Sprint distance triathlon in Coeur d’Alene July 6

An Ironman might be a bit much for some weekend athletes, but they shouldn’t be too quick to rule out a triathlon.

Starting triathletes might want to try their swimming, biking and running skills on Coeur d’Alene’s first sprint distance triathlon. The Race the River Triathlon at Riverstone happens on July 6.

Participants will swim a half mile along the Spokane River, bike 11 miles and then run three miles to finish up.

That’s a challenge, but a shorter distance than the Ironman’s 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run or the Olympic-length Coeur d’Alene Triathlon’s 1.5 kilometer swim, 40 k bike ride and 10 k run.

“The sprint is obviously where a lot of people start,” said Race the River Triathlon organizer Christine Slater.

Sprint triathlons also serve as great training events for longer-distance triathletes seeking to hone their transition skills between the three legs, Slater said.

The Spokane River swim portion of the event is unique.

Most triathlons are conducted on the ocean or a lake, where participants must swim away from shore.

“A lot of people really worry about the swim portion. This is in the river and it parallels the shoreline,” Slater said, adding that anyone who gets anxious is just feet away from dry ground.

For those looking to observe the race and cheer on participants, the men start at 7 a.m., relay teams at 7:30 and women at 8 at Riverstone. The bike portion heads out near the Riverstone condos, racing along Seltice Way to Grand Mill Blvd. and then back to Riverstone. Riders will do this loop three times.

Then racers will run along the Centennial Trail toward Golf Course Road before returning to Riverstone.

About 400 people have registered for the race, which is limited to 500 participants.