The race lived up to its name once again, attracting over 1,700 folks to the Parkway to compete amid thousands of recreational viewers on a normal hot (and dry) summer day in Sacramento where being beside the cool waters of the American River was the place to be.
An excerpt.
Triathlon makes splash as friends run, ride, paddle
More than 1,700 turn out for event that provides a test for some, a sunny play day for others.
By Todd Milbourn -- Bee Staff WriterPublished 12:01 am PDT Sunday, July 16, 2006
Bill Griffith and John Weed are among the more familiar faces at Eppie's Great Race.
The kayakers have participated in the annual event 31 times since it started in 1974.
And they've developed a sort of friendly rivalry: Both seek the right to say they've participated in the most races.
Griffith is 79, so the 53-year-old Weed figures he has an advantage.
"He keeps thinking I'm going to die off," said Griffith, a retired wildlife biologist from Sacramento. "But I can't let him get more races than me."
"Time is on my side," said Weed, a kayak instructor from Lotus who spends his winters kayaking around remote islands in Baja California. "But who knows? With my lifestyle, maybe I'll be the first to go."
Good-natured competition among friends is what Eppie's is all about.
On Saturday, more than 1,700 runners, paddlers and cyclists braved the heat to take part in what's billed as "The World's Oldest Triathlon." Named after retired Sacramento restaurateur Eppie Johnson, the race has grown to be one of the more popular events of its kind.
In the process, the race has raised more than $750,000 for Sacramento County Therapeutic Recreation Services.
Eppie's has three legs: a 5.82-mile run, a 12.5-mile bike ride and a 6.35-mile paddle.
Participants can tackle all three legs themselves or join a team to divide the labor.
The race starts at William B. Pond Recreation Area, winds its way around the parkway, and ends at Goethe Park.
