Runners, bikers and kayakers are in their last month of training for Crofton’s Dam Race, set for July 30, 2022.
The race committee, comprised of local volunteers and leadership at the Lewis & Clark State Rec Area, is prepping for another record year with well over 100 registrants representing five states.
The Dam Race committee will also be introducing a new event this year: a kid’s triathlon!
The Crofton’s Dam Kids Triathlon, planned for Friday, July 29, 2022, will be an untimed fun course around the Crofton Swimming Pool. Kids ages 8 to 13 will run a half mile, bike 1 mile on gravel, and swim one lap around the pool. Each participant will receive a goody bag. The event will be sponsored by the Good Samaritan Society of Bloomfield.
Registration at the swimming pool parking lot will be prior to the kids’ race, Friday, July 29, 5:15-5:45 p.m. Parents or guardians will need to be at registration to sign a release form with their children. Race will begin at 6 p.m. The proceeds from registration will be donated to the Crofton Swimming Pool Fund.
This will mark the Dam Race’s fifth year hosting the region’s growing triathlon.
After an adjusted route last year because of road construction, racers will return to the original route of kayaking at Lewis & Clark Lake from the Weigand beach, running through the campground and biking into Crofton for a finish line celebration on Main Street in front of the Crofton Haymarket.
The partnership between Crofton’s Dam Race and the Lewis & Clark SRA runs deeper than just a hosting site.
The race committee has pledged to donate proceeds towards a walking/biking pedestrian trail in the Weigand and Burbach Area. “Having a partnership like this is one of many factors that make the park successful,” says Tyler Wulf, superintendent at Lewis & Clark State Recreation Area. “A trail of this type will be used by many and for generations to come.”
According to Heidi Marsh, one of the race directors, there’s a reason Crofton’s Dam Race continues to grow: “the more than 100 friendly volunteers, EMTs, fire and rescue, police and State Rec Area staff that provide water, safety along the roads, direction and delicious food!”
“I was introduced to the Park at the first Dam Race and fell in love with the area and the people,” says Martha Fagg, four-time race participant from Vermillion, S.D. “Our biking and kayaking group is mostly 50 and older and we look forward to returning to Crofton year after year.”
Crofton’s Dam Race includes three events: the main attraction is the triathlon that kicks off at the Lewis & Clark State Rec Area with a 1.5 mile kayak (instead of swimming); a 5k run; and a 12-mile bike ride. A half marathon and 12-mile bike ride were added to the line up a few years ago. The race already has well over 100 registered athletes representing five states. Registration closes at 5 p.m., July 29. Athletes can register at CroftonsDamRace.com.
Crofton’s Dam Race is hosted by a volunteer committee in coordination with the Lewis & Clark State Recreation Area (SRA) and Weigand Marina. Proceeds from the race will benefit a safe pedestrian trail in the SRA. For more details or to volunteer, call Johnnie Ostermeyer at (402) 508-0224 or Heidi Marsh (605) 660-4498 or visit CroftonsDamRace.com.