From

The Great Smoky Mountains Triathlon Club
& Race Odyssey Events Timing Services

(If you are having trouble seeing the top of this page, try using IE, or Firefox… For some reason, which we are trying to fix, Chrome and Mac don't download correctly)

Just click on "Race Schedule" to see our lineup for 2012, click on the race your interested in, then decide if you want to register on line or via mail; click on that choice and your on the way.  We look forward to having you here at the races with us and enjoying your stay in the beautiful north Ga and western NC mountains.

Some News From the Mountains:
We were recently contacted by the folks at Ironman and informed that we were no longer able to use the words; Iron, Ironman or anything to do with their copy right on things to do with Ironman.  So, we have had to make a change in our Half IM races name…. Now, instead of calling our race The Beast of the East Half Ironmon Triathlon, we are now calling it; The Beast of the East Half Steelman Triathlon.   If, when your looking around any of our race materials and see the word Ironman or anything having to do with them, please let us know so we can change it.

Make your plans now to come to the North Ga. Mountains and join us.

Thoughts to live by:

Andrew Johnston

In the pill-popping, this-for-that, allopathic approach to medicine, quick often means temporary. But just as disease doesn’t develop overnight, healing takes time, too. For every year you’ve had a particular condition, it will usually take one month to return to health.

Though our caloric intake has increased by more than 25% since the 1950s, our activity level has been on a steady decline. We are burning eight hundred fewer calories a day than we did at the start of the 20th century and half of that could be attributed just to sitting down. You burn approximately 60 more calories an hour standing up than when seated. So sitting at your office desk for eight hours a day equals 480 calories not being burned.

I am writing to let you know how much my husband and I enjoyed your triathlon. We drove up from Buffalo, New York looking forward to doing a race out of town. We knew it was not a certified course and looked forward to being in a race with less people in the swim, etc. I thought the swim was one if not my most favorite of any Half Ironman distance! Beautiful!
Two days before the race we checked out your bike course map on line and wrote down all the turns so we would be ready for a ride in case a few areas were possibly not being covered by volunteers. We were confident and ready for the bike course even the part near the Jack Rabbit turn where we saw arrows pointing straight but knew the map said to go right and to the turn around. We were prepared since we realize that people who race must know the course. We were pleasantly surprised during the ride that you had people on every corner except the Jack Rabbit area which was a clue to us to not go down there, still we stopped.
My energy level was fine off the bike and remembered you mentioning about having to come back to the start of the run and then having to return. It also helped that at the time I was leaving to run, there were people already starting their second loop. When I reached the top of the dam I could not believe how beautiful all the scenery was. I told another runner that I could not believe there were not 500 people at this race. As time went on in the run and we started getting fatigued, I saw my husband was on his way back, so we hooked up and ran together. He made sure that I knew about the marking in the path where it said turn around. Another person told him on the first loop that they had to turn around there so they both did. You have to remember as a race director that we have to make the course ‘dummy proof’ because people get very tired and forget. (We help a race timing service in NY and set up run courses for them every so often).
Since Tony was in an area where there were not a lot of other runners, this one guy convinced him of the ‘Turn Around’ that was brightly painted on the path near the dam. So when I got to it he told me also to turn around as he proceeded to the finish. Thanks goodness someone else told me that I needed to go all the way back for the second loop! Until then I did not remember what you said in your directions at the start of the race.
My husband talked with the timing service at the end and decided he had to disqualify himself. After being so ready for your triathlon, it was disappointing for him to not be able to complete the race. Although we realize this part of the run course was also our responsibility we believe this error could have easily been avoided by painting SPRINT above the markings.
I did however complete the triathlon and will tell you that it WAS a very beautiful course and I felt very safe in the swim, on the bike and on the run. Since we don’t remember you mentioning about NOT having to go into the Jack Rabbit area to add mileage to the course, we think that it would be wonderful if someone would update the bike course map, a few people were caught up at that spot.
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to participate in a triathlon so far away from our home.

The Beast of the East Half Steelman Triathlon
May 20th 2012

Results 2011
Race Results 2010

About this race:

Some changes to be found below:

Swim:
We do our swim in a fresh water lake with nothing that can eat you, sting you or bite you.  Average water temp at this time of year is low to mid 70s (wet suits will be legal).

Bike:
Our bike course is done on smooth paved roads with light traffic (back roads for the most part) where you will see more cows than cars.  There is one climb (called the Beast of the East) that will get your heart pumping, but other than that, rolling hills with great scenery will be the most memorable part of the course.  You may want to carry a camera…(just kidding)…  You won't be on crowded streets riding up and down the highway navigating between all the traffic.

Run:
Our run is a 2 lap course that, once again, will have panoramic views of the lake and surrounding mountains.  It is a beautiful run and for the most part flat and fast.  There is one hill (the Beast of the East) that you will have to deal with on each lap…it's a 3/10 mile pull to the top of the dam, then your back to flat, fast running.  You won't have to be running on a hot crowded road filled with cars and big buildings to look at.

I'm not trying to put down other races that are held at the beach, because they are fun races and have mega turnouts whereas our race closes out at 150.  It is a small race that you will remember and talk about for a long time.  So, if you have been racing with 1500 other races at the beach, this will be a refreshing change for you.

Sign up before December 30 and get the lowest price!!
We Hope To See You Here

The Beast Bike Course Turn by Turn:

Transition area is the start of the bike
.45 to left onto Myers Chapel Rd
Mile 2: turn left onto Hwy 69
Mile 3: turn right onto Crooked Creek (339)
Mile 6.5: turn right onto Hwy 66
Mile 8.3: turn left onto Old Hwy 64
Mile 9.7: turn right onto Beach Cove Rd (start up the Beast)
Mile 12: First water table and the top of the Beast
Mile 13.9:  Cross over Hwy 64 onto Qualla Rd. (dog leg turn)
Mile 17.6:  turn left onto Tusquittee Rd (at little market)
Mile 24.1: turn right onto Cold Branch Rd
Mile 26.4: Highest point on the bike course
Mile 29: Turn left onto Hwy 64
Mile 33: Go right onto E. Vineyard and Old Hwy 64
Mile 33.8: Second Water Table
Mile 38: turn left and go over bridge
Mile 45: turn right at McDonalds onto Ga Hwy 76
Mile 49: Turn right on Ga Hwy 17 (at BP station)
Mile 51: turn right onto Myers Chapel Road
Mile 52.5: turn back into Clay County Rec Park
Mile 53: Your back…..
Get off, take 10 seconds to rest then run 13.1 miles to the finish.

Packet Pick-Up will be at 4 to 7pm at the Clay County Rec Park and Sunday Morning starting at 6am

Start Time: 7:30am

We will do overall male and female awards at the race site at about 2pm.  Age group winners will get a certificate at the race site as they come in.There will still be racers on the course until 3pm so not everyone will be finish when we start.  Everyone that didn't get an overall or age group award will get a certificate ready to frame and hang on the wall, showing that they completed the race.  These certificates are great looking and frame ready.  You won't wind up putting them in the basement and never seeing them again.  We will have other assorted giveaways for the racers as well.

Swim 1.2 Miles. Bike 53 Miles, Run 13

Location: Clay County Recreation Park, just 5 miles from Hiawassee Ga

Directions:

Find your way to Hiawassee Ga then go to the corner of Hwy 76 and Ga 17 (there is a BP station at that corner).  Turn toward NC on Hwy 17, go 2 miles to Myers Chapel Rd then go right, then go 2miles on the right hand side is the entrance to the Clay  County Rec Park.

If you have a GPS put in: Clay County Recreation Park, Hayesville, NC 28904

Registration Pricing

Single:

Before January 31: $105.00

Before February 20: $115.00

Before May 10: $145

Late or day of race: $155

Relay:

Before January 31: $150.

Before May 10: $180.

Late or day of race: $195.

Register Online

The water temp is expected to be in the high 70s for these races.

Wet suits will be allowed if the water is 78 or less. No wet suits if above 78. Any racers that want to use a wet suit even if the temp is above 78 can do so, but they will not be eligible for awards.

Age Group Awards: 15-19 20-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64 65-69 70 up

Clydesdale, Athena, & Relay Teams

We will have 2 bottle fill up tables for the bike portion of the Half Steelman Distance race and 4 water tables on the run portion of the race. (we will have Gatorade, Heed and Water at these tables) The run is a 2 lap course and racers will be passing the water tables two times, so there will be 8 chances to get water on the 13.1 mile run

We will have some Gatorade bars at water tables and fruit on the bike race. Some Hammer Gel and energy bars will be offered to racers.

The distance shown on course map may not match exactly with the true race distance due to the difficulty of tracing the exact route.  But its close.

Driving Directions:

geo_mashup_map

The Summer Sizzler

International Distance Triathlon

Go to the main page and click on the link at the top for some great race photos taken by Rob Rose.

August 4th 2012

Race photo's and report below…

We will open registration Saturday morning at 6am from the race site at the Ga Mountain Fairgrounds, Hwy 76, Hiawassee Ga

Get there early to get a good spot on the bike racks.

11th Annual International Distance Triathlon

Ga Mt Fairgrounds Hwy 76
Hiawassee, GA

Sign In:  6:00am

Start:  8am

8/10 mile swim, 23 mile road bike and 4 mile run.

The Ga Mt Fairgrounds is located on Hwy 76 just past the Shoney's on the north side of the road.

The water is still clean and the roads are lightly traveled for the bike portion of the race.

Early Registration:

Before January 30: $55.

Register before July 20th
Single: $65
Relay Teams$95

Late or day of race fee:
Single $75
Relay Teams $110

Awards:
Overall Male and Female 3 deep, then the age group awards will be in 5 year age groups as well as Clydesdale & Athena

Register Online
or
Download Registration Form
You might also want to look at:

2011 Race Results

2010 Race Results

2009 Race Results

2008 Results

2007 Results

Race Course maps

New Course Maps

Run Course

The distance shown on course map may not match exactly with the true race distance due to the difficulty of tracing the exact route.  But its close.

We have just finished designing our new web site and are in the process of getting things up and running.  Bare with us through this process and feel free to let me know what is not working correctly.  

Thanks for your help in this process and we hope to see you here for our upcoming races…

Sponsors:

Please try to have a look at our sponsor list and use them when looking for a place to stay or a place to eat.  We really want to thank them for their support, and this is the best way to do it.

Click to enlarge image

Click image to enlarge

Run Course

Click image to enlarge