Callaway Gardens Tri

Courtesy of Larry Newman: I had the pleasure of doing a sprint triathlon on Father’s Day at Callaway Gardens over near Pine Mountain, Georgia, an unbelievable venue for a race. It was well organized and huge, with 1500 racers participating, many first timers. I pretty much got my butt kicked which I blame on the yard work I did at mom’s house and not the fact that there were some really good triathletes there. ☺ The swim was a wave start in a beautiful, clear, pristine lake. The swim followed the shoreline and was a perfect for beginners and experienced racers alike. Beginners could swim closer to the beach and if you got tired you could simply standup. Experienced swimmers stayed closer to the buoys. The ride was almost exclusively in the shade under a canopy of Georgia pines and hardwoods, with no traffic. The gardens weren’t open to the public until after the race. It was flat and fast with some awesome curves that you could really lean into. It was my fastest bike split to date. The run was around the lake; it too was flat and fast. The post race festivities we pretty good too with lots of food, drink and music. I had a blast and can’t think of a better way to spend Father’s Day. Racers get a free weekend pass to the gardens and there are a lot of things to see and do once inside. It is a perfect getaway for individuals, couples or families. They are sponsoring another race this year, a longer one over Labor Day weekend; it is worth a trip. I give it 2 thumbs up!