LifeTime Boulder Peak Triathlon – Non-Event Report

This is not the race report I was hoping to write. The Boulder Peak was subject to a last-minute cancellation. (We’re talking after anyone wanting a reasonable amount of sleep would have been in bed last-minute.) A wildfire that was relatively close to the race site demanded the use of all available emergency personnel, which means the race was left unsupported. No support meant no safety personnel, no permits, and therefore no race.
Saturday afternoon I stopped by the race expo, and the buzz was typical. It was after 3pm, and the expo was scheduled to end at 4, but the parking lot was still full. I met up with the 303 ambassadors, a relay team we scrounged together a couple days prior so 303 could be out on the course. I was supposed to race for the “in the race” coverage, but broke my elbow two weeks ago. While disappointed I couldn’t race, I was still looking forward to covering the event.
I was just about to go to bed when I caught that I had a text and email from Dana, our 303 trail boss. She was out in California and had the benefit of an earlier timezone.
The race had put out the following information:
This evening a local disaster declaration was announced across Boulder County. All police, fire and EMS resources are being mobilized and reallocated across Nederland and Cold Springs in support of the current wildfire. As a result, the Boulder County Public Safety officials have mandated that our event be cancelled.
After exhausting all options, including course modifications and rescheduling, we are unable to provide our athletes with either an alternate event or a safe race experience.
I made sure my team was in the loop, as I almost missed the notification, I wouldn’t be surprised if they missed it. I scrolled through social media and saw a lot of people were sharing the info to help get the word out, and while sad the race couldn’t take place, they understood the reason.
Everyone still had to turn in timing chips, so I set my alarm for early so I could drop my chip off. (I still picked up my packet on Saturday for the t-shirt.)
Driving into the Res, the race-morning traffic of course wasn’t there. A handful of cars were coming in, and Life Time was actually extremely organized, as they had staff collecting timing chips just past the guard gate. This way, if you didn’t need to pick up your bike (Saturday racking was optional) you could just turn around and head out. I asked them how many people coming in didn’t know, and she said they had about 20 or so come in early not knowing of the cancellation.
The staff was disassembling transition and getting the area cleaned up. The perishable food for the day would be donated, I believe to disaster support services, as there is an immediate need due to the fire. At this time,about 1000 people have been evacuated from their homes, and there are 200 firefighters on the ground.
I spoke with the race organizers, they said that everyone was understanding, even if disappointed. And we can totally understand the disappointment, especially for those who traveled here for the race. While I was at the transition, an athlete from Chicago was picking up his bike, and a couple from Arizona were there with their 23 year old son. He was at the LifeTime CapTex tri at the end of May that was changed to a run due to bad weather, and now had a cancelled race.
LifeTime will notify the athletes within a day of what the plans will be regarding their registrations.
The 25th anniversary of the Boulder Peak did not go as planned, but we hope all those impacted by the fire stay safe, and that the fire is able to be contained soon. We’ll save the big party for next year.