Racing in Pinellas County, Florida

If you enjoy competing in running races and triathlons Pinellas County is the place to be.  Rarely if ever does a week go by when you can’t find a place to toe the line.  We host at least 10 triathlons within the county annually which take advantage of our calm clear gulf water and unsurpassed pristine beaches.   From the newly reopened Fred Howard Park in Tarpon Springs to Honeymoon Island in Dunedin, Sand Key Park in Clearwater and of course Fort De Soto at the southern most point of the county.

Pinellas County, which means “piney point” was named in 1911 after breaking off from neighboring Hillsborough County.  It is home to the famous Pinellas Trail.    34 miles of picturesque paved trail dissecting the county north to south.  Over 90,000 cyclists, runners, walkers and rollerbladers take advantage of this old railroad each month.  If that weren’t enough for our training needs, the lesser known trail hidden amongst the urbanized mess is the Ream Wilson Trail or “east to west trail”  which stretches from Clearwater Beach to Safety Harbor.   These trails complement the endless miles of bike lanes bordering many of our county roads.  Far more abundant than most counties we are more than fortunate to be able to ride safely along roads such as the 25 mile stretch of the beautiful Gulf Boulevard.  From Clearwater Beach across Sand Key Bridge along the barrier Islands over the John’s Pass Bridge through St Pete Beach and ending in quaint Pass-A-Grille Beach.

Every weekend, thousands of Pinellas County residents toe the line at races, from 5k’s to half marathons and triathlons.  We enjoy the sun which shows itself each and every day throughout the year regardless if a cooling shower pops in for a moment.   As common as the pelicans roaming the skies are athletes logging miles along the roads trails and beaches of beautiful Pinellas County.

TRAIN, RACE, REPEAT!