The Forge Off Road Triathlon is a unique short course multi-sport event that offers an adventurous experience for triathletes of all abilities, including beginners to professionals. Athletes and spectators will enjoy views of the Park’s exhilarating attractions and natural ecosystem, which includes the historic I&M Canal and multiple quarry lakes.
Registration Includes:
Entry to the race, electronically timed results, earned overall and age group awards, a cool Forge t-shirt and post-race party with food, beer, and other beverages.
The course runs through the trails within the Park and the adjoining trails of the Heritage Quarries Recreation Area and I&M Trails, located adjacent to historic downtown Lemont.
The short course distance race will be an ~540-yard swim, 10.7 mile gravel bike, and a 3 Mile trail run.
Triathletes can prepare for a challenge that includes:
Final Course maps will be released well before race day. Below is a preliminary course description and map based on the 2021 event. There may be minor adjustments to the course from what was used in 2021.
Swim
The swim will be a ~ 540 yard open water swim in the natural spring-fed Forge Quarry with a time trial start from the dock. The course will be a rectangle, starting from the dock, swimming clockwise, with three right hand turns at large buoys. The swim will finish and exit on the dock via ladders. The dock will have two way traffic on it with swimmers lining up to start and athletes exiting the swim headed to T1. Stay to your LEFT at all times on the dock.
Bike
The bike course is a 10.7-mile route on a lollipop-style course with two laps. There is a short approximately .3 mile section that is the stick on the lollipop, then a ~ 5-mile loop that will be ridden twice.
The bike course is on crushed limestone trails and some gravel roads. It is flat and not technical but will have a few ruts, bumps, small hills, several sharp turns, wooden bridge crossings, and loose gravel sections.
Run
The run course is 3 miles on mixed terrain including crushed limestone, a section of MTB single-track trails, and the paths under the Towers. It is mostly flat but will have a few technical and small hill sections, including dirt and mulch-covered trails.
Transition
The transition will be located in the lawn area by the Mount (Stage) within the Park. It will be a short ~ 500-foot run from the Swim exit to T1 on a carpeted surface. Bike racks will be organized by wave/bib number, but bikes will not be assigned a specific space.
5:00 am – Parking Opens
5:15 am – Transition and Race Day Packet Pick-Up Open
6:30 am – Transition Set-Up Closes
6:35 am – Course Talk / Briefing – Near the Swim Start
6:40 am – Wave Line-Up Begins. Swim staging by Wave on the shelf near the Dock / Foundry
6:50 am – Wave Line-Up Ends
6:50 am – National Anthem
6:55 am – Wave 1 / Elite Start
7:20 am – Last Wave Starts
7:45 am – Anticipated 1st Finisher
8:00 am – Post Race Food / Beverage Available
9:15 am – Anticipated Last Finisher
9:15 am – Transition Opens for Exit / Departure
9:30 am – Awards at The Mount / Stage
11:00 am – Event Concludes
