Like any event of similar size, the Back Mountain Triathlon is no coincidence.

To make it to Harveys Lake on Sunday morning, the men and women of the triathlon committee worked tirelessly to ensure this year’s race would be as successful for the community as last year’s debut.

It’s a lot of work, but ask around: it’s worth it.

“It’s a labor of love,” said Steve Taren, one of the triathlon’s founders and a member of the triathlon committee. “It takes an army of volunteers, and the committee is very dedicated.”

Last year, triathlon made a celebrated return to the region. The inaugural Back Mountain Triathlon picked up where the Wilkes-Barre Triathlon, last held in 2016, left off.

Several members of the race committee were veterans of the old Wilkes-Barre Triathlon. Most, but not all, have some form of experience participating in triathlons or similar races.

However, all committee members have one thing in common: a love of sport, a strong sense of community and a drive to help some of our region’s most outstanding athletes find a place to showcase their talent.

“Everyone is excited that it’s happening,” said Chris Kuhar, a committee member and participant. “You don’t want the sport you love to disappear. … I think this year will be even better.”

Formal planning for this year’s triathlon began sometime in December/January, but some of the organizers pointed out that they were already thinking about the 2024 race from the minute the last competitors crossed the finish line in 2023.

One of the most important changes to this year’s triathlon is the introduction of a new “sprint” course. Put simply, the sprint course splits the individual stages of the triathlon (swimming, cycling and running) in half, allowing for a shorter race that still offers plenty of intensity.

“It opens the door to new people,” said Andrea Butchko, the triathlon’s swim director. “Maybe you’re new to triathlon, maybe you’re a full-time parent, maybe you just came off an Ironman race.”

Butchko, a veteran of the Wilkes-Barre Triathlon, pointed out that the previous Wilkes-Barre event also featured a shortened distance race parallel to the Olympic triathlon and that including a sprint leg in this triathlon was a nice way to honor that history.

The actual course will be determined in 2023 and will remain unchanged this year. The Triathlon Committee is responsible for the logistics of securing the roads and trails around Harveys Lake to ensure the safety of participants.

Add to that the marketing of the race, the t-shirt designs, and setting up vendor booths for the local nonprofits involved so the community can see first-hand who benefits from the triathlon – that’s a lot of legwork.

What helps these volunteers is that they can build on the successful foundation of last year’s race.

“We learned (last year) that we can actually do it,” Taren said.

“This experience is tremendous. … We know what works and what doesn’t,” Butchko added.

Feedback from athletes and spectators has provided additional help to the committee in fine-tuning some things to ensure the best possible triathlon for everyone involved.

With only a few days left until the athletes converge at Harveys Lake, volunteers can take a moment to take it all in – and then, of course, prepare for 2025.

Just two years after the Back Mountain Triathlon was launched, the enthusiastic response from athletes and community members made the entire project a success.

“We have taken so many positives from these races,” said Taren. “It’s all worth it.”