PIMA – Want to secure a chance for bragging rights to the best all-around athlete in the Gila Valley? Then now is the time to register for the seventh annual Tri-Community Tri.
The triathlon once-again takes place entirely in Pima and is scheduled to begin at the Pima Pool on Aug. 27 at 6 a.m. A mini-tri will start after all of the sprint triathlon entrants have exited the pool. Discounted registration is ongoing through Aug. 13, and can be done by performing a search of Tri Community Tri on imathlete.com, clicking through on the race’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TriCommunityTri or use the link https://www.imathlete.com/events/EventReg/EventReg_SelectType.aspx?fEID=37656&fNew=1&fsource=Main.
Last year, the event was initially postponed and then canceled due to low turnout. This year, new organizers Brian and Angela Paull say while the race is still only in Pima, the routes for the bicycle and run are better laid out.
Contributed Photo:
Don’t be the last to sign up for this year’s Tri-Community Tri.
“We tried to make it really user-friendly and not make it confusing at all,” Angela Paull said.
The Paulls initially believed they were just going to help out former organizer Cherla Ramsey, who started the event in 2008 with the unique hook of swimming in Pima, biking through Graham County and Thatcher and then finishing with the run through Safford. The event was altered in 2014 to just be in Pima due to organizational issues. This year, the Paulls stepped up to still have the race after Ramsey had to pull out due to a move to Chandler.
“We wanted it to continue,” Angela Paull said. “We want something like this to stay in the community, and we were afraid if we didn’t do it, who would? It just sounded like something we would enjoy doing.”
The sprint starts with a 625-yard swim followed by a 15.74-mile bike ride and 3.14-mile run. The mini consists of a 75-yard swim followed by a 4.84-mile bike ride and 1.36-mile run. Registered racers should be able to pick up their race packets at Pima Town Hall the day before the race, according to Angela Paull.
“I’m real excited,” she said. “I’m excited about the little changes we put into it, and I think it will be a lot of fun.”
Angela Paull added that she and Brian want to continue the race next year as well and bring it back to involving the three communities of Safford, Thatcher and Pima.
Links to race maps:
Sprint run:
Mini bike:
Mini run:
