The 6th annual TriMuskokan race will see close to 500 athletes swim, bike, and run around the Canada Summit Centre in Huntsville.
Rich Trenholm, co-race director, says athletes will arrive at the Summit Centre around 6 a.m. with the short-course triathlon starting at 8 a.m. and the try-a-tri beginning at 9:30 a.m.
He explains the swimming course starts behind the Summit Centre at Camp Kitchen with athletes breast stroking towards Fairy Lake and down the Muskoka River before they get out at the dock near the Active Living Centre.
He continues they will run to Huntsville High School for the bicycle portion of the race. Trenholm says they will pedal up and down Brunel Rd. before finishing at the Summit Centre.
“We’ve made tremendous efforts to communicate, not only the local residents but to the athletes as well, to ensure that everyone is sharing the road, for them to stay single file, don’t ride two abreast, make sure they look over their shoulder if they’re pulling out into traffic, and just be a good Samaritan out on the road,” says Trenholm.
He adds the Ontario Provincial Police and volunteers will be at various points of the race to ensure everyone’s safety. He says there will be no road closures, so athletes will be biking along a shared route.
Trenholm says the final part of the race will see competitors run through a course set-up in the area near the Summit Centre.
“This event is over and done with by the end of Sunday morning,” he reassures.
Trenholm says the money raised through the event goes to the Movement for Strength, Conditioning, and Active Lifestyles for Everyone (MSCLE) Project. He explains the aim is to install publicly accessible fitness equipment in parks throughout the area.
“We want to be able to have as much access for as many people so people can get to these parks for free,” he says.
Trenholm details how each set-up costs around $100,000 with equipment for workouts anyone can do no matter their skill level.
He adds the long-term plan is to create a free-to-access website with online programming detailing workout plans.
“I’d be more than happy to talk to you about the project and how you can help,” says Trenholm, asking anyone interested in supporting the initiative to go to the TriMuskoka website.
