Lake Meridian Triathlon
Kent, United States · August · Independent
Why people love it
- Choice of Olympic, sprint and 400 m (0.25 mi) super sprint at one lake.
- Wetsuits optional; August water is about 21 to 26 °C (70 to 79 °F).
- Boat rides to the finish are offered to slow swimmers.
- Race-morning packet pickup runs 5:45 to 6:45 am.
- Sea-Tac airport is 22 km (14 mi) away.
Watch out for
- The bike is open to traffic; crossing the centre line means disqualification.
- Sprint bike is about 26 km (16 mi), longer than standard, with a hill near mile 7 (11 km).
- Parking at the park is extremely limited from 5:30 am.
- Steep Soos Creek Trail climb back up near the finish.
- No bike aid on the sprint; Olympic has one station at mile 9 (14.5 km).
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: Tough
- Racer satisfactionLoved3.7
Local press in 2015 to 2017 was positive and a winner plans to return yearly; only one article quotes racers about the course. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.6
The organiser guide covers three pickup windows and staffed intersections; no athlete has reported problems or praise. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.1
Rolling open-traffic 40 km (25 mi) bike and a 1.5 km (0.93 mi) deep-water swim. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAverage3.3
Winners run about 2:00 to 2:06; hill near mile 7 (11 km). · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 16% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalCoin flip3.4
Organiser water: 70s F (21 to 26 °C (79 °F)) in August, near the 25.6 °C (78 °F) USA Triathlon limit in warm years; wetsuits optional. · Medium confidence
- Water temperatureComfortable4.0
August lake water about 21 to 26 °C (70 to 79 °F), called warm in 2017. · Medium confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm3.8
Sheltered lake with no current; 2017 water described as warm and conditions calm. · Low confidence
- Swim easeEasy3.5
Deep-water start about 50 m (55 yd) from shore, then a clockwise buoy loop. · Low confidence
- Swim experienceGreat3.5
Urban lake with deep-water waves; no athlete has described clarity or crowding. · Low confidence
- Swim supportGood3.8
Wave starts, a deep-water start and boat rides for slow swimmers, all from the organiser. · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 18% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceGood3.5
Wide shoulders per the organiser; surface quality is not described by athletes. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly open1.9
Course is open to traffic with police and volunteers at crossings; crossing the centre line means disqualification. · Medium confidence
- Bike sceneryPleasant3.2
Suburban Kent roads; not documented. · Low confidence
- WindMostly calm3.5
Not documented; lowland Puget Sound in August is usually calm. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedAverage3.3
Rolling, one big hill, open roads with crossings. · Low confidence
- Bike flatnessRolling3.2
Rolling, with a hill near mile 7 (11 km) and Lake Holm Road; gain is not published. · Low confidence
- Bike simplicitySome technical parts3.3
Out and back with a busy Kent-Kangley intersection. · Low confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportDecent3.1
Finish at the park; no spectator reports. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsStandard2.8
Olympic bike has one aid station at mile 9 (14.5 km); sprint bike has none. Run aid is not published. · Medium confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful3.5
Trail and neighbourhood roads. · Low confidence
- Run conditionsModerate3.3
About 95 percent paved, partly on open-road shoulders, with a steep trail climb back up near the finish. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessRolling3.2
Trail climb near the finish. · Low confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Air temperaturePleasant4.2
Mid-August mornings near 13 °C (55 °F) rising to 26 °C (79 °F); 2017 was described as cool and fast. · Low confidence
- Weather reliabilityReliable4.0
Pacific Northwest August is dry; 2016 June date was cloudy. · Low confidence
- Venue beautyLovely3.5
Lake with wooded shoreline and houses. · Low confidence
- Spectator friendlySome viewpoints3.4
Park and finish area, but parking is very limited and the bike is far out. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.7
About 110 m (360 ft) above sea level. · Medium confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood4.0
Kent and Covington hotels sit 5 to 12 km (3 to 7 mi) away; most come for the day. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueGood3.6
Suburban Seattle rates; not researched in depth. · Low confidence
- WalkabilitySome driving3.0
Transition, swim and finish share the park but parking is extremely limited and may mean a walk. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeVery easy4.5
Sea-Tac 22 km (14 mi) away. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.5
One park and race-morning pickup 5:45 to 6:45 am, but parking at the park is extremely limited. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodFine3.4
Suburban Kent. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Kent, Washington, United States
- Typical month
- August
- Latest or next date
- 15 August 2026
- Organiser
- Independent
- Field size
- About 520 athletes
- First held
- 2009
- Distances
- 1.5 km (0.9 mi) swim, 40 km (24.9 mi) bike, 10 km (6.2 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Lake Meridian, off Lake Meridian Park (lake)
- Water temperature
- 21–25 °C (70–77 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Optional (full or sleeveless allowed)
- Swim start
- deep-water start about 50 m (55 yd) from shore, staggered waves
- Bike laps
- 1
- Key climbs
- Hill near mile 7 (Olympic, 11 km); Rolling hills on Lake Holm Road
- Run laps
- 1
- Run shade
- Not documented
- Air temperature
- 13–26 °C (55–79 °F)
- Humidity
- Moderate
- Altitude
- 110 m (360 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA), 22 km (14 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Kent East Hill, Covington
- Booking
- Day-trip race. Kent and Covington hotels 5 to 12 km (3 to 7 mi) away.
What racers and reviewers say
- Kent ReporterRaced 2017 · article · Positive
Eighth edition drew more than 520 individuals and 20 relay teams. Comfortable weather and warm water. The Olympic men's winner, using it as an Ironman tune-up, said conditions were cool and fast but the hill late in the bike was tough; the women's winner said she plans to return every year.
“cool and fast”
- Kent ReporterRaced 2016 · article · Positive
About 380 athletes in 2016 across super sprint, sprint and Olympic on a cool, cloudy June morning (the race then ran in June). Results and photos only, no athlete comments.
- Kent ReporterRaced 2015 · article · Positive
About 350 athletes in the sixth year of the race, with three lengths on offer. Results list only; no course or condition detail.
- RunSignup athlete info (organiser page)Raced 2026 · article · Mixed
Organiser logistics, not athlete opinion but useful: parking at the park is extremely limited, the bike course is open to traffic with police at the busy Kent-Kangley intersection, and packet pickup is available on race morning.
Raced Lake Meridian Triathlon? Your notes on the course, conditions and logistics help the next athlete decide.
Sources
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