General Smallwood Triathlon
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General Smallwood Triathlon
The General Smallwood Triathlon is held at General Smallwood State Park in Indian Head, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C. The event offers Olympic and Sprint triathlons and aquabike options, with swim, bike and run courses that use park and nearby county roads.
Distances include:
- Olympic: 1.5K swim; 24 mile bike; 10K run
- Sprint: 750 meter swim; 16 mile bike; 5K run
- Aquabike options mirror the swim and bike distances
The swim takes place in Mattawoman Bay with an in-water start from the marina dock, rectangular loop course, four turn buoys and sighting buoys approximately every 75 meters. Swimmers exit via the nearby boat ramp. Pre-swimming at the site is not allowed. Water here is fairly shallow and typically warms quickly; an official temperature reading is posted the Thursday before the event.
Bike courses follow rural, well-paved county roads with rolling hills, smooth pavement, wide shoulders and low traffic. Approximate bike elevation: Olympic about 860 feet, Sprint about 605 feet. Run courses follow the shoulder of Chickamuxen Road and park trails, are heavily shaded and rolling. Approximate run elevation: Olympic about 340 feet, Sprint about 160 feet. The final mile re-enters the park and crosses over Mattawoman Bay before the finish area. Aid stations are located along the run course.
The event is USA Triathlon sanctioned and requires a current USAT membership or purchase of a 1-day license. Packet pickup is available at the race site on the day before and on race morning; participants must collect their own packet and present photo ID. Race categories include Overall, Masters, Age Group, Aquabike, Military, Clydesdale, Athena and Relay Teams, with scoring three deep. Registered athletes receive a tech shirt, custom finisher medal, race socks, post-race food and free finisher photos. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
