FireMan Triathlon Duathlon and Aquabike Official Website

The "Nitty Gritty" Details (User Opinions)

Steven L.
New York, NY

  (05-28-2009)

"I ran the Fireman Tri last year as a part of a relay made up of me, my 34 year old sister, and our 65 year old father. I swam, my dad biked, and my sister ran. It was my dad and sister’s first multi-sport experience and this race was a perfect first step for both of them. While our result was not as good as we hoped, I’m excited that we finished considering our combined ages and experience levels.

Swim – The swim is held on Mother’s beach in Kennebunk. The waves start at the edge of the water, so racers get to do their own Baywatch style run-and-dive to start out. The swim course is short and simple with two buoys. The day I raced, the surf was calm, but I know the waves on the beach can be large at points, so that is something to consider. The water is also pretty cold (low 60s), so a wetsuit is recommended. The beach is all sand with few rocks, so the run from the water up to the transition isn’t painful. A surprise for me as a relay member is the run all the way through the transition to pass the chip to my teammate. It was a bit tough on the feet, but not a huge deal.

Bike – My father reported that the bike course was fairly flat with a few long gradual uphills and one or two short, steep ones. Most of the course is near the ocean, so the overall altitude change is pretty minimal which keeps the hills in check. As with other ocean-side races, the last couple of miles are generally downhill as racers approach water level.

Run – The run is mostly flat and near the beach. My sister said that there were a decent amount of spectators along the course cheering for racers. The last 0.75 miles of the run follow the road next to the beach and offer a nice view of the ocean as well as the beach front homes. It was not windy the day of the race, but wind could make this portion a bit challenging if there’s a headwind.

Overall, I thought this race was solid. The course is fair and not overly difficult, but still challenging. Aside from the cold water swim, this race is good for beginners. The race is well organized and a great way to see some of the Maine coastline. An added bonus is the free blueberry pancake breakfast that is available to all participants afterward. You also get a cool techwick t-shirt if you register early. "

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2008