Organizers hope a new date and location will help the Pedal-Paddle-Run take off — at least in future years.
The fifth edition of the annual triathlon, set to begin at 8 a.m. Saturday is expected to be a transition year, as bikers, runners and paddlers adjust to the changes.
The triathlon hosted by Schenectady County has moved across and down the Mohawk River, from Collins Park in Scotia to Aqueduct Park in Niskayuna, and forward about five months. The race last took place on Sept. 13.
“We knew this would be a bit of a transition year, but hopefully we’ll get the same positive feedback we’ve had, plus have people really like the new location,” said county spokesman Joe McQueen, “and hopefully next year we’ll be able to start to grow it.”
He said organizers want to boost the event to 300 participants. This year’s attendance is on pace to meet or slightly exceed last year’s 89 competitors, he said. As of last week, 66 people had registered.
“We traditionally have had 30 to 40 register on the day of, so we’re hoping to break the 100 mark,” he said.
The new date toward the start of the racing season is meant to be more attractive to competitors of all levels, McQueen said.
“What some individuals had said was that with September being toward the end of the running and triathlon season, we weren’t, maybe, at the challenge level that people are looking for at that point in time,” he said. “We might be better off at the beginning of the season as the weather’s getting nice because it’s a nice way for people to start getting back into the season.”
McQueen said the race was moved to Niskayuna because racers said the paddling portion of event, which took them on two laps around Collins Lake, “wasn’t that exciting.”
With the move to Aqueduct Park, the canoeing and kayaking portion of the race will be on the Mohawk River, which should prove more challenging and exciting for racers, he said.
“Actually being on the Mohawk is something that people like to do and want to do,” he said. “Somebody even said it’s on their bucket list.”
The new location also allows the relay-style race’s events to take place in the proper order: first pedal, then paddle, then run.
“At Collins Park we always had to finish with the paddle, so we were just always off with the name,” McQueen said.
The 12.5-mile course will start at Aqueduct Park with the seven-mile biking portion, which goes west up Aqueduct Road and continues on Van Vranken Road to North End Drive, where racers will get on the Mohawk-Hudson trail and pedal back to Aqueduct Road. Cyclists will do that 3.5-mile loop twice. Then a teammate will paddle a kayak or canoe one mile west on the Mohawk River, turn around and finish at the park for a total of two miles. The final portion is the 3.5-mile run, which takes the same path as the bikers do, with racers finishing at Aqueduct Park after one loop.
Parking will be available at Craig Elementary School on Balltown Road, and shuttle buses will bring competitors to the starting line and back to the school after the race.
Racers are encouraged to create teams of two to four people ages 12 and older, with team members completing each section of the race as a relay.
A limited number of kayaks will be available to rent at the park that morning and can be reserved during registration. All participants will receive a T-shirt and race bag.
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