Pro Triathlete Course

The Men’s Pro Race starts at 11:57am with the female Pros starting 12:00pm. The race is draftfree, with the pros on the same course as the age group competitors. The Pro transition is separate from the age group transition.

As in 2011, to help ensure a safe and competitive race for the pros (as well as the age group athletes):
• We will be enforcing a strict age group division bike cut-off time to open up the bike course for the pros
• Provide a dedicated moto-escort for the first lap of the bike.
These two critical course amendments will significantly reduce age-group bike traffic, thus facilitating a safer bike course for the Pros.

1.5K SWIM ( view map ): The swim takes place in Monroe Street Harbor, with the start 925 yards south of the Chicago Yacht Club.  Triathletes in the International distance competition begin by swimming south 380 yards and then turning around a large bouy, and returning north on a parallel course to the finish just south of the Yacht Club.

TRANSITION 1: After exiting the water, triathletes run north along the lakeside path for approximately 450 yards to transition, located on the grass reserve South of Randolph Street and East of Lake Shore Drive. Entry to transition is on the south end, with bike-out on the north end adjacent to Randolph Street.

40K BIKE : ( view map )  The bike leg begins with cyclists heading to the left of the middle of the cul-de-sac leading to the Randolph Street. on-ramp to northbound upper Lake Shore Drive (LSD), where the course takes cyclists  north on the inner two lanes of northbound LSD. The riders continue on Lake Shore Drive to the turnaround (asphalt across the median) near Foster Avenue where they make a u-turn (counter clockwise) returning south on the inner two lanes of southbound LSD.) . At Chicago Avenue, the international distance competitors will make a u-turn to start their 2^nd lap to Foster Avenue, and then back, where cyclists will execute a u-turn onto the northbound down-ramp to Randolph.

TRANSITION 2: The entry to the pro transition is adjacent to Randolph on the right hand side of the bike exit. The flow for this transition is north to south with the run exit being slightly west of the swim entry.

10K RUN: ( view map )  The run leg begins just south of Randolph Street where the athletes head south on the middle (asphalt) sidewalk/path. At Buckingham Fountain runners  continue on the grass until they rejoin the asphalt path where they continue south.  At the Museaum Campus, the runners turn right toward the LSD) underpass, turning left just prior the underpass, and running on the path toward and past the entranced to the Field Museum.  They then continue on the path, crossing the Museum Campus Drive/McFetridge Drive intersection to enter the lake front running/bike path, heading south, path past McCormick Place, with the 10K turnaround approximately one-mile south of McCormick Place. The runners return on a parallel course (keeping to the left), and then heading west under the Lake Shore Drive underpass and continue on the path to Columbus Drive, where they turn right (north) for the run to the finish. The run to the finish is divided into two chutes with the pros taking the chute to the right.

NOTE: Course is subject to change.  

NOTE 2: If for any reason you are unable to complete the event, please turn in your timing chip at transition when you collect your gear or at the timing tent, located at the finish line, or at the medical tent. It is mandatory that you turn in your chip so we will have a record that you are safe and off the course. Even if you own your chip, it is important that you report in so we will know that you are safe and off the course.