Course and Maps

The Annual TriWaco Triathlon features both Sprint and Olympic Tri courses, which begin with an open-water swim in the Brazos River transitioning to a fast & flat bike course and ending with a beautiful run along the Brazos.

Note updated run map posted 6/13/2024

Try a Tri

  • 400m point to point - open-water swim (each participant has 30 minutes to complete the swim). 
  • 8 mile ride. Bike course closes at 10:00am.
  • 2mi run along the Brazos River.

Sprint Tri

  • 750m point to point - open-water swim (each participant has 30 minutes to complete the swim). 
  • 16 mile ride. Bike course closes at 10:00am.
  • 5K run along the Brazos River.

Olympic Tri

  • 1500m point to point open-water swim (each participant has one hour to complete the swim). 
  • 40K ride  Bike course closes at 10:00am. Intermediate cutoff: first loop completed by 9am
  • 10k run along the Brazos River and in Cameron Park.  

Swimming

Try a Tri: Try a Tri will begin on the MLK Blvd.. side of the river. Swimmers will self-seed by estimated swim time corrals and begin in a time trial format for a 400-meter point to point swim.  Sprint will have 30 minutes to complete the swim.

Sprint: Sprint will begin on the MLK Blvd.. side of the river. Swimmers will self-seed by estimated swim time corrals and begin in a time trial format for a 750-meter point to point swim.  Sprint will have 30 minutes to complete the swim.

Olympic: The olympic distance also will begin on the MLK Blvd. side of the river, where athletes will enter the water for a point to point 1500M swim. Swimmers will self-seed by estimated swim time corrals and begin in a time trial format. Olympic will have 1 hour to complete the swim.

NOTE:

  • The sidewalk to both swim starts is smooth. We cannot gaurantee that any shoes or flip flops worn to swim start will be returned to swim-in. Any items not picked up at the race will be donated.
  • City of Waco lifeguards will be posted on shore and on boats. All swimmers will cross beneath the Suspension Bridge before exiting.

USAT Wetsuit rules:

  • Wetsuit use temperature guidelines per USA Triathlon Competitive Rules Article IV - Swimming Conduct Section 4.4 Wetsuits - Effective July 1, 2020
    • 78.1°F – 83.9°F | Participatory only, ineligible for awards/rankings
    • 84°F or Above | Forbidden
  • Water temperature will be available at packet pickup. Official water temperature will be taken race morning by USAT official.
  • Water temperature is typically ~86 degrees in the Brazos River in July. It is suggested to plan that wetsuits will not be allowed in the race.

Biking

After leaving the transition area the riders will leave downtown and start an 8 mile loop on MLK BLVD.

Try a Tri athletes will do 1 (one) loop.

Sprint athletes will do 2 (two) loops.

Olympic athletes will do 3 (three) loops.

Sidewalks line the bike course which makes the course very spectator friendly.

Running

Try a Tri: The 2mi Try a Tri run course will immediately turn right on Washington Ave outside of Run Out  - crossing Lake Brazos and take a left on the concrete trail that runs along the river. The 2mi run will be flat except small uphill going to the suspension bridge.   The route will have clearly visible distance markers and two water station along the course

Sprint: The runners will be on a wide concrete trail that runs along the river into Cameron Park and is mostly shaded. The 3.1mi run will be flat except for the ramp that leads up to the Herring Street Bridge. After the protected bridge crossing, the runners will run on a concrete river trail before crossing Lake Brazos for the last time to finish on the Suspension Bridge. The route will have clearly visible distance markers and two water station along the course

Olympic: The Olympians will get an additional 5K in Cameron Park by running on the pavement to the turn-around point. This is some of the most beautiful running in Texas and will include about 250 feet of total up-hill climb!  The Olympic route will rejoin the Sprint route at the ramp for the Herring Street Bridge. There will be four aid stations approx 1mi apart on the olympic run course stocked with Gatorade and water.