Innovative Fitness TAJ Cultis Lake Triathlon

Destination: Cultus Lake Triathlon (Sprint and Olympic distance)
Location: Cultus Lake, Chilliwack, BC
Duration: 2-4 hours
Rating / 10: 8
Extreme factor: extreme (cold weather makes this weather more difficult than others)
Cost Factor: $70-$105 (depending on category)
In Attendance: 11 (from IF), Total competitors: 150+
Group recommendation: 3 if you’re doing a relay, otherwise solo

Description:
There were plenty of nerves as we showed up for the race bright and early in the A.M as this would be the first ever triathlon for three of our customers. The challenge of swimming 1000m, biking 40km and running 10km was an ominous one. There was a bunch of anxious chatter, lots of questions posed to experienced racers, and concerns about the swim.

Because of a long winter, Cultus Lake refused to warm up making the swim seem more like an extended version of the polar bear dive! The option of not swimming was given to all competitors as the 10.2 degrees water temperature was a record setting cold! Because of this cold, they also decided to cut the swim distance in half. The IF team however, was keen on the challenge, and decided to see the race through from start to finish.



Typical May showers held off long enough for us to stay mostly dry on the bike. Still thawing from the swim, nature decided to throw its second challenge our way, as the wind picked up and pushed against us for the 1st half of the bike. This made for a quick 2nd half of the out and back course and it was back into transition to prep for the run.

The run was definitely a scenic one as it took us all along the shores of Cultus Lake before looping in and out of some quiet residential streets. Finally getting the feeling back in our toes, all competitors were able to finish both loops of the run cross the finish line with our team-mates cheering us on. After all competitors had finished, we got together in the local elementary school to celebrate over pizza and refreshments as awards were given out and draw prizes were given away.

I would definitely recommend this triathlon to anyone who feels like they are up to the challenge. The cold weather made this triathlon the hardest one I have experienced yet, and most difficult of the year. There was talk however, of a late season start date for coming years (as opposed to a early one) making this great venue a more desirable race to participate in.