Swimmers, bikers and runners beat the sun, and the chilly temperatures, Sunday morning for the Jewish Community Center's annual indoor triathlon.
Distances for this race are recognized by USA Triathlon. Athletes use this competition as a way to prepare for the upcoming triathlon season in the spring and summer months.
T - minus 2 minutes till the big event starts. #swimbikerun #indoortriathlon @41ActionNews pic.twitter.com/DYxdpOZUos
— Terra Hall (@TerraHall) February 28, 2016
"In the pool you can see where you are going," said John Anderson, an area triathlete who is using the Indoor Triathlon to keep him motivated during the winter. "Out there like at Shawnee Mission Lake, you can't see where you're going so you're swimming and picking your head up, swimming and picking your head up. You're almost zig-zagging. Here I can see where I'm going so my time is a lot faster."
- Traditional Triathlon - 750 yard swim, 12.4 mile bike and 3.1 mile run
- Super Sprint - 400 yard swim, eight mile bike and two mile run
Organizers getting ready for the Indoor Triathlon at the the Jewish Community Center! Starts at 7! @41ActionNews pic.twitter.com/JpCUIqAqNM
— Aubrey Morse (@aubstheword) February 28, 2016
Some participants say they use this event to motivate them to work out during the winter months, while others use it as a way to get their base completion time before triathlon season starts in the late spring.
"Anybody from any fitness level and age compete," said Hiliary Nichols, the fitness coordinator for the JCC. "We have an 11-year-old doing it this year and we have a guy that's 71 who will participate, so it's kind of a tradition throughout 'the J'."
More than 130 people spent their Sunday morning swimming, biking and running at JCC for this event. A portion of the proceeds from The J’s Indoor Triathlon supports the organization’s financial assistance programs.
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Terra Hall can be reached at terra.hall@kshb.com.
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