water does wonders in the heat.
The course is a combination of grass/dirt trails, pavement, and sidewalk. TIP: Take a look at the race course maps and come up with a strategy to help you tackle the course!

We can’t wait to see you all out on Auditorium Shores for the start of The AVIA Austin Triathlon on Labor Day – Monday, September 6th, 2010. We hope these tips give you a better sense of what to expect on event day and help you get excited for the fantastic day it is sure to be!

USAT Officials Corner - August 2010

2010-08-25T18:52:00.000-07:00

One would think that with the recent high temperatures in Austin, TX have been over 100 degrees that The Austin Tri would NOT be wetsuit legal. . . BUT as of August 24th temperatures in Lady Bird Lake prove otherwise. The final temperature will be taken on race day, but as of now, it looks like athletes may have the option to wear a wetsuit in the open water swim this coming Labor Day. Here are the official temperatures regarding wetsuits as officiated by USA Triathlon, as well as other swim related rules to keep you and all athletes safe this Labor Day weekend!

Section 4.4 Wet suits. Each age group participant shall be permitted to wear a wet suit without penalty in any event sanctioned by USA Triathlon up to and including a water temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit. When the water temperature is greater than 78 degrees, but less than 84 degrees Fahrenheit, age group participants may wear a wet suit at their own discretion, provided however that participants who wear a wet suit within this temperature range shall not be eligible for prizes or awards. Age group participants shall not wear wet suits in water temperatures equal to or greater than 84 degrees Fahrenheit. The wetsuit policy for elite athletes shall be determined by the USAT Athletes Advisory Council. The AAC has set the wetsuit maximum temperature for elite/pros at 68 degrees for swim distances less than 3000 meters and 71.6 degrees for distances of 3000 meters or greater.

Section 4.7 Official Equipment. If provided by race management, a swimmer shall wear the proper official swim cap corresponding to his wave. The penalty for an infraction of this rule is a variable time penalty. For safety reasons if no official cap is provided, all swimmers should wear their own brightly colored swim cap.

Section 4.8 Goggles. Swimmers may wear, but shall not be required to wear, swim goggles or face masks.

Section 4.9 Illegal Equipment. Any swimmer wearing any artificial propulsion device, including but not limited to fins, gloves, paddles, or floating devices of any kind shall be disqualified.

Discussion

It all boils down to this:

78 degrees or below: Wear a wetsuit if you like. It's not required.
78 - 84: You may wear a wetsuit, but you will not be eligible for rankings or awards
Above 84: It's way too warm to wear a wetsuit. Go to the sauna instead.
Don't use any equipment that gives you an unfair advantage. And yes, people have actually tried to use fins during the swim!

August 2010 Featured Volunteer

2010-08-25T17:02:00.000-07:00

Dan Kirkley

Thank you to all the volunteers who help make High Five Events' events a success! From the packet stuffing a few days before, to bodymarking on event morning, to post-event clean-up (and all the many other ways!) -- we could not do it without you.

If you know someone interested in getting started with triathlon, volunteering is a great way to see the "ins-and-outs" of the sport and can often be just the thing to get inspired to try it out for the first time!

Every month we like to highlight a special volunteer. Up this month, one of the most inspiring people on the course: Dan Kirkley!

How many years have you volunteered with High Five Events? This is year #4. My son Matt and I have been finishers since the (Texas Tri) series began.

What is your favorite part of volunteering at High Five Event races? My very favorite part is doing things with my family (my children). I also really enjoy helping people and encouraging them to excel.

Why do you volunteer? I volunteer because it lightens the load for others and because it gives me the opportunity to rub shoulders with athletes and people like Jack, Dan, Michelle, Nick and others who"know the business."

What's the craziest thing you've witnessed while volunteering? The number of athletes who think their bikes are "stolen" before we find them for them in transition. Also, the number of swimmers who've not ever practiced in open water and are unable to complete the swim.

What's your favorite part of the course to work? Transition or swim

Favorite sport besides triathlon? Fishing

What is the earliest you've woken up to volunteer? 3:00 AM to drive from Belton to help with parking.

Favorite volunteer perk? Finishers Banquet. The food, visiting, crazy awards and finisher award. (Matt and I are looking forward to being five year finishers next year).

Best/Worst volunteer t-shirt color? My favorite t-shirt, if I can remember correctly, was the 2008 "Austin" which was a moisture wicking white with the colorful Austin Tri emblem. The sky blue "Rookie" this year was pretty good also. My least favorite are the yellows.

Thanks Dan!

Sign-up to volunteer at the upcoming AVIA Austin Triathlon!

Registration is Still Open!

2010-08-23T13:39:00.000-07:00

Registration is still open for the 2010 Austin Triathlon. Sign up here. Roughly 300 spots remain and they are going fast. Yeah, it might be hot, but you'll stay cool with the free tech tee and Sweat Vac hat. We will also have a brilliant finisher medal, ice cold water bottle, and free ice cream and New Belgium Beer waiting for you at the finish line. Plus rockin' tunes from LC Rocks all morning long!

Water Temp & Wetsuits

2010-08-22T09:46:00.000-07:00

Current water temperature is 73 F. It is anticipated that the swim will be wetsuit legal. This event will be governed by USA Triathlon rules. The official water temperature will be posted prior to the start of the Expo on Sunday, September 5th.

ARE YOU GONNA GET YOURS?!

2010-08-20T13:20:00.000-07:00

LC ROCKS!!!

2010-08-20T13:15:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce Austin's very own 80's metal party band, LC ROCKS, to play at the Austin Tri after party! With sounds echoing Bon Jovi, Guns n Roses, Def Leppard, Journey, AC/DC, and Twisted Sister, (to name just a few!), we will be rockin' all morning long!

Swim, Ride, Run, Rock!!!

Tracking Updated Through Jack's Generic Triathlon

2010-08-10T19:47:00.000-07:00

Tracking for the Texas Tri Series is updated to include results and volunteers from Jack's Generic Triathlon.

Please check your results closely and email corrections to dan@highfiveevents.com.

Tracking Updated through Couples Triathlon

2010-07-26T08:29:00.000-07:00

Texas Tri Series tracking is now updated through Couples Triathlon. In addition, Skeese Greets Triathlon finisher times have been adjusted to account for the shortened bike course.

Skeese Greets Time Adjustment for TTS

2010-07-26T08:27:00.000-07:00

The Skeese Greets Tri bike course was changed due to flooding at the low water crossing on Francis Harris Lane. The new bike course was 0.6 miles shorter than the normal course. As a result, the bike split times for Skeese Greets Tri were faster than they were for the Rookie Tri held one week earlier. Therefore, any finisher of the Skeese Greets Tri who is using their finisher time for the Texas Tri Series overall time tracking will have their Skeese Greets Tri time adjusted as follows:

The bike pace from Skeese Greets Tri will be multiplied by the difference in length of the two courses.
This time will be added to the overall time so that the Skeese Greets time will roughly equate to a Rookie Tri time.

2010 Results Posted

2010-07-17T14:39:00.000-07:00

2010 Texas Tri Series results tracking have finally been posted for The Rookie. There are a few data issues with the Couples results. Those are expected to be worked out in the next few days and then the series results will be updated ASAP.

View the full results at www.texastriseries.com/results.asp.

Jack's Generic Triathlon Participant Guide

2010-07-16T09:41:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Jack's Generic Triathlon Participant Guide may be downloaded here: www.jacksgenerictri.com/Participant-Guide.pdf.

A hard copy of the guide will be available in the race packet.

Couples Triathlon Participant Guide

2010-06-30T11:46:00.001-07:00

The 2010 Couples Triathlon Participant Guide may be downloaded here: www.couplestri.com/Participant-Guide.pdf.

A hard copy of the guide will be available in the race packet.

AVIA Austin Tri Medals

2010-06-07T09:05:00.000-07:00

Finisher medals for the 2010 AVIA Austin Triathlon have been ordered. Check it out:

May Splash-n-Dash Sold Out

2010-05-07T18:40:00.000-07:00

The May Splash-n-Dash event is sold out at 200 participants. We will not be accepting any more entries. Registrations may not be transferred from one person to another, nor from one event to another.

The remaining Splash-n-Dash events are filling up fast. Don't wait to register. It's only $10!

Water Temp & Wetsuits

2010-05-07T18:34:00.000-07:00

The current water temperature at the Texas Ski Ranch is 77 degrees. The official temperature will be taken race morning. It's about a 50% chance that the swim will be wet suit legal. 78 degrees is the highest allowable temperature for wet suits.

Dublin Dr Pepper

2010-04-29T04:03:00.000-07:00

High Five Events is pleased to announce our partnership with Dublin Dr Pepper. Dublin Dr Pepper will be supplying ice cold refreshments at the finish line carnivals, including Dublin Dr Pepper, Big Red, A&W Root Beer, and many other classics.

Dublin, Texas is home to the oldest Dr Pepper bottling plant which opened in 1861. Today, Dublin Dr Pepper still makes Dr Pepper with the original formula, using Imperial Pure Cane Sugar, and not high fructose corn syrup, like most soft drinks. Find out more about Dublin Dr Pepper here: http://dublindrpepper.com/

2010 Rookie Participant Guide

2010-04-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Rookie Triathlon Participant Guide may be downloaded here: www.therookietri.com/ParticipantGuide.pdf.

A hard copy of the guide will be available in the race packet.

The Rookie is Sold Out

2010-04-06T08:22:00.000-07:00

The Rookie Triathlon is completely sold out. There is not a waiting list and no additional spots will be made available. Sorry.

Please look into our other events (www.highfiveevents.com/events.asp) if you have missed out on The Rookie. They are all great for beginners and experienced athletes alike, and they offer many of the same benefits. Ladies who missed out on The Rookie should definitely check out The Skeese Greets Women's Tri (www.skeesegreetstri.com). It's the same exact venue and course as The Rookie.

You can still be part of The Rookie as a volunteer. Volunteering can be a ton of fun and a rewarding experience. Plus you get invited to the volunteer party! Sign up at: www.therookietri.com/volunteer.asp

100 More Spots added to Rookie Tri

2010-03-26T06:16:00.000-07:00

The Rookie is just about full. Don't panic if you have not signed up yet. We have been able to make an agreement with the Texas Ski Ranch that, when coupled with the course improvements, will allow the venue to hold 100 more participants. So, if you forgot to sign up there is still time. However, we don't expect these 100 extra spots to hang around for long.

Other Rookie Updates

We just order 1100 water bottles. Each finisher will receive a souvenir bottle filled with ice cold water at the finish line.
We've got a new tech tee provider this year, and we just received the Rookie test print and the shirt is great: Check out the design below:
The awards will be license plates just like the t-shirt.

Team LIVESTRONG at The AVIA Austin Triathlon

2010-03-18T17:47:00.000-07:00

We don’t live in the same city or compete in the same events, but we’re one team. What unite us are hope, courage and determination. We are more than one. We ride. Run. Walk. Swim. We fight. We are the cyclist facing a long uphill climb in honor of his mother. We are the runner finishing a first marathon in memory of her brother. We are the cancer survivor crossing a 5k finish line after completing treatment. Whatever your strengths, whatever your goal, whatever your personal battle, you can make a difference. We are more than one. Join us in the unfinished fight at TeamLIVESTRONG.org.

Sign up for the Austin Tri, participate with Team LIVESTRONG, and raise money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) and the fight against cancer. The LAF is an official partner of The Austin Triathlon. Reserved spots are available at the early registration rate for Team LIVESTRONG. Team members will race in LAF gear and have access to their own personal webpage as well fundraising tools and sample materials online, all of which will help make meeting the fundraising goal easy so they can concentrate on the real challenge - training for the tri. Click here for more info.

The History of Generic

2010-03-18T17:28:00.000-07:00

A lot of people will tell you that they think the name "Jack's Generic Triathlon" is very clever or funny. You might even agree, but do you know why? Here's the story behind the name and the theme:

Jack's Generic Triathlon was founded by Jack Murray in 2003, at a time when he thought many triathlons had forgotten about the participants. Events had become so focused on getting big sponsors, accommodating pro athletes, and trying to look good that they sometimes neglected the actual product - the race. Athletes ended up paying more, but their racing experience was actually less. Jack had the idea to put on a race with very little pomp & circumstance, yet at the core be a great race. It would be well organized, safe, good value, and of course, fun. From the outside, it wouldn't look terrific, but the participant experience would be great. It reminded him of the generic isle at the supermarket: It's the same quality products, sometimes even better, but you don't have to pay for the fancy packaging. And hence, the name Jack's Generic Triathlon was born.

While today, more than 7 years after the first Jack's Generic Triathon (JGT as we call it), our races do have a lot more fancy packaging, but at their core they still try to preserve the values of Jack's Generic. Each race is designed, planned, and priced with you, the everyday triathlete in mind.

Rookie Course Improvements

2010-03-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

The 2010 edition of The Rookie Triathlon will feature some course improvements that should create a better experience for all on race day. First, we have order several cubic yards of sand that will be placed at the swim exit. The sand will make a much nicer exit from the water and it should really help to keep the bottom mud from getting stirred up by all the swimmers. This will keep everyone looking good for their race photos. Second, the finish line will be moved to the south side of the cable lake. This creates many advantages, the most significant being the elimination of the pre & post race "people jams" around the finish line. The run finish will now cirlce the cable lake before entering the finish chute. Detailed maps of the course improvements can be found on the course section of the website.

Volunteer to Win a New Belgium Brewery Cruiser Bike

2010-02-20T07:15:00.000-08:00

Each person who volunteers at 4 or more events in the 2010 Texas Tri Series will be entered into a select drawing for a very cool cruiser bike courtesy of New Belgium Brewery. What are the odds? Ask Dan Kirkley, a 3 time finisher of the Texas Tri Series. He volunteered at 5 events in 2010, and was the lucky one out of just 8 people to win the bike. You must be present at the finisher party to win the bike.

USAT licenses explained

2010-02-18T12:08:00.000-08:00

Have you ever signed up for a triathlon and then been forced to pay $10 extra at packet pickup? Maybe you are doing your first triathlon this year and you've been told that you need a USAT license, but you don't really know what that is or how to get one? Here's all you need to know:

What is a USAT licnese?

USA Triathlon (USAT) is the governing body of the sport of triathlon in the United States. (www.usatriathlon.org). It's overseen by the the United States Olympic Committe. It provides many services to athletes, coaches, and race directors. One of the key services it provides to race directors is event sanctioning, through which it provides event insurance. The insurance covers the athletes, volunteers, and the property that is part of a triathlon. This insurance is usually so expensive that most race directors would not be able to afford it without the assistance of USAT. Without the insurance, many races wouldn't exist. One of the requirements of sanctioning an event is that all participants must be USAT members. Therefore, anyone who signs up for a USAT sanctioned event must show proof of USAT membership. This proof is commonly referred to as having a USAT license.

How do I get a USAT membership?

USAT memberships may be purchased several ways:

USAT provides registration services online at http://usatriathlon.org/pages/58
Many USAT sanctioned events have USAT memberships available for purchase as part of their online registration.
All USAT sanctioned events have USAT memberships available for purchase at packet pickup.

Should I buy an Annual Membership or just pay the One Day fee?

The annual membership costs $39. The one day license costs $10 and may only be used at the event at which it is purchased. It's a no-brainer to purchase the annual membership if you do at least 4 events per year. It typically makes sense to have an annual membership even if you will do less than 4 events per year, as there are many other benefits to having a USAT license, as described on the USAT membership benefits page:http://usatriathlon.org/pages/659. The One Day membership is good option if you are likely to do less than one event per year.

When should I buy my membership?

I don't recommend waiting until packet pickup to purchase a license as you'll have to wait in a second line and make a payment. Buy the one-day membership online with your event registration if you can. Buy the annual membership online directly from USAT anytime before your first event. Make sure you bring proof of you online purchase with you to packet pickup, as well as a photo ID.

USAT will give you credit for $10 towards an annual membership if you show receipt from a one day membership purchase.

Hyatt Regency to Host 2010 Texas Tri Series Finisher Party

2010-02-02T06:56:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Texas Tri Series Finisher Party will be held on the evening of November 13th in the grand Texas ballroom at the Hyatt Regency Austin located on Lady Bird Lake. "The Hyatt has been a great partner to the Austin Triathlon", says Dan Carroll of High Five Events. "We are thrilled to have their support for the Texas Tri Series as well. Hosting the finisher party at one of Austin's finest hotels has been the goal since the series was created. It will be a fantastic place to celebrate the end of the season."

The Texas Tri Series Finisher Party is only open to series finishers and their guests. Register and plan your season so you don't miss this great event.

Information on the Hyatt Regency can be found at www.austin.hyatt.com.

2009 Texas Tri Series Finished

2009-11-08T07:14:00.000-08:00

The 2009 Texas Tri Series wrapped up with the annual Finisher Party at Pure Austin Quarry Lake. Christina Chien and Yancy Arrington received top honors as the overall women's and men's winners. Dan Kirkley was the lucky winner of the New Belgium Brewery Cruiser Bike from amongst the other all star volunteer candidates. Winners of the grand prize of free entries to all of the 2010 events were Brian Dodson, Nancy Edmonds, Heather Herrick, and Julie Wolf.

New Categories for Couples Triathlon

2009-11-05T17:09:00.000-08:00

We've switched up the categories for 2010. We've add a bunch of new categories in order to split up some of the larger groups. The awards will following the new categories. The categories for 2010 are as follows:

Friends - Male
Mostly Strangers - Male

Friends - Female
Mostly Strangers - Female

Friends - Mixed
Mostly Strangers - Mixed
More than Friends

Newlyweds (married less than 5 years)
Mid-life Crisis (married 5 to 15 years)
Golden Years (married more than 15 years)

Father & Son
Father & Daughter
Mother & Daughter
Mother & Son

Siblings
Relatives

Individual Male
Individual Female

Austin Tri Recycles 90% of all trash

2009-09-27T06:12:00.000-07:00

The Austin Triathlon was able to recycle 90% of all the trash generated at the event. Many thanks to all of the event staff and volunteers who made this possible.

The Austin Triathlon has planned carefully to reduce the amount waste created at this event. Food items are designed to be hand held, requiring very little serving dishes or plates and all beverages are served in recylable containers. In addition, The Austin Triathlon is one of the first events in Austin to removed bottled water from the event. Instead of plastic bottled water, each participant received a souvenier reusable bike bottle filled with City of Austin water. Participants could re-fill the bottle at one of the many water moster stations.

Check out our recycling report for the facts.

Cunningham, Ficker win AVIA Austin Triathlon

2009-09-07T06:10:00.000-07:00

Austin, TX – Local professional triathletes Richie Cunningham and Desiree Ficker win the 3rd annual AVIA Austin Triathlon.

Richie Cunningham dominated the event by leading right from the gun. Andrew Yoder mounted an early charge on the bike but was forced to drop due to illness. Cunningham cruised through the 10 kilometer run to win by a margin of 3 minutes. James Cotter and James Bales grabbed second and third place, respectively.

Desiree Ficker and Kelly Handel treated everyone to a show with a competitive race throughout. Ficker used a strong bike and run to overcome the deficit to Handel after the swim. Terra Castro rounded out the podium to make it a trio of Austin women.

2000 participants and thousands of spectators enjoyed the beautiful weather and Austin’s hospitality. All were welcome at the renowned post race carnival. The Austin Triathlon is annually held on Labor Day in the heart of downtown Austin. High Five Events is proud to partner with AVIA and Jack & Adam’s Bicycles to produce this event. Visit www.theaustintriathlon.com for more information.

Men:

Richie Cunningham 1:53:26
James Cotter 1:56:29
James Bales 1:57:55
Derek Yorek 1:58:22
Paul Terranova 2:00:09
Joe Thorne 2:01:27
Derick Williamson 2:03:14
Lon Breitenbach 2:04:17
Todde Withycombe 2:04:24
Dion Harrison 2:05:18

Women:

Desiree Ficker 2:06:21
Kelly Handel 2:06:52
Terra Castro 2:10:01
Mina Pizzini 2:11:12
Tracy Robertson 2:11:19
Sierra Snyder 2:11:57
Jolene Wilkinson 2:15:36
Natasha Van Der Merwe 2:18:34
D’Ann Arthur 2:19:06
Lianne Evans 2:19:15

About High Five Events
High Five Events is a multi-sport event production company and the official race director for Jack & Adam’s Bicycles events. High Five Events produces many of the largest triathlons in Texas, including The Austin Triathlon and the Texas Tri Series, and provides event management consulting and equipment leasing services to over 30 events per year.www.highfiveevents.com

About Jack and Adam’s Bicycles
Located in Austin, TX, Jack and Adam’s Bicycles is a complete triathlon and road cycling store. Founded in 2004, it has been voted Best Triathlon Store in Texas every year since its inception. The store is renowned for its friendly service, incredible product support, and community involvement. www.jackandadams.com

About American Sporting Goods
AVIA is a leading supporter of the sport of triathlon. It’s sponsorships include the AVIA Wildflower Triathlon and an entire team of professional triathletes including Kenny Souza, Scott Tinley, Conrad Stoltz, Eduardo Sturla, Heather Wurtele, Trevor Wurtele, Tyler Stewart, Amanda Felder, Angela Naeth, Alexis Smith, Steven Sexton, Wendy Mader, and Pip Taylor. Please visit www.avia.com. American Sporting Goods (ASG) is a manufacturer of performance athletic footwear and apparel based in Aliso Viejo, Calif. Brands under the ASG umbrella include AVIA, And 1, rykä, Nevados, Yukon, NSS, APEX, Turntec and Triple Five Soul.

Brandon & Amy Marsh take top spots at 2010 Rookie Triathlon

2009-05-10T12:32:00.000-07:00

The 6th annual Rookie Triathlon, held May 10th in New Braunfels, Texas, saw professional triathlete husband and wife team Brandon and Amy Marsh take first place overall for the men and women, respectively. Brandon Marsh fought off a hard charging field of pro and athletes while Amy Marsh cruised to victory with a comfortable margin. Both athletes use PureSport during their training and racing. Roughly 800 participants filled the venue at the Texas Ski Ranch for fun-filled day of swimming, cycling, and running.

The gun went off at 8 AM sharp on what would turn into a very hot and humid day. As usual, the open wave included virtually all of central Texas’s male elite athletes, including Brandon Marsh, James Bonney, Jamie Cleveland, James Bales, Jason McMillian, Derrick Williamson, Patrick Evoe, Todd Gerlach, and Paul Terranova. Amy Marsh had less company in the women’s field, with Desiree Ficker and Andrea Fisher on volunteer duty for the day. The pros and age groupers laid down some speed at the super sprint distance of a 300 meter open-water swim, an 11 mile ride through the beautiful Texas countryside, and a quick 2 mile run.

Participants, volunteers, and spectators were welcomed into finish line carnival with an iced towel and recovery drink from PureSport. The goodies continued with hamburgers, fresh fruit provided by Texas Iron, Kook Kones ice cream, New Belgium Beer, free massage from Advanced Rehab, and a souvenir bike bottle from T3, and gifts from TYR, Trigger Point, Clif, Skeese Greets, and Jack & Adam’s Bicycles.

High Five Events and Jack & Adam’s Bicycles, the producers of the event, received many compliments on the successful event, including the following from a long time participant and volunteer: “I've been coming to these events for many years. After each event I think that you have pulled off the perfect race. Then, I come again next year and the event is even more perfect. I don't know how you guys do it!"

The 2010 event is tentatively scheduled for Mother Day, May 9th.

Austin Tri named best in Texas

2009-01-22T17:41:00.000-08:00

Competitor Texas magazine has announce The Austin Triathlon as the best triathlon in Texas for 2008. "No longer “the other” triathlon in downtown Austin, the Austin Triathlon (Labor Day Weekend) has become a favorite of Austin triathletes and those from around the state."

AVIA named presenting sponsor of The Austin Triathlon

2008-12-08T17:36:00.000-08:00

Austin, TX -- High Five Events and Jack & Adam's Bicycles are proud to announce AVIA, the leader in endurance sports training products, as the official running shoe partner and presenting sponsor of The Austin Triathlon.

2009 will mark the 3rd edition of The Austin Triathlon and the event is expected to cap at over 2000 athletes. The event is held on the front yard of Austin’s renowned Town Lake Hike and Bike trail, and the bike and run course feature challenging and very spectator friendly loops through historic and eclectic downtown Austin. The event features Olympic and Sprint distance triathlons, and has earned a reputation as an extremely well organized, fun, and athlete-centric event.

“We are thrilled about this partnership with AVIA”, says Dan Carroll of High Five Events. “AVIA brings a level of excitement, energy, and innovation to the sport of triathlon that matches our own, and their partnership will allow us to bring an even better experience to the athletes.” The event will once again host a $5000 all-comers prize purse and multiple prime prizes.

“AVIA is proud to be the presenting sponsor and join forces with The Austin Triathlon”, says Julie Vieselmeyer of AVIA. “High Five Events puts on an outstanding series of races that really draws upon Austin’s community spirit, attracting both the elite and newbie racer. We are excited to further build upon this great race in a place that has become a mecca for triathletes.”

The 2009 Austin Triathlon will be held on Labor Day, September 7th. AVIA joins Jack & Adam’s Bicycles as presenting sponsors. Visit www.theaustintriathlon.com for more information.

About American Sporting Goods
AVIA is a leading supporter of the sport of triathlon. It’s sponsorships include the AVIA Wildflower Triathlon and an entire team of professional triathletes including Kenny Souza, Scott Tinley, Conrad Stoltz, Eduardo Sturla, Heather Wurtele, Trevor Wurtele, Tyler Stewart, Amanda Felder, Angela Naeth, Alexis Smith, Steven Sexton, Wendy Mader, and Pip Taylor. Please visit www.avia.com.

American Sporting Goods (ASG) is a manufacturer of performance athletic footwear and apparel based in Aliso Viejo, Calif. Brands under the ASG umbrella include AVIA, And 1, rykä, Nevados, Yukon, NSS, APEX, Turntec and Triple Five Soul.

About High Five Events
High Five Events is a multi-sport event production company and the official race director for Jack & Adam’s Bicycles events. High Five Events produces many of the largest triathlons in Texas, including The Austin Triathlon and the Texas Tri Series, and provides event management consulting and equipment leasing services to over 30 events per year.www.highfiveevents.com

About Jack and Adam’s Bicycles
Located in Austin, TX, Jack and Adam’s Bicycles is a complete triathlon and road cycling store. Founded in 2004, it has been voted Best Triathlon Store in Texas every year since its inception. The store is renowned for its friendly service, incredible product support, and community involvement. www.jackandadams.com

Cotter & LeBlanc win 2008 Austin Tri

2008-09-01T17:35:00.000-07:00

James Cotter and Michelle Leblanc took top honors and $1200 each with wins at the 2008 Austin Triathlon. Leblac smashed the 40K bike leg in 1:00:57 to build a lead that no one would close the rest of the day. Kelly Handel put in a very solid 37:30 10K run to take second. Andrea Fisher, Melissa Ruthven, and Bree Wilson-Soilea rounded out the top five.

The men's race wasn't settled until mid way through the run. James Cotter, Brandon Marsh, and David Kahn each came off the bike within seconds of each other. Cotter put the hammer down mid way through the run and pulled away to finish in 1:52:47. Kahn edged out Marsh for second, while Chirs Tremonte and Grant Glouser took 4th and 5th.