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They were scared and excited and confident and nervous.

Some poked the cold, late-summer evening waters of Lake Catamount with a toe before slowly wading in, while others dove from the sandy shore and began slogging toward a distant pylon.

All, though, were working on a final dry - or wet, as the case may be - run, one last preparation for the event that for many has dominated minds and free hours through the past several months.

The fifth annual Steamboat Triathlon kicks off at 8 a.m. Sunday. Thursday evening, many took the opportunity for one last practice.

"I've been working in the pool and on my road bike," said Kelly Landers, preparing for her third triathlon. "I was nervous that first year, just happy to finish. Then last year I was fourth in my age group. This year, I've been training for it a lot more, and hopefully I'll finish even higher."

The triathlon was the subject of some drama through the past seven months as the race director from the previous five versions, Barry Sisk, who managed the Front Range sports event company 5430 Sports, backed out in February.

The task of organizing the event fell to a local board of directors headed by triathlon devotee Joy Rasmussen.

After a spring and summer of uncertainty, the group managed to line up a powerful collection of local sponsors. The event doesn't seem to have lost much of its luster with competitors, either. It again will feature a core of locals, but rely heavily on Front Range racers. Registration for the event topped out Thursday at 575, but on-the-fence athletes still can sign up.

Late registration will be available for $125 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at the packet pickup at Ski Haus. The race will be capped at 650.

"Everyone's blown away by that number," Rasmussen said of the 575. "We're just really pleased that through this recession, which has really had an impact on people's lives, they still really are doing what they need to do to maintain a healthy attitude and lifestyle."

Management may have changed, but if all goes well, competitors shouldn't notice much.

The course still is based under the towering line of mountains east of Steamboat, on the shores of Lake Catamount. It still hurls racers three-quarters of a mile through the lake, 20 miles on a bike to and from the base of Howelsen Hill in Steamboat Springs and four miles near the lake on Routt County Road 18.

And to many, the whole thing still seems a daunting proposition.

"I'd like to not drown," Amy Brown said with a laugh, outlining her goals while drying herself off after completing the entire swimming portion of the race.

She trained for the event with friend Celeste Calkins. The pair has been working all summer toward the triathlon, and Thursday's swim marked their fifth consecutive week of practices at the race venue.

Both are accomplished local athletes, and Calkins is a regular marathoner. She just finished a marathon in Fort Collins and is preparing for the Chicago Marathon in October.

"This has a lot more outfit changes," Calkins said. "Really, we want to finish without feeling like it's torture."