3 Times the Challenge

With its calm waters, rolling hills and easy accessibility, Smith Mountain Lake is earning a reputation as a great destination for competitive sporting events. Triathlons – a combination of swimming, biking and running – attract athletes to the SML State Park for races in both spring and fall.
    The 11th annual Big Lick Triathlon, the longer of the two events, will take place Sept. 25. Known as an Olympic-distance triathlon, the event includes a 1,500-meter swim, 40-kilometer bike ride and 10-kilometer run.
    Cal Johnson, director of YMCA of Roanoke Valley, sponsor of the event, said its planners are optimistic about this year’s turnout.
    “We normally have somewhere in the neighborhood of between 15 to 18 states represented,” said Johnson. “Last year, we had people from California, Oregon, Texas and many from the East Coast. They’ll all be coming into the lake area and will need a place to stay, a place to eat, so we’re glad they can come support the economy.”
    This year’s event is particularly important for student triathletes.
    “This year, we’ve been designated as the host for the [USA Triathlon] Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Championships,” said Johnson. “Fifteen-plus college teams or clubs in this region will use this as their championship.”
    Justin Morrison, a member of the Virginia Tech Triathlon Club, participates in a variety of distance events in the region and said SML’s triathlons top them all.
    “Some of my favorites are the Angel’s Race in Lynchburg, XTERRA Richmond, and the Beach 2 Battleship Ironman. However, Big Lick is by far my favorite race with the sprint race in the spring [SML Triathlon] being a close second.”
    Morrison said SML is a prime triathlon destination for a number of reasons.
    “Big Lick is close to us, the course is beautiful, the area is nice, everything is just perfect for us. For the veterans of the team who have done this course multiple times, we have the course memorized and know exactly where the hills and turns are coming, when to go hard or when to tone it down a notch, and where all the spectators will be for that extra motivation boost,” he said.
    “We always camp at the SML State Park campground the night before, which is always a blast. We make a fire and eat some s’mores. It’s great team bonding for the new and old members.”

For more information on the Big Lick Triathlon, visit setupevents.com.