After last years rain washed out Capital of Texas (CapTex) Triathlon, this year the race is back on Sunday, with a rain date of Monday.

As of of lunchtime today the organizers were still accepting registration for the Olympic distance, Sprint and My First Tri distance races. For the Sprint and My First tri distances, anyone who has swum in open water, biked and run the distances already this year should be able to complete the race on Sunday, why not ??

As for the Olympic distance, it will be interesting indeed to see how the new course works out. The swim will be a single big loop in Lady Bird Lake, and then out for 4-laps up Congress, around the back of the Capital building, back down Congress and a long loop out on Chavez to the High School and back.

In 2006 there were over 2000 total competitors, although many of the early starters, including the pro’s and elites, and the older guys(yes, me) will be on the run and finished before the Sprint and First tri events hit the water, the bike section, especially west on Chavez and down Congress should be the scene of some fast and furious bike racing.

Remembering that in triathlon there is no cycling in packs, riders can’t be within 3-bike lengths of each other, they either pass or drop back. With 4-laps to do the fast will be mixing with the slow, the young with the old, a recipe for fun racing!

PARKING: I was delighted to see the map and instructions both advise that parking fees were charged at all city lots AND that there is “NO” parking(their emphasis) in the Bouldin Creek and Zilker neighborhoods and the maps contains clear no parking symbols in the neighborhood areas. With all the hassle over parking at the Long Center recently, often overlooked are the Nieghborhoods who have almost continual road closures and event parking hassles to deal with every weekend. If you are attending the race either as a competitor or to come watch the bike race, please park considerately, use the official lots, or better still bring your bike, walk, jog, or take a bus.

The best place to watch the race, will either be around the transition area at Aditorium Shores, or I’d go on the Town Lake Footbridge, you can go from the middle for the swim, to the north end for the bike, down to the south end for the run!

BRIDGE AND ROAD CLOSURES: As discussed, the Bike course has changed this year, S 1st and Congress bridges will be closed from early Sunday I’d guess until around lunchtime.

The run and bike routes are a good compromise. The road closures are minimized to Riverside, Lee Barton Dr for the run, and to Chavez and Congress for the bike, hopefully you won’t be too inconvenienced.

My race starts at 7.03am after the Pro’s and I plan to be finished by 9:30. The last swimmers start in Lady Bird Lake at 9:27am.

[Insert name here] Come on down and no jokes about people wearing spandex on the bus!