Athletes Prepare For Final Eppie's Great Race

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Trademarked as the "world's first triathlon," the 45th and final Eppie's Great Race will be run on Saturday.

Sacramento restauranteur Eppie Johnson founded the race in 1974. Johnson's children, George and Lisa, decided to end the Sacramento tradition on its 45th anniversary to preserve its strong legacy and prevent it from fizzling away.

Eppie's Great Race is a kayak, bike, run triathlon along the American River Parkway that started in 1974.

The shocking announcement that it was ending led to a record number of competitors in the final race. More than 2,100 people will take part in the race, double the number from the previous year.

Start time is at 8 a.m. at William Pond Park.

People picked up their race packets for the final time Friday. Mike Anderson is a first-time Eppie's contestant.

"Sad to see it go away, but I'm glad I can do it, you know," Anderson said.

Anderson wanted to race in the final run for family tradition.

"Yeah so my grandfather, he competed in the early Eppies Great Races and my grandma's 92 so she's gonna be there watching.

There are also the great veterans and rivals arriving for the final race.
John Weed and Charles Albright have competed in Eppies Great Races for decades.

"It's been a really fun part of my life for the past 40 years," Weed said.

Albright. set the fastest time record in 1993 —which still stands today.

"Got lucky— it was amazing standing around the finish line waiting for someone else to show up," Albright said.

The trademark "world's first triathlon" is still good.

For Eppie's Great Race, this is goodbye.