SPRINGFIELD — For area triathletes, there’s one last chance to race close to home before winter sends everyone scurrying for the treadmills and stationary bikes.

The first-ever Tiger Tri will be held at 8 a.m. Oct. 22 at Wittenberg as part of homecoming weekend. Wittenberg has held a triathlon in the spring for faculty and students since 2000, but this is the first one that will be open to the public.

“A lot of people think triathletes are just for top athletes, but really anyone can do one if they train for it,” said the event’s organizer, Jade Gianakopoulos. “This is a great to start in the sport because they’ll be cycling on the bike path, and it’ll be a pool swim, as opposed to an open-water swim. It’s a good way to get their feet wet, no pun intended.”

The main sponsor of the event is Wittenberg alum Dr. Tim Kremchek and his practice, Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine. It costs $38 for individuals, $22 for students or persons with military ID or $64 per team.

The race includes a 400-meter pool swim at Wittenberg’s HPER Center, a 16-mile bike ride along the Buck Creek Trail out to Buck Creek State Park and back and a 3.2-mile run around campus.

“Our main goal for this triathlon was to raise scholarship money for Wittenberg and have a neat event for homecoming,” Gianakopoulos said. “We also wanted to attract as many first-time triathletes as possible.”

People can register for the race at Speedy-Feet.com or pick up registration forms at the Fitness Cellar, the Bike Stop or the National Trail Parks and Recreation Department.