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Crystal Lake Training

When: Regular Season Tuesday training will be held every Tuesday evening beginning the last Tuesday in May and continuing through August weather permitting.

What: 0.5-Mile Open Water Swim in Crystal Lake
18-Mile Out & Back Bike Course
3-Mile Run Loop Around the Lake

Where: Crystal Cove; The swim starts at the lake below the parking area.

The cost will be $10 per member swimmer PER NIGHT if not pre-paid for the season.

Non-Members at $20 per swimmer PER NIGHT.

All swimmers must sign-in at the CDTC tables located on the beach and receive a CDTC SWIM wristband.

New: Swimmers will be allowed to start at one of two interval times this year: 6:00 pm or 6:30 pm. NOTE: No other start times will be permitted.

Lifeguards will be on the water from 6:00pm – 7:30pm each Tuesday, weather permitting.

As always, no pets are allowed on the beach and no swimmers less than 18 years of age.

Why: The Crystal Lake Training Series is the core of the CDTC triathlon activities and in-season workouts. It is a great opportunity to learn, practice, and refine your triathlon abilities, as well as meet other triathletes in the region.

Other: While certified lifeguards monitor the open water swim, you should be comfortable swimming a 1/2 mile swim before attempting this portion of the course. Swim caps are mandatory for the swim. Helmets are mandatory for all riders on the bike ride, and earphones are not permitted (bike and run).

The Tuesday training series is NOT a race. It is a training event for triathletes to practice their swim, bike, or run, as well as work on transitions (T1 and T2 are both located in the grass area at bottom of the hill by the lake). Athletes are welcome to choose which event to do – i.e. splash and dash, bike only, swim-then-bike, etc.

Weather Policy: Athlete safety is paramount. CDTC Weather policy is to make all weather calls lakeside and not before 6:00pm on a given Tuesday. Training will be delayed for 30 minutes from the last sited lightning or thunder heard. An evening’s training will be cancelled if it has not started by 7:00pm.

Directions to Crystal Cove: From Albany take I-90 east to exit 8 (Route 43). Take Route 43 east approximately 9.7 miles. Entering Averill Park you will come to a flashing yellow light and Citgo / Jiffy Mart on left. Make a sharp left turn onto county Route 45 (Old Route 66). Crystal Cove is .1 mile on your right. Please do not park St. Henry’s Church (across the street). Please do not park on Old Route 66.

Crystal Lake Tuesday Night Training Session Policies

Marked Course: 500 yard swim, 18.0 mile bike course, and 3.0 mile run

CDTC policies for the Tuesday night training sessions are based on the following principles:

  1. This is for TRAINING purposes only – this is not a race.
  2. Athletes of all skills and training levels participate – please respect your fellow club members.
  3. We are guests in the Crystal Lake area – please act appropriately.
  4. Our club meets Tuesdays only. The beach is not open to the general public any other time.
  5. This is for fun and exercise – we want you to have a good time but, to ensure everyone’s safety, we do need to follow specific safety guidelines.

SIGN-IN PROCESS

  1. All participants must register. There will be two tables:
    1. Those that prepaid for the swim ($100)
    2. Those paying for the swim that night ($10/night).
  2. At the registration table you will receive a wrist band for the swim (no wrist band, no swim)
  3. Do not park on any of the roads or St Henry’s Church.
  4. The swim training starts promptly at 6:00 pm – plan accordingly. We recommend that you arrive at the Lake around 5:30. Membership Table will be up and ready sooner.
  5. CDTC officers will be available – if you have any questions or need assistance please ask.

SWIM

  1. The swim portion of training begins at 6:00 PM. Brief safety announcements are made in the beginning.
  2. You will need a wrist band before you are allowed in the water.
  3. Swim Caps are required! The caps increase visibility for lifeguards. This is a USAT rule and the CDTC is a USAT club.
  4. No swimming allowed before or after practice.
  5. If you want to swim only a portion of the marked course, please let us know so the lifeguards will be aware.
  6. The course is marked the same as race course at 500 yards.
  7. The time allowed for the swim will be weather dependent. This will be discussed dockside. For evenings with good weather, please be out of the water and done before 7:30 PM. Lifeguards reserve the right to whistle swimmers back to shore based on safety measures and weather determinations.
  8. Due to weather conditions CDTC has the authority to cancel or limit the swim. The members of the CDTC board are triathletes and, although we love open water swimming, SAFETY is the first priority.

BIKE

  1. A certified bike helmet is required. No helmet no riding. If you forget your helmet, please ask if there is an extra one to borrow.
  2. You must follow the rules of road same as cars. The bike course is not a closed course – you must stop at stop signs, traffic lights, etc. This is not a race. The course is well marked.
  3. CAUTION: The section of Crystal Lake Road along lake- this is a narrow road, there will be bikers traveling in both directions, runners finishing up their run, as well as, local vehicular traffic. Please be careful. There is no racing on this road.
  4. There is no tandem riding and no drafting.
  5. The use of earphones, iPods, and other similar devices is prohibited. You need to hear traffic.
  6. We strongly recommend carrying some ID with you. A name and phone number written in your helmet is a good idea. Please consider having a cell phone packed in case you need to contact assistance.
  7. Use the buddy system and be sure to have at least one person who knows your estimated time of arrival at the transition area and has your phone number.

RUN

  1. The run is on local roads. Everyone must use the correct course. Do not run the course in reverse. Please stay on the shoulder. The course is well marked.
  2. Please run single file on the road as other cycling clubs, vehicles, and CDTC cyclists returning from training ride must share the road.
  3. As in the bike, the use of devices to listen to music is prohibited.
  4. Again, carrying a form of ID is recommended.

Other Important Notes

  1. Lock your valuables. The club is not responsible for lost or stolen items.
  2. You may need to shorten your ride or skip your run to complete the course before dark. A Brick workout from bike to run is not necessarily advisable on a weekly basis as it puts a strong toll on your body. Consider doing swim/bike or swim/run, and only doing all three every three weeks. This is an individual decision but be aware of impending twilight.
  3. Always be aware of your surroundings and traffic issues such as, sun in the eyes of oncoming vehicles.
  4. The owners of Crystal Lake have informed us that they DO NOT want children playing in the lake. Please do not bring your children for a swim in the lake. No exceptions.
  5. No pets are allowed. The owners of the lake have their own pets, and it is the directive from the property owners for no pets at the lake.
  6. If you are coming from work, there are bathrooms to use for changing your clothes.
  7. Weather decisions are made live on location. President and lifeguards will make the decision per regulations. If we have any connectivity in Averill Park, a Facebook announcement will be issued for a last minute cancellation. Use your best judgment. If the website does not have an update, assume the training session will be held. Triathlete’s will train in the rain, but not in lightening!
  8. Clean up after yourself. Please do not toss trash on the roads or transition area.
  9. Please speak to an officer if you have any questions or concerns related to Tuesday night training.
  10. For medical emergencies on the road, call 911 first if needed.

You signed and accepted a waiver when you joined the CDTC which means you need to make good choices: use proper equipment, wear identification, store cell phone on bike, refrain from using iPods (or similar devices), avoid unsafe practices, etc. For breakdowns, try to arrange for a friend to pick you up.

NOTE: ANY CHANGES TO THE TRAINING POLICY WILL BE POSTED ON THIS WEBPAGE.