Why You Should Race Triathlons Locally with Set Up Events

Coach Chris sits down with Bill Scott, owner of Set Up Events, a Wilmington, NC based race production company that started in 1994. We discuss how small, local races are critical to the maintenance and growth of the triathlon community. We also talk about why it’s important to race locally, and build your way up from sprint distance triathlons to olympic distance to long course races like iron-distance events.

How Set Up Events Is Handling COVID-19 and Beyond

Bill talks about how racing, staffing, communication, and logistics has changed due to COVID-19. He describes how local municipalities are critical to being able to plan and put on races and why this is impeding the production of the popular Azalea Festival Triathlon that typically occurs in March.

We talk about how he produced some races during COVID-19, including a 400 person sprint triathlon at Wrightsville Beach, which went really well with time trial starts. He describes some of their protocols, including larger distances in transition areas and mask mandates. He assures us that it’s possible to race safely!

Want to race locally with Set Up Events in NC this year?

Try these triathlons, where our Team will be racing!

Pinehurst Olympic Triathlon
White Lake Half Iron Distance
White Lake Sprint & Olympic Distance
Triathlon Triathlon (sprint, mini sprint or aquabike!)
Lake Logan Half Iron Distance, Olympic and Sprint
YMCA Wrightsville Beach Sprint
Sandling Beach Olympic and Sprint on Falls Lake

Triathlon Distance Cheat Sheet:

Sprint Distance = ~1/2 mile swim, 10-15 mile bike, 3.1 mile run
International or Olympic distance = 1.5km swim, 40-45km bike, and 10km run
Half Iron distance = 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run
*new Mixed Relay format at the 2021 Summer Olympics, which is a 300m swim (not km!), 8k bike, and 2k run involving 2 women and 2 men.

We also mention Set Up’s series. If you don’t know about it, check it out here. Basically, you get the chance to win extra prizes just by racing in at least 4 races.

Cost of Triathlons Locally vs Ironman

*Side note: doing 4 of Bill’s races is about 40% of the cost of 1 Ironman race. So when you race locally, you can race more, save money, meet more people and have more fun!

Want to get involved (or get family or friends to come too)? Try relays!

Don’t run? Try aquabikes (just swim and bike).

Want to send some feedback to Bill? Email him at bill@setupevents.com and he promises to get back to you!

Tag us (@setupevents and @theenduranceedge) with what local races you plan on doing this year with the #FindYourEdge and #RaceLocal

Let our experts coach you for your favorite Set Up Events triathlons!

Book a free consult here. You’ll be hard pressed to find a more qualified team.

Learn more about our Coaching and Team Training Programs