1st Sprint in 2011

HRCA Tune Up Sprint is the 1st weekend in June, in Highlands Ranch

It may be a bit of a drive, but the Longmont Triathlon is a great first race.  Sprint distance with the swim being in the pool (may not be a bad thing depending upon how comfortable you are in open water), transitioning to a closed course 2 loop bike...typically is late May or early June.  I'd personally recommend staying away from cherry creek reservoir races -- the water isn't good, 'early season' races if it is a must.  Aurora reservoir is good, and the boulder reservoir has a lot of early season sprint races too.  Good luck!

Did my first one this year, the Boulder Sunrise sprint, open water swim. Seemed low key but well put together. Not to big where you get lost in the numbers, I have just finished my season off with the Boulder Sunset olympic, another great time.

Good luck with your training

another one is the Tri the Creek at Cherry Creek Reservoir.  Usually the 2nd weekend in June.  Lots of good information on this site.  Good luck with your training!

You did the Sunrise?  I just did my first tri, but I did the Sunset.  How was the water temperature for the Sunrise?  Wetsuit worthy, would you say?  I'm doing Beat the Rez next year, I loved the Sunset.

I just posted a link that may get you a free entry into the Boulder Sunrise. I'm volunteering next weekend. I did the Creek Streak this year put on by Your Cause and thought they did a really good job. Totally worth a few fun hours volunteering on a Sunday to get a free tri!

Copied From the other thread
I'm not entirely sure that this is still available however Your Cause Sports was offering a free entry into the 2011 Boulder Sunrise event if you volunteer at the Tri For the Cause next Sunday the 10th. Based on an email I received this morning it sounds like they are still offering it even though the link says through Friday. It's worth investigating if you are interested in doing the tri and volunteering is a good time.

Here's the link

http://app.simplycast.com/email_view.php?group_idno=5742039&outgoin...

Edited by julta 2010-10-03 10:33 AM

Water temp was OK, not much colder than for the Sunset tri, still needed your wetsuit, the weather was great so that helped

Here is one to think about..... Highline Hustle in Grand Junction Colorado.... Sweet swim w/a pretty cool ride and a dirt trail run around the lake..... Loads of 1st timers and cool give-a-ways afterwords w/food,drinks, and goodie bags.... Check it out

Thanks for all the great info! Keep it coming. Doing the "Fans on the Field" 10K this Sunday. See how it goes. Running is my weakest part of the tri, so working on it.

The Falcon Ground Speed Triathlon was held on May 1st 2010 on the beautiful campus of the US Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and should be held on roughly the same weekend in 2011.
750m swim (pool, individual lane), a 15 mi bike and 5km run through the grounds of the United States Air Force Academy. Hills are plentiful so be prepared, but the scenery is worth the effort.

You can check out more info, and some reviews at
http://www.active.com/triathlon/us-air-force-academy-co/falcon-grou...

Best of Luck!

I just did my first and only triathlon last summer, the Boulder 5430 Sprint. 750m OWS/17 mile bike/5k run.

I think that it would be a great first triathlon. The atmosphere is great and it really feels like a big deal of a race even though it's a sprint. Some may say do a smaller one first, but I met many first timers at this one and felt very satisfied making it my first.

Good luck!

I know this is not what you asked, but if your are interested in doing a fun triathlon at Olympic distance later in the summer, I'd recommend the Salida Tenderfoot Triathlon - sometime around the 1st weekend in September.  It was my first ever and although I was not a top performer, I was not at the bottom either.  This is a very friendly triathlon with a wide range of individuals from the locals out for a challenge to the 1-2 out-of-stater'swho were crazy fast.  The swim is in the hot springs pool, so there is no need for a wetsuit and the anxity of swimming in open water is eliminated.  As a first, it was great and made me look forward to my next. 

For everyone else who resonded - THANKS!!!  I'm working on getting up to a 1/2 ironman next summer and was interested in doing early season sprints - lots of great suggestions.

I can't believe no one has said it yet, but maybe because it's only 3 years old.  The Summer Open Sprint in late May is easily the best early season tri in Colorado.  I did a couple of the plethora of Without Limits events this Summer and was blown away with the race quality and affordable entry fee.  I had friends do their Xterra and Harvest Moon and they all said the same thing.  I didn't get to experience the Without Limits Slip n Slide at Xterra Lory, but the Summer Open had a completely closed course, an expo bigger than 5430, and a really really cool t-shirt.  Just got their season ending thank you yesterday saying for 2011 they're doing "your choice t-shirts, tech or cotton, men's or women's cut".  How cool is that to be able to pick!  Withoutlimits.com is officially my pick for 2011, probably signing up for all 4-5 tri's they offer, just have to get a mountain bike now!