Medals hang near the finish line of the Waterfront Triathlon Sunday, June 26, 2016.For those who are familiar with the annual Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon’s course, this year’s main race Sunday morning will look quite a bit different and may be a little faster.
With heavy construction on part of Highway 27 where the bike portion normally is held, the 42-kilometer cycling route had to be moved to Amnicola Highway to Chattanooga State and back for safety precautions.
“We have been able to work around the construction every year, but this year it was just a little too tight,” Chattanooga Track Club president-elect Jenni Berz said. “There were many things going on with the construction on 27 that it just wouldn’t have been safe.”
The closing 10k run course had to be relocated as well. Normally, runners would take off up the Tennessee Riverwalk to the museum district. That path included many hills and inclines along with steps, and steps are a huge thorn in a runner’s side.
“Just getting up Riverfront Parkway and Riverside Drive is very hilly, plus the racers have to go up steps,” Berz said. “They do not like that; they do not like that at all.”