Pleasants Landing Triathlon.
For many athletes the Olympic race at the Pleasants Landing Triathlon is the last open-water race of the season: a swim in the unusually warm southeastern part of Lake Anna, two rolling bike laps around the lake and a run of two out-and-back laps. Its October date makes it a race of cool mornings and a relaxed finish by the water.
Pleasants Landing Triathlon 2027: Course, Elevation & Route Profile
The race starts at Pleasants Landing Marina. The water here lies about a quarter mile from where the warm side of Lake Anna empties into the cold side, and the organiser says it runs four to six degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the rest of the lake, typically in the mid to upper 70s °F in mid-October. The in-water start sits beside the peninsula, so friends and family can follow their athlete from the shore, and the time-trial start sends two athletes off every few seconds.
After transition come two laps on open, well-paved country roads around and across the lake, with no aid, and then 10 km on an out-and-back run twice through woods, over gravel and along a quiet road by the South Anna River. The finish is on the peninsula, surrounded by water with a view to the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Kinetic Multisports runs the race as a USA Triathlon sanctioned event, and it sold out last year. Parking is tight, and the organiser asks athletes to carpool.
+280 m
+102 m
Bike course
38.62 km · +280 m| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
Run course
10 km · +102 m| Start | Length | Ø | Max. | Gain | Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| km 2.1 | 0.3 km | 3.7 % | 4.8 % | +11 m | — |
| km 3.5 | 0.4 km | 3.9 % | 7 % | +16 m | — |
| km 6.5 | 0.3 km | 3.5 % | 4.8 % | +11 m | — |
| km 8 | 0.4 km | 3.8 % | 7.1 % | +16 m | — |
Climb categories follow the road-cycling convention and rate the terrain itself (length and gradient) regardless of sport: Cat. 4 marks the easiest rated climbs, Cat. 1 the hardest, and HC (hors catégorie, “beyond categorization”) is reserved for the most brutal ascents. Short climbs below the Cat. 4 threshold stay unrated.
How to pace Pleasants Landing Triathlon.
Settle into the race
The swim is no place for a hard start: the time-trial format spreads the field, and if you line up in the right spot you can swim your own rhythm from the first stroke. With water temperatures close to the 78 °F wetsuit cut-off, it pays to be ready for either option.
Spread the effort
The bike sets up the race. Treat the first lap as the place for restraint and drinking, since there is no aid on course; the second lap should be as fast as the first, not faster.
Finish strong
The race is decided on the second run lap. If you can still hold pace on the climbs out of the dips there, you paced bike and run correctly. The typical trap is the cool October morning, which makes too high a pace on the bike feel easy.
Training plan for Pleasants Landing Triathlon: 12-week build
Build all three disciplines
Age-group athletes usually take two and a half to three and a half hours for the Olympic distance here. The effort is mostly steady and aerobic, with many short rollers on bike and run but no long climbs.
Brick sessions
For the swim, open-water sessions with buoy sighting belong in the preparation, both in a wetsuit and without, since the decision is only made on race morning.
Practise transitions
The core session is the long brick: 60 to 90 minutes on rolling terrain with capped power on the short rises, followed by 20 to 30 minutes at race pace with a turnaround. That rehearses exactly the sequence that counts here.
Arrive fresh
The October date needs its own planning: choose clothing for a cool morning and for the step from warm water into fresh air, and rehearse your drinking plan with no aid on the bike.
Courses
Download each leg of Pleasants Landing Triathlon as its own GPX file for your watch or bike computer.
Let YOUB adapt your plan for Pleasants Landing Triathlon dynamically
Ben connects your goal, the course, current load, recovery, and calendar. Your plan stays pointed at race day even when real life is not perfectly plannable.
Everything about Pleasants Landing Triathlon.
How long is Pleasants Landing Triathlon?
Pleasants Landing Triathlon is 50.12 km long. That distance shapes how much aerobic endurance, pace durability, and race-specific work belong in the training plan.
What is the profile of the bike course at Pleasants Landing Triathlon?
The bike course at Pleasants Landing Triathlon is classified as Flat, averaging 7.3 vertical metres per kilometre. 44% of the route is flat, 29% climbs moderately (2 to 6%) and 0% is steeper than 6%.
Is there a GPX file for the Pleasants Landing Triathlon course?
Yes. Each leg of Pleasants Landing Triathlon is on this page as its own free GPX download — ready to import into Garmin, Wahoo, Komoot, Strava or any other app that reads GPX.
How should I prepare for Pleasants Landing Triathlon?
Preparation for Pleasants Landing Triathlon should account for 50.12 km, current training load, and available training time. An adaptive plan helps place key sessions without ignoring recovery and real life.
What pacing strategy works for Pleasants Landing Triathlon?
The pacing strategy for Pleasants Landing Triathlon should reflect 50.12 km and your current fitness. Start controlled and keep margin for sections where the profile or fatigue makes target pace harder.
When does Pleasants Landing Triathlon take place?
Pleasants Landing Triathlon takes place on October 9, 2027.
Where does Pleasants Landing Triathlon take place?
Pleasants Landing Triathlon takes place in Bumpass, United States.
Which distances does Pleasants Landing Triathlon offer?
Pleasants Landing Triathlon offers 6 distances — Pleasants Landing Olympic Triathlon: 50.12 km; Pleasants Landing Olympic Aquabike: 40.12 km; Pleasants Landing Olympic Triathlon Relay: 50.12 km; Pleasants Landing Sprint Triathlon: 25.38 km; Pleasants Landing Sprint Aquabike: 20.38 km; Pleasants Landing Sprint Triathlon Relay: 25.38 km.
How do I register for Pleasants Landing Triathlon?
Registration runs through the organiser: kineticmultisports.com. YOUB shows you the course, elevation profile and training plan for your preparation.
