Crawfishman Triathlon Runner

5 Wonderful Crawfishman Triathlon Attributes

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The Crawfishman Triathlon is as Southern as it Gets!

The Crawfishman Triathlon has a:

1000 yard triangular swim section

18 mile bike section

4 mile run section

The craw dads are jumpin and the participants are runnin at the Crawfishman Triathlon! This is as about as southern as any American triathlete will venture in the continental USA.

Crawfish are getting cooked.  The smell of southern spices fills the air.  Great southern cooking is the theme throughout the day. And it is all delicious.  From sweet tea and Michelob beer to potato salad, you are going to feel like you’re at family reunion here.  

Besides the food (which is always my favorite part of any event) there is a really fun race that happens every year.  The guys are wearing all kinds of swimwear. From European style speedos to cut-off jeans, you are gonna see it all 🙂  Just kidding about the cut-off jeans. But every type of athlete/triathlete is welcome here.

With a laid back atmosphere, everyone will feel welcome here.  And don’t let the clothing fool ya. There are some pretty fast triathletes here.  They are just as dedicated as any other triathlon. Lots of expensive tri bikes adorn the road during the bike section.  

Overall, the course is pretty flat given its geographic location.  A family friendly backyard BBQ with some racing mixed in is how I would describe this triathlon.

Warm Water Swim Course

If you are anything like me, you love swimming in warm water.  Cold water is good for drinking and waking us up, but warm water is the best for swimming.  The Crawfishman Triathlon is the place to enjoy a warm water swim course.

It’s very well staffed.  There is plenty of help if you need it.  It’s super easy to see where one needs to go.  Kayaks are there for guidance and any safety issues that you might experience. A simple head lift will keep you in line for the next buoy.  I really like how much we can get from one buoy to the next.

If it has rained recently, the water will be a little bit cooler than usual.  But, by and large the water is gonna be plenty warm. There is no need for a wetsuit for this swim section.

There is soft sand on the bank where we enter and exit the swim. It’s quite narrow as we run into T1. So we have to be sure to move quickly through the lane before we get bumped.  

The water is warm, it smells pretty good, and there is a lot of help along the swim course. Warm water is where it is at.  I love it!

Super Flat Bike Course

Flat, flat, flat!! The Crawfishman triathlon is a great course for speed.  It is humid and hot, but you can fly on this course. The transition area is not super well paved, but it is comfortable for traversing across without any shoes.

I really like having a lot of great stories to tell about this course. But, it simply is just a great low traffic course that you can definitely PR on.

There are lots of folks with their tri-bike setups rolling through.  The winds are usually light at this triathlon. So all the aerogear that you have will surely benefit you by reducing your drag.  

As always, the most important part of any race is proper position, training, and nutrition. But, if you are top competitor, the aero setup will help a ton.  

It always helps to cool off as one rides.  Taking a few cups of water from the closest volunteer and showering it over the head is highly recommended.  This is wet and sweaty triathlon, so it helps to keep cool.

There is 90 degree switch back on the return section of this course.  Like most courses it’s nice to gauge how much I am advancing or getting left behind.  The switch back really allows for that analysis to take place.

It really is a fast and awesome bike course!

Family Atmosphere

Family is a huge part of southern life, and it shows here at the Crawfishman Triathlon.  Dogs, kids, aunties, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are all cheering their family members on.

The baby outfits are the best.  Some kids sport cute triathlon gear that there dad or mom see as they race.  Other kids are running and cheering their family member on. Dogs are wagging their tails due to all the excitement.  It is a exhilarating experience.

Of course, some of the family members are drinking beer and eating all the delicious southern food whilst the participants are sweating hard.  But, it all is part of the Crawfishman experience. The cheering and signs are hilarious as well.

Some family members are super into it and they run from one section of the course to the other hoping to inspire there fam.  And then you have the lawn chair style folks that are the best. Seeing an exposed beer belly with a beer resting on top, mouth agape, and asleep is simply Instagram worthy!  It’s priceless.

After the race, everybody is enjoying the music.  They are drinking beer. They are laughing and telling stories about the race. It’s a super fun time!

Crawfishman Triathlon = Crazy Delicious Crawdads


I am not an expert when it comes to crawdads, but they do it right here at the Crawfishman Triathlon.  The crawdad cooking here is amazing. There is your good old fashioned type of boiled and sauteed crawdad.  Fried crawdads are also available. There is jambalaya with deliciously seasoned craw-fish. The list goes on for a while.  

So you have a great starter with well cooked little daddies, but the best part are all the fixings that people put with it.  The cornbread and the sweet potatoes are wonderful. The cooked greens are story worthy.

There are so many fun and fabulous things about being at this triathlon.  But, not much compares to the assortment and variety of delicious food at a triathlon.

I love training and competing in a tri, but I love food a little more. Eating amazing food as much as I can is one of my favorite pleasures in life.  And it doesn’t get much better than this. As I am writing this, all I want to do is go back to Texas and see my family, so that we can have an all day feast.  

So if you are a foodie or your family are foodies like I am, come to this triathlon.  And if your significant other hasn’t been happy because of your training schedule lately, bring them here and feed them 🙂

Accomplishment

One of my favorite things about competing in a triathlon is the feeling of self accomplishment.

After months of practice and preparation there is a wonderful release of joy that is expressed with in me after I cross the finish line.

The Crawfishman Triathlon provides a fun way to feel this accomplishment.  Lots of participants have come home feeling elated. Others go home feeling tired, but they’re ready to come back next year.

I think this is one of the main reasons that all of us participate in this beautiful sport. Because of how it makes us feel each day that we put in the effort  and sweat. Even when no one else is looking we are out there being the best triathletes we can be.

Sore calf muscles, tight hamstring tendons, and potentially a sore neck are just part of our every day experience.  But, we love it!

I think about all the days that I got home from work, and I just wanted to go to bed, but I went for my swim anyway. And all of these times that this happens I feel more confident that I will meet my goals and be a better triathlete.

Since I have to wear a compression sock on my left leg because of an old injury, I am always cognizant of my nutrition as well.

Looking for Another Southern Tri?

This is a really fun event.  It has a southern feel that is always welcome.  If you are interested in another fun triathlon to attend in the south, I highly recommend The Tugaloo Triathlon.

And if you are interested in a guided meditation for triathletes to help you with your event, you can follow this link.

I hope you have fun at the Crawfishman Triathlon!