Triathalons

"The 2009 Utah triathlon calendar is nearly complete.  Staple events of Utah’s growing triathlon calendar previal again in 2009, including the popular TriUtah events.  As expected, TriUtah will lead their season with the women’s favorite, Women of Steel Triathlon in May, followed by the Cache Valley Classic (June), Echo Tri (July), Jordanelle Tri (August) and Ogden Valley Tri (September)."

The reason for posting this information on this area news blog is to talk about the importance of what such events do for a community.

Since my daughter helped with th event, I had the priviledge of witnessing the third in a series of four such events at the Jordanelle Lake, near Park City Utah.

What I saw were first timers, individuals, who had fat rolls just like I do, get out there, train, try their best and actually finish their first triathalon. What results from determination like this, is lower blood pressure, loss of weight that prevents the onset of diabetes.

Two hundred and fifty participants took part. Some were in great shape and wore the red hat, which meant they were doing the complete Olympic length. The amatuers wore white hats and completed the "sprint" circuit. This means in the swim Sprints swam 750 meters, Olympic 1.5 meters. The bike found the Sprint at 20 k and the Olympic at 40 k. The final leg, the run saw the Sprint at 5 k and the Olympic at 10 k.

Fruita did have a triathalon scheduled for next year but has canceled. The reason for the cancelation was the cost  according to Ture Nycum, City Parks and Recreation Department Director.

"Just life-guards cost too much," he said."Our budget is too small."

In light of the fact that the City hosts a rec department, supposedly for the good of its citizens, the question rises, "Shouldn't events be geared to get the utmost. conditioning for those who might be afraid to even try?"

I will never forget the middle-aged woman who, dressed in the wet suit with rolls, came out of the swim leg near the end of the Sprint group. She stripped that wet suit off, doned her biking gear, got on her bike and rode out. She finished the race. Yes, she was in the lower quarter of the finishers, but she was in the top 100 percent of the winners.