Twice a year Innsbrook plays host to some of the Midwest’s fittest competitors.Young or old, intermediate or professional, the resort is the choice venue of hundreds of triathletes each March and June as part of the Ultramax race series.The latest included a three-tier race on Saturday, giving participants the option of choosing their level of difficulty in the Halfmax, Quartermax or Octomax events.Octomax champion Joe Company is no stranger to Innsbrook, but it has been four years since he has competed here. The Columbia native stepped away from competing in 2010 to focus on his new role as a father and his career of training others as part of his business, Endurance Company.“With so many other things going on in my life, racing was becoming a bit of a burden, so it was time to step away,” explained Company. “Now I coach for a living and train for a hobby.”This year the professional triathlete is back on the scene on a limited scale, choosing Innsbrook for one of his few appearances in 2014.“This race has a lot of history,” said Company. “A lot of really good athletes have raced here.”Company is among them, having proven his merits here year after year.“It’s a beautiful location,” said Company. “It’s a challenging bike course, which I can appreciate.”On Saturday, competitors weaved along the backroads of Warren County, along Stracks Church and Schuetzenground as well as Highways F, M and O.The youngest was 11-year-old Makenna Seghers from Wentzville, who is pursuing her goal of becoming a professional.“It makes me proud,” said Seghers of setting an example for other aspiring youngsters.While Innsbrook was geographically close for Seghers and her father, Ken, its also one of their favorite courses.“It’s a beautiful ride around the lakes in the shade,” said Ken. “It’s some of the best riding you could do around Missouri.”55-year-old Randy Meisner has chosen to race at Innsbrook four straight years now, after becoming a triathlete a decade ago. The Chesterfield native was quick to credit an 82-year-old competitor he saw on the Halfmax course, asserting that there’s no age cutoff for the fit and motivated.“Every year I hope to do better on the run,” said Meisner, who says the volunteers and well-ran events are reasons who keeps returning to Innsbrook.It has become a stop for the most elite in the business, including professional triathlete, 16-year-old Holland Smith and her mother, Pamela, who won the womens division of the Octomax with a time of 1:32:12.“It’s a great place to race,” said Pamela Smith. “I enjoy the venue and the way it’s run.”Her family has been making the trek from St. Joseph for several years now.“It’s a fun, pretty course,” added Pamela, who says this was their fifth race of the year.In the additional races, Ryan Harwell won the Halfmax with a time of 4:18, and Robert Wieland claimed the Quartermax with a 2:18.TRIATHLETES JOURNEY THROUGH COUNTYDerrick Forsythe photo.