Triathletes enjoy shorter version of Marble Falls event

MARBLE FALLS — Thanks to a sprint division, the Marble Falls Triathlon drew 470 athletes with 400 of them finishing, organizer Mario Gonzales said.

The triathlon was July 22 with the swim in Lake Marble Falls, the bike ride up U.S. 281 and Texas 71 and the run in Pecan Valley and through Johnson Park.

In 2007, the event drew 488 athletes, the largest on record. This year, Gonzales added a sprint division — consisting of running, biking and swimming routes that are half the distances of the full triathlon — attracting a large number of participants.

PHOTO 1: Tiffany Winters (left) and Caroline O’Connor are all smiles before the start of their swim, the first race of the Marble Falls Triathlon sprint division. Courtesy photo