Go ahead, give it one more tri in '09

The final race in the TrySports Triathlon Development Series will take place at 7:30 a.m. this Sunday at the NOMAD Aquatic Center in Huntersville. It's a sprint tri -- 250 yards in the pool, 10 miles on a hilly bike course, then a hilly 5K.

According to the race site, a whopping 622 athletes are signed up, with 178 open spots remaining. Beneficiary is Garrett's Wings (details here), "a non-profit creating communities of comfort and non-medical care for families caring for a terminally-ill child." Registration is currently $75, plus $10 more if you're not a USAT member. The race tees are long-sleeved technical shirts.

There's also a pre-race pasta dinner at Harris Road Middle School that sounds pretty cool: It begins at 5 p.m. this Saturday, and features keynote speaker, Sheila Taormina, who won a gold medal in the 4x200 freestyle relay at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. She also competed in the 2000 and 2004 Olympic triathlons, and at the 2008 Beijing Games (in the modern pentathlon).

Proceeds from the dinner will benefit the Batten Disease Support & Research Association (details here). Cost is $15 in advance ($10 for ages 3-12) or $20 at the door. Pre-registration page is here. The pasta dinner is open to everyone, not just Take Flight athletes.

Also worth noting: Organizers are offering a "Race for Free" program for athletes willing to go the extra mile for Garrett's Wings -- here's how it works:

1. Sign up to fundraise by clicking here.
2. Raise a minimum of $150 to qualify for free entry; there are additional rewards for reaching greater fundraising goals.
3. If you don't already have a Set Up Events profile, create one here.
4. Send the following information to info@garrettswings.org: Set Up Events profile name, date of birth, and shirt size.

If you have already registered for the Take Flight Triathlon, or if you register but don't hit your fundraising goal until after Sunday, you'll gain free entry into the 2010 race.

I'll be there, so say "hey" if you see me...