2010 TriSports.com Desert Classic Duathlon Race Scheduled for February 28, 2010

Phoenix, AZ, 11/17/2009 - Co-race director, John Lierle, recently announced that McDowell Mountain Regional Park will host the 13^th annual TriSports.com Desert Classic Duathlon. The event, which consists of a 3.5 mile run, a 21 mile road bike course followed by a 2.7 mile run, will take place at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday February 28, 2010 at McDowell Mountain Regional Park located just north of Fountain Hills, AZ. Multi-sport athletes from all over North America will travel to the park, which is operated by the Maricopa County Parks system, to compete in the run/bike/run endurance event.

TriSports.com, the nation's largest on-line supplier of multi-sport equipment, clothing and accessories, will serve as the title sponsor for the 2010 event continuing a partnership that goes back to 2005. The event will also feature a Juniors Duathlon (ages 15-19) that consists of a 1.5 mile run, 11 mile bike and a 1.5 mile run as well as a Kids Duathlon (ages 7-14) consisting of a ½ mile run, 5 mile bike and ½ mile run.

Lierle described the course as “A unique duathlon venue that combines smooth trail runs with a challenging road bike course through the majestic sonoran desert.” “The Trisports.com Desert Classic Duathlon is a favorite of many professional triathletes who use the race as an early season test of their fitness.” said Lierle. “The race also draws a very strong field of top age-group athletes from across the U.S. looking for a warm weather destination where they can race and vacation.” Participants in the race have included IronMan 70.3 world champions Samantha McGlone & Joanna Zeiger, Olympic Gold Medalists Simon Whitfield & Kristin Armstrong & XTerra world champion Michael Tobin.

Participation in multi-sport events, like duathlon and triathlon, is booming in the United States. U.S.A. Triathlon, the national governing body for the sports of triathlon, duathlon, winter triathlon and aquathlon reports that membership has increased an average of 20% per year since 1997 with a 46% increase in 2006 alone.

The TriSports.com Desert Classic Duathlon raises money for education programs in the Maricopa County Parks system and is produced by the Phoenix Triathlon Club, whose members serve as the volunteers who put on the race.

TriSports.com, the events title sponsor, is a Tucson, AZ based company known as the online and retail triathlon shop, created for triathletes, by triathletes. TriSports.com carries the highest quality triathlon equipment, triathlon gear, triathlon apparel, and all of the hard to find necessities that every triathlete needs, including triathlon wetsuits, bike travel cases, aero race wheels, hydration systems, aero bars and triathlon-specific clothing.

For additional information on the TriSports.com Desert Classic Duathlon, contact Race Director John Lierle at RaceDirector@DesertClassicDuathlon.com or visit the race web site at www.DesertClassicDuathlon.com

To register for the race visit: http://desertclassicduathlon.com/regi st ration.html

The Phoenix Triathlon Club, which has produced the duathlon for ten years, is a 501(c)4 not for profit organization and one of the largest multi-sport clubs in the United States with a membership that ranks in the top 4% of U.S. triathlon clubs. The club is a growing community of friendly and cohesive triathletes whose members are motivated through pride and team spirit striving to provide excellence in member experience.