The "World's Toughest Half" Auburn Triathlon takes place in the scenic Sierra foothill town of Auburn, California. The Half-Ironman distance is one of three races that takes place on the same course on that day (the other two are the Auburn Duathlon and the Auburn Olympic Triathlon).

The Auburn Triathlon is put on by former professional triathlete Brad Kearns and the folks at [BradVentures]. Like all of the [BradVentures] events in Auburn, the Auburn Triathlon is known for both it's extremely challenging course as well as the extensive beauty of the area. With a series of very challenging hills on both the bike and run, the triathlon is not catered to the first-timer.

[BradVentures] take pride in all of their events and have created a warm, grassroots, community feel to all of their races, giving every participant a feeling of community and appreciation.

The Half-Ironman triathlon course consists of three legs:
SWIM: 2000 meters (1.2 miles)
BIKE: 90 kilometers (56 miles)
RUN: 21 kilometers (13.1 miles)

(The Auburn Duathlon follow the same bike and run course of the Triathlon and occurs at the same time so triathlon participants compete head-to-head with the duathletes).

The Auburn Olympic Triathlon follows a similar, but shortened course. The distances for the Olympic distance race are as follows:
SWIM: 1500 meters (.93 miles)
BIKE: 40 kilometers (24.85 miles)
RUN: 10 kilometers (6.2 miles)

See Auburn Olympic Triathlon for more information about the International distance race.

SWIM
distance: 1.2 mile (2km)

The swim takes place in Folsom Lake at Rattlesnake Bar State Park, 6 miles downhill from the Auburn Overlook finish line. Water temperatures are usually in the high 60s to low 70s. Wetsuits are allowed.

You swim around the partial perimeter of a small bay, surrounded on all sides by steep canyon walls. The course is beautiful and the water is flat. Since there is a dam on one side of the lake, there is sometimes a slight current, but never anything too challenging.

BIKE
distance: 56 miles (90km)

Though the bike course is very scenic, spending most of the time weaving through quiet roads, it is also quite a challenging course that is catered to climbers. There is approximately 6000 feet of elevation gain throughout the ride, most of which occurs within the first 40 miles.

There is very little warm-up after the swim. The initial 7 miles of the ride have some fairly significant climbing as you bike from the the Rattlesnake Bar Park swim at 420 feet of elevation, and through Auburn at 1600 feet.

You continue to steadily gain elevation all the way to mile 26 and the beginning of the Bear River loop. You begin the 5-mile Bear River Loop with a screaming fast downhill that leads to a beautiful ride along the banks of the Bear River and a fairly challenging climb back to the top.

The highest point of the ride is at 2,200 feet of elevation. After the Bear River loop, you steadily lose elevation until you get to T2 at the Auburn Overlook (at 1300'). You should note, though, that although you steadily lose elevation over the last 24 miles, there are still significant climbs to tackle, most notably a climb affectionately called "Greg Lemond Walked." The hill, a rather steep one mile climb, takes place in the last 5 miles of the race. According to folklore, Greg Lemond had to walk his bike up part of the hill during a ride. The actual facts to this myth have yet to be confirmed.

RUN
distance: 13.1 miles (21km)

The run is a very scenic and extremely challenging course that will have you on different terrain, including paved road, technical single-track, fire roads and double-track. The entire run takes place in Auburn State Park and has you running from the Auburn Overlook (1300') down towards the base of the canyon and back up - two times. The course is completely closed to auto traffic. In many cases the route is such that you may not even see other participants in your line of vision.

The first three miles are a gradual descent down a paved road. But what goes down, must come up. There are two extremely tough climbs on the run course and the first one is Cardiac Bypass, that goes from mile 3 to mile 4.2. The climb doesn't let up. At mile 4.2 you head onto a canal trail which is flat, shaded and very fast. You emerge from the canal trail at mile 6.2 and pass by the finish line at Auburn Overlook as you head out for a second, but different loop.

The next 4.8 miles (until mile 11) take place on single track or fire roads, marked by mild rollers and gradual ascent/descents. Mile 11 to 11.6 are a steep descent down towards the bottom of the canyon. Again, what goes down must come up. The road rises beginning at mile 11.6 and doesn't stop until the finish line at mile 13.1. This is known as the Dam Wall - one of the most difficult hills you'll find in any US triathlon.

Total climbing is 1,325 feet.

Note: Some of the trails are a bit technical. It's easy to sprain an ankle so pay attention!

The course is extremely challenging and caters to the strong hill climbers on both the bike and run.

SWIM
The swim starts are usually no more than three waves (two men starts, one woman start) so the beginning of the swim can get quite crowded. If you are a strong swimmer, you'll be able to pull away from the masses fairly rapidly.

The course is well marked, though the buoys are often placed far away from each other. You are better off figuring out sighting points before you start the swim as large trees or other inanimate objects may be easier to see from afar than the buoys.

BIKE
You start climbing the moment you get on the bike and don't stop for at least 30 miles. There are very few parts of the Auburn bike ride where you are not going up or down - don't expect any fast flats.

There is approximately 1000 feet of climbing in the first 7 miles. Take the first few miles to go slowly and get your heart-rate down. You will be passed by many people but, rest assured, you will probably pass them later in the race. This course is challenging enough that it is easy to burn-out.

After the first 5-7 miles, begin to pick up the pace a little and settle into your groove. You will still be gaining elevation for the next 25-30 miles, so don't push it too hard. After the last climb on the Bear River loop (approximately mile 32) you will be losing elevation the rest of the way back. Assuming you have energy left in your legs, you can pick up additional time here.

Keep in mind, there are still a few long, challenging climbs to conquer, but all of them are accompanied by a downhill for appropriate recovery.

RUN
The run is a two loop course. Though each loop is a different route, they both feature extremely challenging climbs.

As you leave T2, you have 3 miles of steady descent. Use this to warm-up the legs and relax the body. And pay attention to the road down which you are running because at mile 3 you're going to turn around and run back up.

The climb is fairly stead and, though steep, you can get in a groove. By the time you hit mile 4.2, you will have reached the flattest and fastest part of the course. You can gain a lot of ground over the next two miles, so pick up the pace and push the limits.

You'll pass by the finish line at mile 6.2 and head down for the second loop. The first few miles of the second loop consist of fairly technical single track followed by rolling hills on a fire road. This is the section that will separate the strong runners from the rest. After some very challenging ascent/descents, many people will begin to fade in this out-and-back section. If you are strong, keep pushing the pace.

The only challenging thing ahead of you is the Dam Wall at Mile 11.2. The climb is extremely strenuous and you'll see many people walking. The climb takes you all the way to the finish line, so if you just keep running, you'll pass by many of the walkers in front of you. Though nearly 2 miles long, the Dam Wall marks the end of your race, so keep challenging yourself - pick up the pace harder and harder through the 2nd mile. By the time you reach the top you should be redlining, but you're already at the finish, so stumble over and grab your medal!

The Auburn Overlook (where both T2 and the Finish Line) is the best place for viewing. All athletes pass through the Auburn Overlook three times (T2, mid-run, finish) so you can see them in different times throughout their challenging day.

Folsom Lake is a beautiful location and well worth traveling to in order to watch the swim. Keep in mind that Folsom Lake is 6 miles downhill from the Auburn Overlook. A car is recommended (walking will be very long and challenging). If you take a bike to watch the swim and expect to bike up to the Auburn Overlook, you will be climbing the entire 6 miles back (approximately 1000' of elevation gain).

SHWAG
The Auburn Triathlon, Auburn Duathlon and Auburn Olympic Triathlon provide great shwag for all the participants. Entry fee includes:
* A high performance, wickable racing shirt
* Big-mouth Auburn Triathlon Water Bottle
* 20% off coupon for SportsBasement.com
* $10 Gift Certificate to BradVentures.com
* A wonderful finishing line feast from Chipotle, Jamba Juice and other sponsors.

TRAVEL & ACCOMMODATIONS
Though most people stay in nearby hotels, feel free to pitch a tent at the Auburn Overlook. It'll be the closest early morning commute you'll have at a race!

OTHER
One of the great things about Auburn is that it is still a relatively small race with a "home-town" feel. The somewhat remote location and extremely challenging course attract an experienced, fairly fit field of participants.