Being a small town, there aren't a lot of options for hotels.  We don't have any "Name Brand - Chain Name" Hotels in Sullivan. 

Having the race later in the day, I am always hoping people can make it (for the most part) over without having to stay if they don't want to.  But I know lots of people want to make a weekend of it anyways, or have kids in the youth race, etc.  So I'll give you the options I know about here close to town, and let you know your best options that aren't close to here, either.

Below is a list of places from our Chamber of Commerce Website.  I can't give good advice on some of the places listed below, because I've either 1) not stayed there or 2) not heard anything good/bad one way or another about them.

The Gateway Inn is the local hotel.  It is a plain, basic hotel.  I have never been in one of their rooms.  A lot of people stay there when they have fishing tournaments at Lake Shelbyville by here.  It is always packed on the weekends in the summer, so I can't imagine that it is too horrible of a place to stay. But if you are looking for somewhere FANCY to stay, or somewhere you've heard of before, this isn't it.

The Harrison Street Inn is an older 2 story house that our local optometrist turned into an Overnight place.  I've been in 2 of their rooms before.  They are pretty nice.  It should be really clean.  And I don't think it's too expensive, but I can't be sure of the price.

There are a lot of campgrounds around here because of the lake and the State Parks we have around here.  I think some of the places listed below are campground-type places.  But I don't know ANYTHING about any of the other places listed, so please don't take it out on me if you go there and don't like it!

The Okaw Valley Orchard Inn is probably 5-10 minutes away. 

Other than those places listed below, the closest places that I'm aware of with REAL hotels are:

Mattoon, if coming from the East, off  the Interstate.  They are 18-25 minutes away, depending on which side of Mattoon you are on.

Tuscola, if coming from the Chicago Area (but Tuscola is still about 40 minutes away)

Effingham, if coming from the South (but that is 35-40 minutes away)

Decatur, if coming from the North-West (but that is 30-45 minutes away, depending on which side of Decatur you are coming from)

Gateway Inn
1320 S. Hamilton St., Sullivan
217-728-4314
Contact: Jay & Rekha
Year-round
Locally owned motel. Color Cable TV, Microwave and fridge in each room, Adjacent to Pizza Hut & Red Apple Restaurant

Harrison Street Inn
214 E. Harrison St., Sullivan
217-728-4550 or 217-520-1467
Contact: Timmy Valentine & John Stephens
Year-round
www.theharrisonstreetinn.com

Coyote Cabins
R.R.#1, Sullivan
866-270-6342
Contact: Jackie Cisna
www.coyotecabins.com

Firefly Lodge
Owner: Kathy Chambers
R.R. #3, Sullivan, IL 61951
310-713-1399
www.fireflylodgeil.com

Okaw Valley Ochard Inn
Owners Mike and Jennifer Mitchell
RR.2 Box 124Sullivan, IL. 61951
217-728-4093
jennifer@okawvalleyorchard.com
www.okawvalleyorchardinn.com

Sullivan Marina & Campground
RR 3, Box 289, Sullivan
217-728-7338
Contact: Dennis Fayhee
Website

The Krowe's Nest
George & Lynn Krohn
Located by Wilbourn Creek
217 864-2893

FAQ

Is this a sancioned event?

Will this race fill up? Do I need to regsiter early?

Can I get a refund of my entry fee?

Can I transfer my entry to somebody else if I can't make it to the race?

Why do I need to give you an estimated swim time?

How does the pool swim work?

Are there water/aid stations?

Which age group or division will I be in?

What's the weather like?

What type of timing system do you use?

Can I bring my own chip?

Should I bring my family to watch?

Where should I park? How soon should I show up for the race?

How does the transition aera work? Where do I put my bike?

What about hotels/lodging?

Am I required to have fun?

Answers to the FAQ

Is this a sancioned event?

No. We aren't sanctioned by USAT. There are a number of reasons for this, most of which you probably don't really care about. But if you want to discuss this more, I'd be happy to give you my thoughts on the matter...

Will this race fill up? Do I need to regsiter early?

We only allow 300 people to register, because we have a limited amount of room, and for safety reasons.
The last 2 years we've had to stop registration in March because we met our limit of 300... So you may want to think about registering before then, because there were an awful lot of people calling and begging to get in the race in April, and they missed out.

Can I get a refund of my entry fee?

This year we are not refunding entry fees for people that can't come. I used to be able to do this for injuries or other things that came up, but we have too many people registering now to handle refunds. If you register and are unable to come, see about transferring your entry to somebody else. (See below...)

Can I transfer my entry to somebody else if I can't make it to the race?

Yes. But let me know ASAP so we can get the registrations switched around. . So if you get hurt, plans change, etc, find somebody to take your spot if you'd like. And then LET ME KNOW that you are transferring your entry to them so I can get their forms and get them entered into the race.

Why do I need to give you an estimated swim time?

We swim in an indoor pool. We do a time-trial start. This means 1 person starts swimming, and 10 seconds (or so) later, somebody else starts swimming. We line up from fastest swim time to slowest swim time, so that slow people don't get in the way of faster people, and slower people don't get ran over by faster people. Please note that we ask for an estimated swim time for 400 meters. Most indoor pools are in yards. So 400 meters = 440 yards. If you time yourself in and indoor 25 yard pool, you need to do 9 laps (down and back is 1) instead of 8. If you time yourself doing 8 laps in a 25 yard pool, you will get stuck in front of faster swimmers. If you have no idea how fast your time in 400 meters is, just let me know, and I'll stick you in the middle of the pack.

How does the pool swim work?

We do a time-trial start. Everybody is ranked according to estimated swim times and given the appropriate bib # (see above). So the fastest submitted swim time is #1, and the slowest swimmer is #300. Athlete #1 starts the swim, and every 10 seconds (or so), another swimmer will start. We swim down and back in 1 lane, and then cross under to the next lane, and go down and back that lane. See our map of the pool swim for a picture. This may seem confusing right now, but it will all make sense when you get here and see how it works. You will defnintely have a chance to see everybody in front of you and how they do their swim. So follow their lead and you will be just fine. If things don't make sense when you get here and look at the pool, find me or another volunteer and we'll make sure you are all straight with how things go.

Are there water/aid stations?

There is no water on the bike route. If you want water on the bike, please take a water bottle with you. There is a table with water when you enter the bike area after the swim, which is the same place you exit the transition area to start the run. There is also water about 1.5 miles into the run, and again 2 miles into the run.

Which age group or division will I be in?

We place you in your age group according to your age on race day. If you are a man and weigh 200+ pounds, you can decide to be in the Clydesdale division if you wish. This year we have a 39 & Younger Clydesdale division and a 40 & Older Clydesdale division. Also this year is an Athena divsion for women 150+ pounds. If you qualify by the above weights, you are not required to enter as a Clydesdale or Athena. You can race in your age group instead, if you wish.

What's the weather like?

Who knows?!?! We've had a couple of beautiful days and a couple of freezing/sleeting days. The end of April is a bad time to forecast weather! Be prepared for anything. Usually it is pretty windy. And it can be very cold. But it can also be warm and sunny. So pack for any conditions, even if the forecast tells you one thing. One year they said it was going to be 70 degrees and sunny, and it turned out 45 degrees with sleet/freezing rain.

What type of timing system do you use?

We hire Mattoon Beach Multisport to time our event with ChampionChip timing. We are able to give you swim time, T1 time, bike time, T2 time, and run time. (And obviously total time). The swim time includes the time it takes you to get outside and into the transition area.

Can I bring my own chip?

Yes. Please let me know if you want to do this, and I'll pass your chip number on to Tony (our timer).

Should I bring my family to watch?

If they want to come, I'd let them! The swim is indoors (and it is usually crowded on the pool deck), but they can watch you swim the entire swim, unlike in the lake, where they just see a bunch of people take off at once and they have to wait for you to get out of the water to see you. The finish line is in the park, and the last mile of the run goes all the way around our park. So the kids can play and have fun while you are working hard on the bike and run. There are plenty of good cheering spots on our run route.

Where should I park? How soon should I show up for the race?

Parking can be an adventure, but not as bad as some races have it. We have a parking lot, but it isn't designed to hold the hundreds of cars that will be here. It is legal to park on most side roads around the Civic Center. There is also a smaller park a block away that you will be running through (Tabor Park, on Worth Sreet). It has some parking spots. The High School/Middle School/Elementary Schools are just a couple of blocks away, and there is tons of parking available there (just head North on Main Street). Please DON'T park around the park, though, because the run route goes around the road there.

Show up BEFORE 12:00, because we are shutting down the sign-in tables at that time, so we can get everything situated for the start. The earlier you show up the better. Bikes are placed in the transition area on an Early Bird Gets the Worm basis. No assigned bike racks! So the first person to place their bike where they want it gets that spot. If you show up later, you will be stuck with whatever spots are left. We will open the sign-in table at 10:00, but that doesn't mean you can't put your bike in the transition area before then. (Heck, you can put your bike in there on Wednesday if you want to, but I wouldn't count on it being there by Sunday!!!)

How does the transition area work? Where do I put my bike?

Like said above, you can put your bike on any rack you want, as long as you are respectful of other people's property. Don't squeeze people on the bike racks. There should be plenty of space for everybody to get a spot. We made extra bike racks last year and it shouldn't be too crowded if you don't make it crowded. Keep your family & friends out of the transition area, please. We don't want people in the way of athletes trying to race!

You will leave the transition area on the South-West side with your bike, and you will bike back in at the same location. You will leave the transition area on the North-East side (where you came in from the swim) for the run. Arrows and words will be spray painted on the ground, and there should be signs and volunteers (and spectators) guiding you to the correct place if you get lost. (But you really shouldn't get lost!)

What about hotels/lodging?

Please see the above Hotel & Lodging Information tab above

Am I required to have fun?

Yes, you must have fun. That's the rule. If you are new to triathlons and are nervous, please don't be! Even the top triathletes that come here are very supportive and friendly. I love hanging out with triathletes because everybody supports you and helps you with suggestions and everybody is so nice. Even if the weather is terrible, people seem to enjoy it because it is one more fun story to tell or one more thing they get to brag about (getting to bike in 45 degree sleet and 35 mph wind!!!). Although I'm predicting 74 degrees, sun, and 0 mph winds for 2010!