Xterra Panther Creek
July 31, 2016
0.5 mile swim, 13 mile bike, 4.2 mile run
Results here
Great atmosphere at this event from Dirty Bird Events. Panther Creek State Park is a relatively remote park east of Knoxville, TN in Morristown, TN. The swim is a two lap course so you’re close to all the cheering fans! Well, any fans that you may have brought with you because this is a low key event that feels like family. Boat ramp entrance/exit from water, short jog on pavement to small transition area, and then off to a two lap bike course.
The two lap bike course was great for those of us that had not ridden the trails before – at least after the first lap, you knew what to expect. I found the bike fairly tough – can’t pinpoint exactly why as there were not any sustained climbs or major technical challenges. One section runs along a steep side of a hill. It’s narrow, and you do not want to fall left – it’s a long way down. Nothing like out west, but I made sure to focus on this section both times.
The 4.2 mile run was actually a nice course. Some single track, fields, wide paths, etc. We even ran next to a field with kids playing soccer – nice to run right along the action for a bit. One hill around mile 3.5 or so wore me out, and with the sun beating down … I decided to walk for 30 secs or so(doh!). Felt great to recharge, and I was off to the finish line for a 16th place overall finish.
