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Times Leader P.M. Update: Saturday, Feb. 20

Area runners, bikers and triathletes didn&rsquo;t have a very good year in 2020.
				It&rsquo;s not that they slacked off in training or saw their times balloon, but after March there really wasn&rsquo;t much of a chance to flex their competitive drives as the COVID-19 pandemic canceled most area events.
				The new year, however, is already shaping up to be much better as in-person events start to fill the calendar.
				The Wyoming Valley Striders have scheduled their annual Winter&rsquo;s end 4.5 Mile Run for March 21 and the Scranton Half Marathon announced last week that it would return on Nov. 7.
				And now area triathletes also have something to eagerly anticipate as the group behind the Strive Olympic Triathlon has announced that their race will return to an in-person event in July.
				&ldquo;We think people are starved for races right now,&rdquo; race organizer Dave Bass told the Times Leader. &ldquo;People are eager to do something.
				&ldquo;This will give them something to work toward.&rdquo;
				The race is scheduled for Sunday, July 25, at Beech Mountain Lakes in Drums. Registration is already open and costs $100 for an individual, $135 for a relay team and $100 for the aquabike competition.
				&ldquo;It seems by the time we get to late summer things are going to be a lot different,&rdquo; Bass said.
				Last year&rsquo;s triathlon was also scheduled for the last weekend in July but was canceled due to COVID. It was eventually run as a virtual race later in the summer. It would have been the fifth annual race.
				Bass cautioned there are still some hurdles to clear and some concessions will have to be made to the race due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
				One of those hurdles has already been cleared as Beech Mountain Lakes has already approved hosting the event.
				Due to COVID-19, Bass said, Saturday packet pickup will be eliminated and there will most likely be a limit to the number of participants in the race. Participants can also expect to see the race to start in more waves than usual to allow for social distancing.
				And there will also be fewer bikes per rack in the transition area &mdash; to allow for social distancing, of course.
				Even with all the changes to the event, Bass is hoping there is one thing he can keep the same for participants. He would like the race to have the same fun pre- and post-race atmosphere that the event has become know for.
				Bass, who described himself as more of a &ldquo;party planner&rdquo; than a race director, said he is keeping plans for the post race part &ldquo;up in the air,&rdquo; which will allow for flexibility.
				&ldquo;I always like to have fun stuff that you don&rsquo;t usually have at other triathlons,&rdquo; Bass said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s always my goal to bring that type of atmosphere. If not this year, then we can do it next.&rdquo;
				As for the race itself, it will still feature the same 1,500-meter swim, 22.5-mile bike portion and 6.2 mile run. The course will start in Beech Mountain Lake with its sandy beach transition to a relatively flat bike ride utilizing honey hole role and finish with a run that will be primarily a trail run through the woods.
				Participants can register for the event at <a href="https://tinyurl.com/1nq2e6kl" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">tinyurl.com/1nq2e6kl</a>
				Scranton Half Marathon
				While details are still scarce for the Scranton Half Marathon, organizers did announce on Wednesday that the race was moving to the fall and will be held on Nov. 7.
				The children&rsquo;s run, 5K and Doherty Double are all still scheduled to be held, but a Facebook post did warn that plans are subject to be modified if needed due to CDC guidelines.
				&ldquo;All registration dates, training programs, and other information will be announced as it is determined in the next few weeks and months,&rdquo; the post reads.
				The half marathon has been held every year since 2014.

‘People eager to do something’