Jailbreak Triathlon

Jailbreak Triathlon - September 19, 2026

Register Saturday, Sep 19, 2026 @ 8:30 AM

1419 New Hwy 7 Columbia , TN

An Adventure 20+ Years in the Making

This is an unconventional partner triathlon combining canoe, bike, and trail run — launching from the Duck River below the Maury County Jail and racing through Chickasaw Trace County Park.

Triathlon Format

Participants must compete with a partner of your choosing. If both partners want to do the full triathlon, then sign up as a TEAM: Partners should not stick together after the canoe portion; your finish times will be combined (added together) for finish results. Alternatively you may compete as a RELAY: Partners canoe together, then one person will continue on the bicycle while the running partner waits for the bicyclist to return. When the bicyclist finishes, he or she will tag the runner to begin the run course. Team and Relay partners will compete at the same time, but scoring results will be separate.

TRANSITIONS

At the end of the canoe, strip off the company provided life jacket and leave it in the canoe. Carry your personally owned life jackets and paddles to transition to prevent mix-ups with the canoe companies. Those who will be biking will run about 100 yards from the boat ramp to transition. Bikes will be laid on their side in a grass transition area. Bicyclists will return to the same area to tag their relay partner or begin the run.

Race Day Schedule

Check in at the Hanson Shelter at Chickasaw Trace Park, 1419 New Hwy 7, Columbia from 6:30 to 8:00 and then proceed with your vehicle to the river parking area at the end of the road. Put your bicycle in the transition box and then familiarize yourself with the flow from the river (takeout) to the transition box, and then the exit. We will begin shuttling participants at 8:30 from the transition box area. It takes multiple trips over 30 minutes to transport everyone. The start will begin between 9:15 and 9:30. There will be two heats with 7 minutes between starts. The timing system will adjust for the 7 minutes.

3.5 Miles on the Duck River

The canoe start will be near the Maury County Jail. The person in the back of the canoe hangs on to a rope that is strung across the river. Expect the canoe trip to take 40+ minutes. Participants will need to wear shoes, water shoes, or mountain bike shoes and expect them to get wet. Life jackets must be worn; the rental companies will provide them but personally owned jackets are allowed. Canoes Provided – No Personal Canoes Allowed. Two-person canoes from neighboring rental businesses are being provided as part of the entry fee. Paddles and life jackets are included. No personally owned canoes will be allowed for this event. Personally owned single-blade paddles and life jackets are allowed. Participants will need to carry the canoe (80 lbs.), along with their partner, down a hill to the river. Canoes and paddles will not all be identical. In fact, some canoes may be aluminum and others fiberglass or composite. Entrants must accept these differences as a condition of registering.

7.5 Mile Mountain Bike on Single Track

The bike course will be one loop of the Chickasaw Trace Park trails minus some of the more difficult sections. Reclamation of the landfill currently in place may shorten the course to 7.5-miles. It is almost all single-track trails in woods. There are plenty of technical (difficult and challenging) sections that remain. After two miles the course takes on several tough climbs. Participants must gain mountain bike experience on trails before racing. Beginners are welcome, but first-timers on trails may be pulled from the race. Passing is generally accomplished by the approaching rider announcing, “I need to get by when you can!” and the lead rider conceding and moving to one side as soon as room allows. Please don’t pull off and stop just to let someone pass. Helmets must be worn.

2.65 Mile Trail Run

The run section is on the flattest and easiest portion of the mountain bike trail for the most part. However, there are some terrain challenges and two hills. We do not expect bikes to be on the same trail portion at the same time as runners except for extremely slow canoeists, or as a backup plan if a trailer of canoes does not show. If this occurs we will instruct bicyclists to announce their approach and pass carefully on the left. Relay Runners: Expect to wait 40+ minutes for your partner to return from biking. You may get wet on the canoe trip, and so be prepared to stay warm with a towel or blanket or a change of clothes. Added in 2022 is an addition to the run course called the “Death Ditch.” In the event of rain or mud, runners will run next to the Death Ditch instead of running in the crevice.