Naval Special Warfare
SUPERFROG Triathlon XXXI
March 29, 2009

History of the SUPERFROG Triathlon

January 2008

The 30th annual Naval Special Warfare SUPERFROG Triathlon will be held on Sunday, April 6, 2008.  Designed by Navy SEALS, the SUPERFROG is the first and longest running half-IRONMAN distance triathlon.  Originally held on the beaches of Coronado and the roads of five south bay cities and later at the Naval Air Station at North Island and the Naval Amphibious Base, this SEAL Triathlon will now be held at the Silver Strand State Beach in Coronado, California.

To commemorate thirty years of SUPERFROG, we are introducing the SUPERSEAL, an Olympic distance triathlon.  Both SUPERFROG and SUPERSEAL will be under the race management of KOZ Enterprises.

Presented by Naval Special Warfare, the SUPERFROG is still considered one of the toughest medium-distance triathlons around.  The spring high surf is usually accompanied by unusually cold water.  Highway 75 is flat but a little windy in some sections.   SUPERFROG racers have been subjected to 100 degrees heat on the highway.   The run alternates between pavement and very soft sand.   All twenty-nine SUPERFROGs have been carefully monitored and supported by UDT-SEAL Association members and volunteers and officers and men of the Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) Training department from the Naval Special Warfare Center.

The SUPERFROG’s course is a traditional swim-bike-run event consisting of a 1.2 miles open ocean swim, a 56 miles bike course and a 13.1mile run.  However, combining the best of Tug's Tavern's Biathlon, the Horny Toad's Triterium and SEAL Team training, the SUPERFROG course now runs as follows:  Two 1000 yard open ocean swims separated by a two hundred yard run; Four 13.5 mile bike laps; Two 6.65 mile run laps.  This type of circuit-style racing allows for a central control point where start/finish lines, bike/run transition area, racer aid stations and spectators’ view are greatly enhanced.

The SUPERSEAL’s course runs as follows:  A 1.5 kilometer bay swim; A 40 kilometer Two lap bike ride; A 10 kilometer run.

The original idea of the SUPERFROG was two-fold:  The first was to prepare SEALS to do the IRONMAN Triathlon.  The second was to encourage the sport of triathlons in the SEAL Teams where physical training was multi-faceted and competitive spirit is high.  The SUPERFROG and SUPERSEAL is open to both military and civilian racers alike.  As in the past, the SUPERFROG will continue to invite athletes with disabilities to participate in the triathlon as individuals or in relay teams.

All proceeds of SUPERFROG and SUPERSEAL, less operating costs, directly benefits the Naval Special Warfare Foundation, a non-profit 501(c) organization.  The NSWF provides educational and motivational support, promotes health and welfare programs for the Naval Special Warfare Community, and perpetuates the history and heritage of the U.S. Naval Commandos.

Aloha,

P.L. “Moki” MARTIN
Race Director

“See you at the ’Frog!”