Christus St. Michael To Host 20th Running of Four States Triathlon April 28

In an effort to promote health and fitness, CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System will host the annual Four States Triathlon on April 28 at 8 a.m. at Bringle Lake.

“The Four States Triathlon, for 19 years, had been one of the premier sprint triathlons in the four states area,” said Mike Riley, CHRISTUS St. Michael Health & Fitness Center Manager. “Unfortunately, for two years in a row, the Four States Triathlon fell victim to local flooding and racecourse (road) damage. As a result, race organizers had no other choice than to cancel the event.”

According to the Press Release, in early 2018, members of TEAM Texarkana began to search for another race venue. After multiple meetings with Texarkana Texas City leaders, permission was granted to look at hosting the triathlon at Bringle Lake in Texarkana. This year the race will be at Bringle Lake, the ideal outdoor venue for sports and recreation, located across from University Avenue and Texas A&M –Texarkana.

Bringle Lake, a fresh water lake, was once the city of Texarkana’s primary water source. Today it serves as a beautiful recreation area with two parks, walking/ jogging/ mountain bike trails and a golf course on its shores. The lake is open to fishing, canoeing and kayaking as well.

“Now, after two years without a triathlon in Texarkana, TX, the Four States Triathlon returns,” said Riley. “Not only is it back, it is back with a new race venue – Bringle Lake. The 2019 Four States Triathlon is slated for April 28, 2019. Yes, the water will be cold and the swim will, in all likelihood, be wet suit legal. And the event is USAT Sanctioned. We maintain a consistent number of around 150 individuals and eight to 10 teams,” said Riley. “Our impact is extensive because we welcome people from other communities, cities and states.”

The race course is similar in distance as the previous year’s course, consisting of a 600-yard swim, a 14-mile bike (mostly flat, loop course) and a 3-mile run; each team will have one swimmer, one bicyclist, and one runner competing in one sport. As in past years, the Four States hosts a great post-race feed, music and door prizes.

Although the purpose of the triathlon is to encourage healthy living and active lifestyles, individuals and families can also enjoy food and entertainment while testing their athletic endurance. However, it is not only intended for advanced runners.

“This is a racer-friendly course also designed for beginners,” said Riley. “To our loyal triathlete base, we are excited to welcome you back. To those new to triathlon, there is no better place to experience your first triathlon than in Texarkana, USA!”

Anyone interested in participating can register through the CHRISTUS St. Michael Health & Fitness Center website. Registration is $75 with an additional $4.50 sign up fee and increases starting April 21 to $90 with an additional $5.40 sign up fee.