ConcreteMan Triathlon Recap

June 17, 2023
ConcreteMan is a local triathlon put on by Heartland Racing Co. It is the oldest triathlon in the state of Missouri and is located just north of Springfield at Fellows Lake.
The Friday before the race, ConcreteKids, a youth triathlon is held. Kids of all different ages come and race. For many, it is their first tri. It has a shorter swim with plenty of water support followed by a short run to transition where they ride their bikes then run a mile to the finish line. It is a perfect place for parents to spectate and cheer their kiddos on.

ConcreteMan is the following morning. This year it offered sprint, Olympic, and half-iron distance races. The race starts and ends down at a beach at Fellows Lake. There is very limited parking there so participants and spectators typically must park half a mile to a mile away. The walk isn’t too bad getting to the race because it is downhill, but many do not appreciate the uphill walk when returning to their vehicles.
Transition, swim start, and the finish line are all right next to each other making it easy for spectators and athletes. There is a pavilion, music, and food for everyone to enjoy. The bathrooms are right next to transition.
Transition opened plenty early for the athletes to prepare. This is one of the favorite local races in the Ozarks but also has draws triathletes from all over the region.

​This year was the first year to do the middle distance 70.3. The swim would be a 2,000-meter swim (four laps around the buoys), a 56-mile bike course, and a 13.1 mile run.
After the athlete meeting and the playing of the national anthem, the athletes took off one by one from shore into the water.
Part way through the swim, the Olympic distance athletes joined them. This distance included a 1500-meter swim, 25-mile bike, and a 10k run.
The sprint distance athletes joined even later as they were doing a 500-meter swim, 12.5-mile bike, and a 5k run.

This year I completed the Olympic distance so here is my personal experience.
The swim was three laps around the buoys counterclockwise. As a swimmer who breaths on their left, I always appreciate a counterclockwise swim. The direction of the swim changed this year to decrease swimming directly into the sunrise, and it made a big difference. I was easily able to spot the buoys and see water support. The water was plenty warm so a wetsuit was not needed. Swimming is by far my weakest discipline, but I always felt comfortable. The water was calm, and I could hear the kayakers
cheering the athletes on. Exiting out of the water is a bit rocky, but there is a carpet to help. There is a bit of a climb up a hill to transition, but it is very short. By the time I got to my bike, there were very few bikes left on the racks. The sprint racers only had to do one loop so they were all out of the water.

The bike course is a slight mile climb out of the lake area to the main road. From there it is one loop for the sprint distance and two for the Olympic. The half-iron distance was a different course. The one and two loop courses mostly have rolling hills with a few slow inclines. It also features what the locals (and Strava segments) affectionately call the “dam hill.” It is the hill the nears the dam of Fellows Lake hence the name. The base of the hill starts just after a left turn so there is little momentum to start. It is steep. It isn’t terribly long, but you can expect to get your heart rate up on it. The following segment has
several fun rollers to make up for it. After a few more turns, you get to ride over the lake and enjoy the view. Most athletes did the sprint distance so I did not see many out on the bike course, but there were
plenty of volunteers to make sure you went the right way. After the second loop, you return to the road
to go back down to the lake. It is a nice downhill giving you a minute to recover.
By this point, the sun is out, and well, the humidity in Missouri is in full force. I think most of us that
have done ConcreteMan would agree that the swim and bike are not that difficult. The hard part is the
run. It is all on a paved road and starts the same way the bike course did with a one-mile uphill climb
with no shade. The first aid station is near an intersection that is spectator friendly. It mostly plateaus,
but the heat beats down on you. The Olympic distance racers pass the sprint turn around and find
another aid station around mile 2 which follows a long slow incline. There is a final aid station at the
turn mile 3 turn around. The remaining half is going back the way you came which is mostly downhill,
very sunny, and extremely hot. This year a local resident was kindly spraying athletes with a water hose
to help keep them cool. It is mostly downhill once through the intersection which makes for an excellent
finish.
The awesome medal at the end makes it even better! This is a fantastic race!