The Harvest Triathlon
Wareham, United States · June · Independent (Max Performance)
Course: 1.5 km (0.9 mi) swim, 31.4 km (19.5 mi) bike, 10 km (6.2 mi) run. 0.9 mi (1.45 km), 19.5 mi (31.4 km), 6.2 mi (10 km) from the organiser page; bike is about 9 km (5.6 mi) shorter than a standard 40 km (24.9 mi) Olympic.
Why people love it
- Calm spring-fed lake swim, 20 to 22 °C (68 to 72 °F), wetsuits optional
- Off-road trail run through cranberry bogs on packed dirt, no roots
- Quiet paved rural bike roads: 18.5 km (11.5 mi) sprint or 31.4 km (19.5 mi) Olympic
- Qualifier for the Massachusetts state championship from 2026
- BBQ and beer garden finish included in the entry fee
Watch out for
- The Olympic bike is 31.4 km (19.5 mi), not 40 km (24.9 mi)
- Phone signal on the bike course is poor, so carry a repair kit
- Sand and packed dirt on the run can feel slow underfoot
- Park in your assigned lot; you cannot leave until all cyclists finish
- Almost no personal race reports; evidence is organiser pages and two team recaps
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 30% of the overall score.
Toughness: Moderate
- Racer satisfactionLoved3.7
Two team recaps (2018, 2019) are positive: a sunny day that 'went spectacularly' and a good post-race lunch. No course feedback. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.6
Radio volunteers cover the poor phone signal on the bike, and recaps raise no problems. No detailed athlete feedback. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly3.5
0.9 mi (1.45 km) swim around an island and a 10 km (6.2 mi) trail run, but a gentle 31.4 km (19.5 mi) bike. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAverage3.3
Short 31.4 km (19.5 mi) bike but soft trail run and rolling out-and-back. · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 16% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalUsually4.0
68 to 72 °F (20 to 22 °C (72 °F)) typical with about half in wetsuits; USA Triathlon rule assumed (legal to 78 °F / 25.6 °C). · Low confidence
- Water temperatureComfortable4.4
Organiser quotes 20 to 22 °C (68 to 72 °F), and about half of athletes wear wetsuits. · Medium confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm4.3
Organiser calls it a calm swim in a spring-fed lake; no current in a small lake. · Low confidence
- Swim easeEasy3.8
0.9 mi (1.45 km) around an island; sighting around the island is the main challenge. · Low confidence
- Swim experienceGreat3.9
Spring-fed lake in cranberry bog country; no swimmer accounts of clarity. · Low confidence
- Swim supportGood3.5
Calm spring-fed lake. Safety cover is not described. · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 18% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceGood3.5
Organiser states 100 percent paved quiet rural roads; condition not described. · Medium confidence
- Road closuresPartly closed3.0
Quiet rural roads, but closure is not stated and the Olympic bike is a single out-and-back. · Low confidence
- Bike sceneryBeautiful3.8
Views of cranberry bogs on quiet rural roads per organiser. · Medium confidence
- WindSome wind3.2
Near-coastal Plymouth County with open bogs; not reported. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedAverage3.4
Quiet roads, out-and-back; short course. · Low confidence
- Bike flatnessRolling3.4
Rolling per organiser; 31.4 km (19.5 mi) total reduces climbing; gain unpublished. · Low confidence
- Bike simplicityMostly simple4.0
Single out-and-back loop on quiet roads; no technical sections reported. · Low confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportDecent2.8
Small trail course through bogs with limited spectator access; finish party with BBQ and beer garden. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsStandard3.3
Aid stations not described on pages read. · Low confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful4.2
Run goes through working cranberry bogs on a closed trail. · Medium confidence
- Run conditionsModerate3.4
Two 5 km (3.1 mi) loops on sand and dirt, little shade. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessMostly flat4.2
Flat bog trails, gain unpublished. · Low confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Air temperaturePleasant4.4
Early June, typically 13 to 24 °C (55 to 75 °F); the 2019 edition was sunny and warm. · Low confidence
- Weather reliabilityReliable3.6
Coastal New England June; organiser reserves the right to alter or cancel for safety; no cancellations found. · Low confidence
- Venue beautyLovely4.0
Working cranberry bogs, spring-fed lake and pine woods; the swim and run are both on the property. · Low confidence
- Spectator friendlySome viewpoints3.3
Venue road closes to cars at 7:30 am so spectators arrive early; bike is out and back, run in the bogs. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
About 9 m (30 ft), essentially sea level. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityBook early3.4
Wareham and Buzzards Bay have chain hotels; Cape gateway in June is busy. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.3
Organiser has a discount at TownePlace Suites; Cape-area prices not researched. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable3.7
Assigned parking lots on the property with swim, transition and finish at the same venue; one transition not explicitly confirmed. · Low confidence
- Travel easeOne connection3.0
Boston Logan about 88 km (55 mi) away; drive only. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.6
One venue with assigned parking, but you cannot leave until all cyclists finish. No athlete report on pickup. · Low confidence
- Town and foodFine3.0
Small town; finish BBQ and beer garden included in the entry. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Wareham, Massachusetts, United States
- Typical month
- June
- Latest or next date
- 7 June 2026
- Organiser
- Independent (Max Performance)
- First held
- 2017
- Distances (non-standard)
- 1.5 km (0.9 mi) swim, 31.4 km (19.5 mi) bike, 10 km (6.2 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Spring-fed lake on the A.D. Makepeace property, with a loop into Frogfoot Bog (Olympic swims around an island) (lake)
- Water temperature
- 20–22 °C (68–72 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Optional; about half of athletes wear one
- Swim start
- not stated on pages read
- Bike laps
- 1
- Run laps
- 2
- Run shade
- mixed, open bogs
- Air temperature
- 13–24 °C (55–75 °F)
- Humidity
- moderate
- Altitude
- 9 m (30 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Boston Logan (BOS), 88 km (55 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Wareham, Buzzards Bay, Plymouth
- Booking
- Organiser lists discounted rooms at TownePlace Suites Wareham Buzzards Bay (50 Rosebrook Place). Boston is about 55 mi (88 km) away; Providence (PVD) is a similar distance. Approximate.
What racers and reviewers say
- Medicine in Motion team recap (2019)Raced 2019 · blog · Positive
Boston charity team recap of the second annual Harvest Triathlon on 8 June 2019 with 25 team members. Weather was sunny and warm, the day 'went spectacularly', and the post-race lunch and beer garden let the team mingle. One athlete and one relay team finished first overall. Group recap, not a detailed course review.
- Medicine in Motion team page (2018)Raced 2018 · blog · Positive
2018 team page: only two of 33 medical-student participants had ever done a triathlon, and the group trained around heavy coursework. The race offered a shorter standard course and an Olympic option at twice the size. Shows the race works well as a first triathlon for groups.
- ARRL Eastern Massachusetts public service noticeRaced 2025 · article · Mixed
Volunteer call for about fifteen amateur radio operators for the 8 June 2025 race (about 7:30 am to noon) because the bike course has poor cellular coverage. Useful as a safety hint, with no race feedback.
Raced The Harvest Triathlon? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
Training for The Harvest Triathlon? Moku Coach builds your plan around race day.