Buster Britton Memorial Triathlon
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Buster Britton Memorial Triathlon
The Buster Britton Memorial Triathlon is held at Oak Mountain State Park in Pelham, Alabama, with race staging at the South Trailhead parking lot on Terrace Drive. The event in 2026 marks its 41st running and features sprint and Olympic distances across swim, bike, and run segments.
Distances:
- Swim: Sprint 400 yd; Olympic 1,200 yd
- Bike: Sprint 13.1 mi; Olympic 26.2 mi
- Run: Sprint 3 mi; Olympic 5.65 mi
The swim is an open water swim in calm Double Oak Lake conducted in a time trial fashion. Race numbers are assigned by estimated swim time and participants enter the water approximately every 3 seconds. Registrations completed by the Wednesday before the race are seeded by estimated swim time; late registrants receive higher numbers and start near the rear. Wetsuit rules follow USAT temperature guidelines with permitted, mandatory, allowed, and prohibited ranges given in both Fahrenheit and Celsius.
The bike course is on paved roads with a bike lane where available, described as moderately hilly and run as an out and back on the main park drive and Terrace Drive. Olympic racers complete two loops of the sprint course. A bike mount line and bike dismount line are used; participants walk their bikes between the rack and the mount line and return the same way.
The run is an out and back on paved park roads, including short rolling hills and wooded shade. Olympic racers complete two loops. Course flow asks participants to stay to the left to avoid crossover. Race entry options include full triathlon, swim plus bike, bike plus run, and 2 or 3 person relays. A $5 park entrance fee is included in registration and race week communications include a gate pass. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
