The Midwest is blessed with triathlons of every distance for every type of athlete. Now’s the time to plan your season and find the perfect event for you to swim, bike and run.

Choosing the right triathlon is a lot like picking out a piece of clothing. Just because it looks great on your friend doesn’t mean it works for you.

But we’re lucky to have a wide variety of multi-sport events here in the Midwest. From the giant Accenture Chicago Triathlon to small park district sprint races, you should be able to find an event that suits your interests. Of course, with the growth of triathlon in recent years, races tend to fill up earlier every year. Many races have already closed for 2008. So plan your season early to be sure you don’t miss out. After all, the triathlon season isn’t very long here. Just ask yourself: What type of race are you looking for?

Something Big

With the Accenture Chicago Triathlon, we’ve got the world’s biggest triathlon right here in the city. The annual takeover of Chicago’s Lakefront by the triathlon world takes place this year on Aug. 24. As we go to press, slots are still available for the race, but it’s expected to close soon. Join more than 8,000 of your closest friends for a swim in Lake Michigan, bike on Lake Shore Drive and run along the Lakefront, with a great finish in Grant Park. Both sprint distance (.75K swim, 22K bike, 5K run) and International distances (1.5K swim, 40K bike, 10K run) are available. And for those who really want to take advantage of the weekend, sign up for the triple challenge—both Sunday races plus the Fleet Feet SuperSprint on Saturday (see below). After you finish the race, enjoy a post-race party with great food and music while you wait to watch the elites finish. Even if you’re not a fan of large races, the Accenture Chicago Triathlon should be on everyone’s must-do-at-least-once list. www.chicagotriathlon.com

Great Community Events

Head out to the western suburbs for the Batavia Sprint Triathlon. This early season sprint race (400 meter swim, 14.7 mile bike, 4.1 mile run) on June 8 offers a scenic course and good support. Because of the shorter distance, relatively smaller numbers and a shallow swim, this is a great race for beginners. The swim is in a former quarry that has been turned into an outdoor swimming pool with a sandy bottom. The race finishes in downtown Batavia next to the Fox River, a great place to hang out after the race with family. www.bataviatriatlon.org

Moving up in distance, the Harbor Lights Triathlon (800 yard swim, 21K bike and 6.4K run) takes place in Waukegan on July 20 with a transition area in the city’s lakefront park. This fast race features a flat bike course and scenic run course, making it a good event to do after your first sprint. www.harborlightstriathlon.com

Just north of the border in Pleasant Prairie, Wis., you’ll find the Pleasant Prairie Triathlon, with International- and sprint-distance races on Aug. 16. The event takes full advantage of Prairie Springs Park, a 425-acre venue that surrounds Lake Andrea, a 100-acre spring-fed lake used for the swim leg. The event combines great support and a scenic, fast course to make for a memorable race. www.pleasantprairietriathlon.com

Over in Michigan, the Firecracker Triathlon on July 6 in Benton Harbor is a sprint-distance race that features a kids triathlon, which makes for a good family getaway weekend. www.firecrackertri.com

Short Races

If you’re just getting your feet wet in the sport, several races offer very short distances that almost anyone can handle the first time out. Start with the Fleet Feet SuperSprint, held on Aug. 23, the day before the Chicago Triathlon at Foster Avenue Beach. The first leg in the Triple Challenge, the SuperSprint features a beginner-friendly 375 meter swim in Lake Michigan parallel to the beach, a 10K bike and a 1.5K run. It’s still a good-sized urban race, but the SuperSprint won’t overwhelm you like the big race on Sunday. www.chicagotriathlon.com

Not quite ready for Ironman? How about an 1/8 Ironman? The Mattoon Beach Triathlon on July 5 features an 1/8 Ironman distance race, which for those of you not up to the long division, includes a .3 mile swim, 14 mile bike and a 3.25 mile run. The event, downstate in  Mattoon, Ill., also has a 1/4 Ironman distance for those of you who want to race longer. www.mattoonbeachtri.com

The South Shore Triathlon will take place on Chicago’s South Side on Aug. 2. Held in conjunction with the Tri-Masters Invitational Kids Triathlon (see below), this neighborhood event at 63rd Street Beach is a super first triathlon.  The adults go first, starting with an easy 375 meter swim in the shallow water of Lake Michigan, followed by 10K bike near the Museum of Science and Industry and along the Lakefront path, and ending with a 1.55 mile run along the lake. After the race, watch the kids race and enjoy a barbecue lunch with grilled corn on the cob! How can you beat that? www.trimasters.org

Women-Only

Triathlons just for women continue to gain in popularity. The U.S. Women’s Triathon Series in Naperville is part of a national four-city tour providing top-quality women-only triathlons. The event on June 22 at Centennial Beach offers a great venue for both first-timers and experienced racers. The .75K outdoor pool swim is followed by a 23K bike through Naperville and a 5K run along the city’s Riverwalk. The event closes at 2,500 participants. www.uswts.com

The Danskin Women’s Triathlon Series is one of the pioneering events in the sport. This year features eight events in the series, including a race in Pleasant Prairie, Wis., on July 13. The sprint-distance triathlon features complimentary training seminars and a great course just north of the Illinois border. www.danskin.com

Go Long

Ready to make the jump for long-distance racing. The jewel of the Midwest is Ironman Wisconsin, which takes place in Madison on Sept. 7. The event is sold out for 2008, and fills up within a day as soon as registration opens. So plan early if you’re ready to tackle the big one. But the Midwest has lots of half-Ironman-distance races to put you to the test. The Spirit of Racine Triathlon on July 19 in Racine, Wis., Steelhead 70.3 Triathlon in Benton Harbor, Mich., on Aug. 2, the Pigman Triathlon in Palo, Iowa, on Aug. 17, and the Muncie Endurathon in Muncie, Ind., on July 12 are all well established races with good reputations.

New this year in the Midwest is the Ironman 70.3 Kansas on June 15 in Lawrence, Kan. Find out if Kansas is really as flat as you think. According to race organizers, you’ll be surprised by the challenging bike leg. www.ironmankansas.com

Go Tough

The 19th annual Lake Geneva Triathlon in Fontana, Wis., has well-earned reputation for the killer hills, especially for those of us training in the flatlands of Illinois. Choose from half-Ironman, International and sprint distances. www.lakegenevasports.com

Go Crazy

If you’re looking for something different, and willing to travel, think about one of the more unusual triathlons around. The American Triple T in Ohio’s Shawnee State Park on May 23-25 is a multiday team or solo event that features three days of racing. Day 1 starts with a  sprint: 250 meter swim, 5 mile bike and 1 mile run. Day 2 features two International distance races—one in the morning; one in the afternoon—followed by a half-Ironman distance race on Day 3. For the endurance junkie, it’s pure heaven. www.hfpracing.com

For The Kids

The Tri-Masters Invitational on Aug. 2, following the adult South Shore Triathlon, is the third annual kids race at the 63rd Street Beach. Bernard Lyle’s Tri-Masters teaches the sport of triathlon to Chicago-area kids, and this is their chance to shine.www.tri-masters.org

 In the western suburb of Geneva, the Multisport Madness Kids Triathlon on May 25 takes place at the Delnor Health and Wellness Center. You’ll find some of the fastest kids aged 7 to 16 competing at this early season race. www.junior-elitetri.com. Finally, the McDonald’s Kids Triathlon takes place the day before the Chicago Triathlon and brings more than 1,000 kids to Foster Steet Beach. It’s a great way to get the kids (and adults) excited about the sport. www.chicagotriathlon.com

Of course, this is just a small sample of the races available. For a complete list of triathlons, visit www.windycitysports.com.