Active Endurance Sports : Tags : st._anthony's

This weekend will be a big one for triathletes planning out their 2008 season as several big races open registration. Set your alarms on Saturday to snag a spot in St. Anthony's Triathlon, the Wildflower Triathlons Festival and the Escape From Alcatraz lottery. Then start the workweek off by registering for the Los Angeles Triathlon on Monday morning.

, April 25 through 27, kicks off many a triathlete's season in St. Petersburg, Florida. The race is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2008. It starts off on Friday with a fitness expo and the black-tie Medallion Gala. Saturday's Meek & Mighty Triathlon is actually two races: a 100-yard swim/3.6-mile bike/half-mile run tri for kids age 7 to 10, and a 200-yard swim/5.4-mile bike/1-mile run race for novice triathletes age 11 and over.

Sunday, April 27, is the Olympic-distance St. Anthony's Triathlon. Once named "Race of the Year" by USA Triathlon, St. Anthony's draws elite triathletes from all over the world competing for $60,000 in prizes ( Mike Reed, Greg Bennett, Craig Alexander and Chris McCormack rounded out the top four pro men in 2007; top-three women were Michelle Dillon, Sarah Haskins and Julie Dibens.) A great place to watch and learn.

There's also an elite amateur division for fleet-footed age groupers. Limited to 4,000 individuals and 100 relay teams, last year's event sold out in seven hours. Registration opens December 1 at 9 a.m. EST.

Read or share stories of past experiences at this message board post: ~~m-29932~~.

Also beginning registration on Saturday is the Wildflower Triathlons Festival. Featuring a 70.3-distance long course race, a sprint-distance mountain bike race and an Olympic-distance tri over three days in early May, Wildflower continues to be one of the most talked-about West coast races. Read Everyman Triathlete Roman Mica's race review (including need-to-know secrets) of the 2007 25th anniversary race here.

December 1 is also the day when lottery applications are available for the drawing to participate in the Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon. The notorious course starts with a plunge from a ferry into the waters off Alcatraz Island, then consists of a 1.5-mile swim, 1-mile run, 18-mile bike and 8-mile run, including the infamous 400-step Sand Ladder.

And on Monday, December 3, registration opens for the Los Angeles Triathlon. Featuring both Olympic and sprint-distance races, the event is part of the Life Time Fitness Series, which draws some of the best triathletes in the world.