The Duck Creek Triathlon, hosted by the Village of Howard, will return in 2025 with a new bike route, a bigger and smoother transition area, and a finish line that ends where the post-race party starts.
This fully supported, chip-timed sprint triathlon features a 750 meter swim in the popular Duck Creek Quarry, a 13.4 mile bike ride through scenic Howard, and an out-and-back 5k run on the Mountain Bay Trail. Awards will be given to overall male and female finishers, the top three relay teams, and the top three mail and female finishers in each age group.
“Last year’s inaugural event was a huge success, and we received a lot of great feedback from the athletes, volunteers, and spectators that will ensure this year’s event will be even better,” said Leigh Ann Wagner Kroening, the public information officer for the Village of Howard, and one of the event coordinators.
She said the biggest changes to the triathlon include an earlier date to avoid conflicting summer events and a bike route that does not cross the railroad tracks or the run route. The race capacity was also increased to 400 athletes this year, and the finish line was moved to Howard Memorial Park where the post-race party again will be held.
Village Administrator Paul Evert, who came up with the idea for the Duck Creek Triathlon, said the event is a wonderful opportunity to highlight the Village of Howard.
“Duck Creek Quarry Park is such a beautiful amenity, and it is the perfect location for this event,” Evert said. “Athletes also get to ride through 13 miles of scenic streets and take a run on the Mountain Bay Trail, so they get to experience a little bit of all the best parts of the village.”
Registration is open through June 8, and there are options for individuals ages 13 and older, as well as relay teams. For those who want to be part of the fun but do not want to race, a variety of volunteer opportunities are available too.
All volunteers will receive a free T-shirt, a complimentary age-appropriate beverage from the Howard Commons Activity Center tap trailer, and other fun stuff.
In addition to the athletes and volunteers, spectators are invited to watch the triathlon, which officially starts at 8:00 a.m. at Duck Creek Quarry Park, and then head across Glendale Avenue to Howard Memorial Park for a post-race party that will begin at 10:00 a.m. The event will run until about noon and will include music from Downtown DJ Joel, cold beverages served from the Howard Commons tap trailer, coffee and breakfast goods from the Grounded on the Go truck, and other snacks and refreshments.
For more information about the event or to volunteer, visit villageofhoward.com or scan the QR code.
