9:49 a.m., June 22, 2010----Anyone who thinks triathlons are only for elite athletes should talk to the University of Delaware students and employees who participated in the Tri-It Triathlon, held on June 12 at Lums Pond State Park.

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The 21 Blue Hens who completed the quarter-mile swim, 10-mile bike ride, and two-mile run attribute much of their success to their participation in UD's Triathlon Training Program in the months leading up to the event.

The brainchild of fitness coordinator Christine Klimik and Sue Barton, Cooperative Extension specialist and assistant professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, the training program was launched in March and open to all staff and students.

At a cost of $35 for students and $50 for faculty and staff, the program provided daily workout emails through Google Apps; swimming, running, and biking workshops; group training sessions including weekly pool time and spin classes; and specially designed T-shirts.

The program culminated in the Tri-It event, when seven of the UD participants, including Barton and Klimik, made it to the podium to receive age-group awards.

“It was so exciting for UD to have such a presence at this event,” Barton says. “Even race director Neil Semmel of Piranha Sports was wearing one of our T-shirts and commenting on how well our team members did. Billed as a triathlon for first timers, this event was perfect for our group.”

“It was wonderful to hear everyone talking afterwards about this great program promoting fitness at UD,” Klimik says. “It's what we worked for the whole semester.”

For Emily Barton, a junior elementary education major, the event was a family affair. Both she and her sister Elizabeth, a senior majoring in entomology and wildlife conservation, joined their mother in the training program and the competition.

“Doing a triathlon is a great way for an undergraduate student to get more varied workouts during the semester,” says Emily Barton. “The program provided me with a structure for doing all three sports, and it was great to complete the event with my family and with the rest of the UD team.”

Erin Knight, a doctoral student in public policy, had always wanted to do a triathlon but felt intimidated. “The club was just the impetus I needed to give it a shot,” she says. “The training program was helpful, but for me, it was more about the moral support, personal advice, and camaraderie -- the knowledge that we were all trying this for the first time also gave me a lot of confidence.”

For Jennifer Hiras, a doctoral candidate in UD's School of Marine Science and Policy, a triathlon was always a pipe dream, but with no formal training in swimming, biking, or running, she didn't think it was possible.

“I've never even competed in a sport,” she says. “When I heard about the training club through fliers at the UD gym, I decided this was my chance to do it. The distances were a great goal for me, so I signed up. The best part of the UD training club was all the supportive members. Most had an area of expertise, so I learned a lot from them. My advice to anyone who is like me -- not athletic and not competitive but wants to be -- is to give this a try. It really is the perfect opportunity to get involved in the wonderful sport of triathlon.”

Jo Huxster, also a graduate student in marine policy, had more experience than some of the others in the group, but she still found value in the program.

“I started participating in triathlons last year,” she says, “so when I saw the flier for the program, I was incredibly excited. I was hoping both to improve my training and to meet other people at the University who shared my newfound passion. When I joined the club, I got everything I hoped for and more. The training was awesome, but even better was having new friends to train with.”

The following UD participants received awards in the 2010 Tri-It Triathlon:

• Marc Christian (second, M20-24)
• Cameron Forbes (third, M20-24)
• Keren Rozensher (first, F20-24)
• Elizabeth Barton (third, F20-24)
• Joanna Huxster (second, F25-29)
• Christine Klimik (second, F30-34)
• Sue Barton (first, F50-54)

Barton and Klimik plan to offer the program again next spring. “We hope to see even more people, especially employees, turn out next year,” Barton says.

Article by Diane Kukich