Memorial Day weekend brings back great memories of the Buffalo Trails Multisport Races in Maysville.
(Full disclosure: I was a member of the race committee and provided live coverage on WFTM radio.)
The races, hosted by the Maysville-Mason County Area Chamber of Commerce, started in 2001 with a duathlon. A triathlon, featuring a half-mile swim in the Ohio River was added in 2005.
Runners and walkers also competed in a 5K.
Athletes from throughout the United States came here for the races and they raved about the city and the race course.
In addition to the river swim, the course featured "Big Hiney Hill" on Tuckahoe Road and the homestretch on top of the levee.
There were dominating performances and multiple wins by Michelle Kitze of Kettering, Ohio and Paducah firefighter Barry Knight.
Maysville native Allison Poe won the 2007 and 2008 women's triathlons.
We were inspired by amputee Donna Crawford who was raising money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and Jenn Sommerman who was competing in 50 triathlons in all 50 states to fight ovarian cancer.
Some years the Buffalo Trails Triathlon was the Kentucky qualifying race for the Best of the U.S. Triathlon Series.
Race Director Mark Day, Chamber of Commerce Executive Directors John Carpenter and Vicki Steigleder, the chamber staff, the race committee, city workers, the police and sheriff's departments, sponsors and volunteers pulled it all together.
From 2001 through 2013, the races were held on the Saturday of the Memorial Day weekend. The 2014 races were held on September 13.
Declining participation led to the decision in January of 2015 to stop having the races.
Six years after the last races, the memories are still vivid.
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