Seagate sponsors 7th annual Pittsburgh triathlon

This weekend, the City of Pittsburgh will have a chance to show off all of its development… This weekend, the City of Pittsburgh will have a chance to show off all of its development along the North Shore while raising money for a cause.

Friends of the Riverfront, an organization dedicated to the redevelopment of Pittsburgh’s riverfront and continued expansion of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail, has already raised more than $30,000. Most of it has come from the event’s main sponsor, Seagate Technology, which has an office in the Strip District. Seagate is the world’s largest manufacturer of computer disks.

What started out as a small event held mainly around Washington’s Landing has quickly grown into an Olympic-distance triathlon. That means that competitors will swim 1.5 kilometers, bike 40 kilometers, and run another 10 kilometers.

With Sunday’s forecast calling for another hot and humid day, even the fittest athletes will have to be careful not to overexert themselves. Luckily for the everyday Pittsburgher, participants are allowed to compete as a team.

“The relay option opens up both races to a wider range of ability levels. You need not be proficient in all three disciplines in order to participate,” notes race director Jennifer Thoma. “Relays also offer a good opportunity for single-sport specialists — top runners, cyclists, swimmers and paddlers — to team up and showcase their talents.”

The swimming section of Sunday’s triathlon will take place on the Allegheny River near PNC Park. Swimmers must swim down to Heinz Field, then turn around and come all the way back to PNC Park against the current.

PennDot has agreed to allow the biking portion of the event to be held on the High Occupancy Vehicle Lane along Route 279 North. After biking the 40 kilometers, competitors finish by running the entire length of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail.

For those interested in a less strenuous event, there is also an adventure course that consists of a 12-mile bicycle ride, 2-mile canoe/kayak journey and a 3.2-mile run. The adventure course follows the same route, but has shorter distances.

Interested in participating, but need help finding a swimmer, biker or runner for your team? Friends of the Riverfront is maintaining a list of similarly situated individuals and helping to match them up. For more information, call (412) 488-0212.

The seventh annual Seagate Triathlon will begin at 7:30 a.m., with the Adventure Race starting at 8:45 a.m. There is still time to register, but there is no race day registration. For more information on how to get involved, check out www.friendsoftheriverfront.org.