Athletes will begin the swim at the regatta finish line in the Mercer County Park—home to the state capital and the nation’s fourth oldest university, Princeton University. Swimmers will keep buoys on their left for all but the last turn as they complete the one-loop rectangular course. The swim will take place in Mercer Lake, a man-made lake with a consistent depth of eight to 12 feet that is typically calm, and with temperatures in the low to mid 70 Fahrenheit range.
The one-loop bike course will start and finish at Mercer County Park. Athletes will make their way from the suburban park setting to the rolling countryside, and through the horse farms of rural Monmouth County. Mile one through eight is relatively flat, with the bulk of the course a mixture of flat with some rolling hills.
The two-loop run course will traverse paved jogging paths within the park. Athletes will run through nearby Mercer County College where they will run through the tree-lined center of campus before turning back onto the path connecting the college with the park. After the second lap, runners will finish in the brand-new event pavilion within Mercer County Park.