Lake Zurich Triathlon (ET Lake Zurich Triathlon)
Lake Zurich, United States · July · 10xEM LLC
Course: 0.8 km (0.5 mi) swim, 22 km (13.7 mi) bike, 5 km (3.1 mi) run. 2025/2026 listing: 750 m (0.47 mi) swim, 22 km (13.7 mi) bike, 5 km (3.1 mi) run. The 2022 listing gave a 0.25 mi (400 m) swim and 12.4 mi (20 km) bike. Distances inconsistent across sources.
Why people love it
- Swim, transition and finish are all at Paulus Park beach on Lake Zurich
- Run is a lake loop: 5 km (3.1 mi) once or 10 km (6.2 mi) twice
- Bike is over 80% closed to traffic, per the organiser
- Clean lake and mostly shaded run, per a 2017 racer
- Both Olympic 1.5 km (0.93 mi) and sprint are offered
Watch out for
- Revived in 2025 under a new organiser; most athlete reports are 8 to 20 years old
- Time-trial swim start was congested in a sprint review
- In 2017 sprint and Olympic racers overlapped on the bike, and aid was thin on lap two
- Sprint distances differ between listings: 20 km (12.4 mi) or 22 km (13.7 mi) bike
- No race reports from 2025 or 2026 were found
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 satisfactionLoved3.5
Reports from 2005 to 2017 call it well run and worth doing, but cover earlier organisers. Nobody has written about the revived 2025 race. · Low confidence
- OrganizationWell run3.5
Older reports praise transition but note weak run marking and thin aid in 2017. The 2025 organiser is new and untested in reviews. · Low confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly3.6
750 m (0.47 mi) swim loop, 22 km (13.7 mi) bike, 5 km (3.1 mi) run; congested start and hilly bike per one reviewer. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAverage3.3
Rolling bike and a lake-loop run; time-trial start slows the swim. · Low confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 16% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalCoin flip3.0
A 2005 report had 25 °C (77 °F) July water, near the USA Triathlon limit of 25.6 °C (78 °F). A coin flip. · Low confidence
- Water temperatureComfortable3.8
2005 report: 77 °F (25 °C) in July; clean lake per 2017. · Low confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm4.3
Sheltered inland lake; sun glare rather than chop was the issue in 2017. · Low confidence
- Swim easeEasy3.5
750 m (0.47 mi) single loop; congested start. · Low confidence
- Swim experienceGreat3.6
Clean lake with a beach start; 2017 reviewer liked the swim; weeds debated. · Low confidence
- Swim supportStandard3.4
Inland lake with a time-trial start; no support detail found. · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 18% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceGood3.6
Good pavement in 2017; one rough stretch of Old McHenry Road recalled in 2007. · Low confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed3.8
The organiser says over 80% of the bike course is closed to traffic; a 2017 reviewer found it closed. · Low confidence
- Bike sceneryPleasant3.4
Suburban lake roads, not described as scenic by anyone who raced it. · Low confidence
- WindMostly calm3.5
Light winds in 2005; inland suburban roads. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedAverage3.4
Rolling; overlap with Olympic athletes. · Low confidence
- Bike flatnessRolling3.4
Likely about 130 m (430 ft) over 22 km (13.7 mi). · Low confidence
- Bike simplicityMostly simple3.6
Sweeping turns per 2017; two-loop route with overlapping fields. · Low confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportDecent3.4
Loop around the lake through neighbourhoods with some spectators near the park. Lightly documented. · Low confidence
- Aid stationsStandard3.1
A 2017 reviewer found the first aid station next to transition and thin stocking on lap two. That was under an earlier organiser. · Low confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful4.2
BibRave reviewer called the run beautiful: a full loop around the lake. · Low confidence
- Run conditionsEasy3.6
One shaded loop around the lake. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessMostly flat4.0
Estimate 15 m (50 ft) over 5 km (3.1 mi). · Low confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Air temperaturePleasant3.5
Mid-July in the Chicago suburbs is likely 18 to 30 °C (64 to 86 °F) from early morning to midday. · Low confidence
- Weather reliabilityReliable3.5
Summer thunderstorms possible; no cancellations found. · Low confidence
- Venue beautyLovely4.0
Paulus Park beach and Lakefront Promenade; BibRave reviewer: beautiful location. · Low confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy3.8
Compact park venue with the swim, transition and loop-run in view. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
About 270 m (885 ft), effectively sea-level performance. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 10% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood4.0
Large Chicago suburb market within 15 km (9 mi); not race-specific. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueGood3.6
Suburban weekday-to-weekend pricing; no race data. · Low confidence
- WalkabilitySome driving3.0
Day-trip drive to Paulus Park with parking nearby; limited detail. · Low confidence
- Travel easeEasy4.3
About 35 km (22 mi) from O'Hare Airport. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.4
One venue and easy parking in 2017. Packet pickup options for the current organiser are not confirmed. · Low confidence
- Town and foodGood3.6
Small lakefront town centre with a promenade; not researched in detail. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Lake Zurich, Illinois, United States
- Typical month
- July
- Latest or next date
- 11 July 2027
- Organiser
- 10xEM LLC
- Field size
- About 800 athletes
- Distances (non-standard)
- 0.8 km (0.5 mi) swim, 22 km (13.7 mi) bike, 5 km (3.1 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Paulus Park beach, Lake Zurich (lake)
- Water temperature
- 24–26 °C (75–79 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Usually not needed in July (USA Triathlon: legal up to 25.6 C / 78 F); 2005 report: 77 F (25 C)
- Swim start
- self-seeded time-trial style start from the beach, one counter-clockwise triangle loop (as listed in 2022)
- Swim laps
- 1
- Bike laps
- 1
- Key climbs
- Rollers on Fairfield Road
- Run laps
- 1
- Run shade
- Mostly shaded per 2017 reviewer
- Air temperature
- 18–30 °C (64–86 °F)
- Humidity
- Moderate to high
- Altitude
- 270 m (885 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Chicago O'Hare (ORD), 35 km (22 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Lake Zurich, Barrington, Arlington Heights
- Booking
- Suburban Chicago hotels plentiful within 15 km (9 mi); small town centre has few rooms.
What racers and reviewers say
- BibRave: ET Lake Zurich Triathlon review (sprint)aggregator · Positive
One sprint reviewer found the self-seeded swim start congested, the bike hilly and hard, the run a beautiful loop around the lake and traffic slow getting into parking. Overall well run in a beautiful location. The page is no longer online.
Raced Lake Zurich Triathlon (ET Lake Zurich 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 Lake Zurich Triathlon (ET Lake Zurich Triathlon)? Moku Coach builds your plan around race day.