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TCKRA Martindale Triathlon
Saturday, October 31, 2026
The oldest triathlon in Texas? Maybe. The most unique? Definitely!
The Martindale Triathlon replaces the traditional swim with a 5.5-mile paddle down the beautiful San Marcos River.
Start
Shady Grove Campground 9515 FM 1979 Martindale, TX
Finish
Staples Bridge / FM 1977
RACE DAY AT A GLANCE
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31
6:30 AM
Shady Grove Campground opens
7:00 AM
Transition & packet pickup open
8:30 AM
MANDATORY SAFETY BRIEFING
9:00 AM
RACE START
12:30 PM
BIKE CUTOFF
You must be off your bike and into transition by 12:30 PM to continue to the paddle.
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
THIS IS NOT A CLOSED-COURSE EVENT
The run and bike courses are on roads that remain open to vehicle traffic.
Do not assume vehicles will see you or give you a wide berth. Stay alert and give yourself plenty of room.
HELMET REQUIRED
A bike helmet is mandatory for the entire bike portion.
PFD REQUIRED
A life jacket/PFD with a whistle attached must be in your boat.
Wearing your PFD is encouraged but not required.
ELECTRONIC WAIVER REQUIRED
All participants must electronically sign the event liability waiver. A waiver link will be emailed to registered competitors closer to race day.
Classes
Solo
Men's Open
Men's Masters 50+
Women's Open
Women's Masters 50+
You do not have to enter Masters 50+ if you would rather race Open.
Tandem
Two people share the race:
Person 1: Run
Person 2: Bike
Both: Paddle together in a 2-person boat
Tandem Classes
Men's Open
Men's Masters 50+
Women's Open
Women's Masters 50+
Mixed
Mixed Masters 50+
You do not have to enter Masters 50+ if you would rather race Open.
3-Person Relay
Three people share the race:
Person 1: Run
Person 2: Bike
Person 3: Paddle Solo
Relay Classes
Men's
Women's
Mixed
IMPORTANT DATES
T-SHIRT DEADLINE
12:00 PM (noon) — Thursday, October 15, 2026
This is the last day to register and guarantee a race T-shirt.
REGISTRATION CLOSES
11:59 PM — Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Registration is online only.
NO RACE-DAY REGISTRATION
There will be no in-person race registration on race day.
START & TRANSITION
Shady Grove Campground
9515 FM 1979
Martindale, TX
The campground opens at 6:30 AM.
Transition opens at 7:00 AM.
PACKET PICKUP
Packet pickup is Saturday morning in the bike transition area.
There is NO Friday evening packet pickup.
We will be setting up the course Friday evening, so thank you for your understanding.
Your assigned number will correspond with your spot in the bike transition area.
Your race packet will include your:
Race number
Bag(s)
T-shirt
Swag
The canoe staging area will be marked with caution tape. This area is unassigned, but a volunteer will be available to help you position your boat.
Position your boat with the stern toward the caution tape and the bow pointed toward the put-in.
LEG 1 — RUN
7 MILES
The run starts and finishes at:
Shady Grove Campground
9515 FM 1979
START TIME
9:00 AM
The run takes you through the Martindale area before returning to the campground for the bike transition.
RUN COURSE SAFETY
This is NOT a closed course.
There will be vehicle traffic on the roads. Please:
-
Stay alert
-
Give other runners plenty of space
-
Do not assume vehicles will give you a wide berth
-
Watch for volunteers and traffic at intersections
There will be a water station with:
-
Water
-
Gatorade
-
GU packets
-
Trash can
A Guadalupe County Sheriff's deputy will be stationed at the campground entrance, and volunteers will be positioned at several corners along the run course.
And yes, there may be photographers.
Please smile! 📸
Leg 2 - Bike
22 MILES • TWO LOOPS
BIKE CUTOFF: 12:30 PM
You must be off your bike and into the transition area by 12:30 PM to continue to the paddle.
NO EXCEPTIONS.
The bike course is approximately 22 miles total and consists of TWO LOOPS.
BIKE ROUTE
From the transition area:
-
Turn right onto FM 1979
-
Cross the bridge
-
Turn right onto FM 103 / E. River Road
-
Continue to FM 1977
-
Turn right onto FM 1977
-
Cross the river and continue toward Staples
-
Turn right onto FM 621
-
Continue to FM 1979
-
Turn right onto FM 1979
-
Return to Shady Grove Campground
THEN DO IT AGAIN.
TWO LOOPS = 22 MILES
BIKE SAFETY
The bike course is NOT closed to traffic.
A bike helmet is MANDATORY.
Volunteers will be present on FM 1979 and at course intersections to assist racers.
A police officer will be present to alert vehicles to slow down, but you are still responsible for watching for traffic and riding safely.
RETURNING TO TRANSITION
After completing your second loop, DISMOUNT BEFORE THE DRIVEWAY.
Walk your bike into the transition area.
There will be racers, spectators and volunteers moving around the transition area, so please be aware of your surroundings.
LEG 3 — PADDLE
5.5 MILES • SAN MARCOS RIVER
The paddle begins at the boat staging area at Shady Grove Campground and finishes at Staples Bridge / FM 1977.
GETTING TO THE PUT-IN
After completing the bike:
Run from the bike transition area to the boat holding area and follow the signs to the put-in.
PFD / LIFE JACKET RULE
Per the event's insurance requirements:
A life jacket/PFD must be in your boat with a whistle attached (we have extra whistles if needed).
There are no exceptions to this rule.
ON THE RIVER
Approximately ½ mile downstream you will encounter Tekin's Rapids.
FINISH — STAPLES BRIDGE
Staples Bridge on FM 1977 is the finish line.
The river exit is on river left near the house just past the bridge.
DO NOT GO OVER THE DAM.
If you rented a boat, leave the:
-
Boat
-
PFD/life jacket
-
Paddles
at the designated finish area.
And yes...
Please smile for the photographer! 📸
PARKING
START / TRANSITION — SHADY GROVE CAMPGROUND
Please park near the pavilion or campground office.
The campground asks that racers be courteous to campers and avoid blocking driveways and do not park in campsites.
There will be a lot of activity around transition, including racers, spectators and volunteers.
Please watch for people and vehicles.
FINISH LINE PARKING
STAPLES BRIDGE / FM 1977
Please park on either side of the road on the northeast side of the bridge.
IMPORTANT
The parking lot at the boat take-out is for LOADING ONLY.
Please do not use the take-out parking lot as general race parking.
SHUTTLE INFORMATION
Ideally, competitors are responsible for arranging their own transportation from the finish line.
We are working on providing a shuttle, but there will be a limited number of spots.
Shuttle details will be updated here once they are finalized.
If you are able to arrange your own transportation, please do so.
NEED TO RENT A BOAT?
Boat rentals are available through Texas Canoe and Kayak Rental.
Available boats include:
Recreational sit-on-top kayaks
Recreational canoes
RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED
Contact Holly directly before the event:
512-749-2350
Rental boats will be:
Dropped off: Friday evening in the boat staging area at the start
Picked up: At the finish line in Staples after the race
CAMPING
Camping is available at Shady Grove Campground.
To reserve a campsite, contact Shady Grove directly:
512-357-6113
FOOD & AWARDS
After the race, come back to Shady Grove Campground for food and awards.
MEAL
We'll have a meal at the pavilion.
Seating is limited, so bring a chair if you can!
EVERYONE GETS A MEDAL!
Every participant receives a finisher medal.
Don't leave without yours!
TROPHIES
1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each category receive trophies.
Once the majority of racers have finished and our timing team has completed the results, we'll gather for the awards ceremony.
Cara's Candy Corn Costume Contest
Get festive and join the fun! We’ll have prizes for Best Racer Costume, Best Kids Costume, Best Volunteer Costume, and Best Dressed Overall. Racers: costumes must be safe and not interfere with paddling, biking, running, or safety. Just show up in costume to participate!
RACE-DAY CHECKLIST
☐ Race clothes & shoes
☐ Bike
☐ Bike helmet
☐ Paddle/boat, or rental reservation
☐ PFD/life jacket
☐ Water/hydration
☐ Any personal nutrition you need
☐ Chair for the awards/meal area
☐ Transportation plan from the finish
☐ Completed electronic waiver
MORE ABOUT THE MARTINDALE TRIATHLON
The Martindale Triathlon is a unique Texas tradition.
Now in its 48th year, the event combines three very different ways to move through the Martindale area:
RUN → BIKE → PADDLE
The 7-mile run travels through the Martindale area, followed by a 22-mile paved-road bike course. The final leg replaces the traditional triathlon swim with a 5.5-mile paddle down the San Marcos River.
Whether you're racing solo, teaming up with a partner, or putting together a three-person relay, the Martindale Tri is a race unlike any other.
QUESTIONS?
For race-specific questions, please contact the Martindale Triathlon race director.
Patty Geisinger
pattyjoeg55@gmail.com
THANK YOU TO OUR 2026 SPONSORS!
We appreciate the businesses and organizations that help make the Martindale Triathlon possible.
Here's a link to sponsor us.