Preparations are underway for the annual Morro Bay Triathlon with hundreds of people set to descend on Coleman Park this Sunday.
“They ring the horn and you start in the water and it’s a cold shock and you’re just swimming as fast as you can. Everybody is going for the buoy and it’s a big adrenaline rush all the way through,” said Nick Schaefer, triathlon participant.
Now in its 13th year, around 750 people are expected to take part in the Morro Bay Triathlon this year.
This will be Schaefer’s second year competing. He says his favorite part of the triathlon is the swim.
“We usually swim along the jetty there and there’s a lot of sea life in this protected bay,” Schaefer said.
He says he starts training months in advance.
“I usually get three swims, three bikes, three runs in every week, so about 10 to 14 hours worth of training a week, early mornings,” Schaefer said.
The swim and kayak portion of the race will start off at Coleman Beach, followed by biking along Highway 1, running along the Morro Bay Beach to Morro Rock back to the finish line at Coleman Beach.
“We will have help down there with flaggers. There’s going to be a lot of athletes along that dirt road that goes northbound on the Embarcadero after Coleman Beach so just be aware of that when you are entering the city,” said Sgt. Grant Hasselbach, Morro Bay Police Department.
While there will be no road closures, drivers should prepare for more congestion along Highway 1 and the area heading to Morro Rock.
The triathlon courses encompass the same areas with the Olympic course being 32 miles and the Sprint course half at 16 miles.
“I think Morro Bay is such a special place. This time of year, with the fog disappearing, you get the cold crisp morning,” Schaefer said.
The Morro Bay Triathlon will kick off Sunday at 8 a.m. at Coleman Park.
