August 8, 2014 at 1:21 p.m.
Athletes ready to test their mettle in the second annual Hodag W.I.L.D. triathlon
Event to be held Aug. 23 at Holiday Acres Resort
Athletes ready to test their mettle in the second annual Hodag W.I.L.D. triathlon
By Kayla Thomason-
The triathlon will consist of a 300-yard swim in Lake Thompson, a 10K off-road bike ride and a 5K run through the woods.
The event will benefit W.I.L.D. (Wise Intentional Leadership Development), a Christian-based organization whose goal is to further local and international youth leadership skills.
"(W.I.L.D.) is a great organization that happens to also be local," said triathlon organizer Tim Thorsen of Spine and Sport Physical Threapy Specialists. "Mike Prom (executive director of W.I.L.D.) has been a good friend, and being local it is good to increase awareness of the organization's activities while helping them to deliver them as well through direct financial support."
Thorsen said the event is a natural fit for him as an owner of a physical therapy business.
"The event itself is really in the (wheelhouse) of Spine and Sport Physical Therapy Specialists in that it represents cross-training instead of overtraining in one area such as swimming, running or biking," he said. "In addition, it is an event that is focused on fostering friendship, family and community, by having individuals participate collectively as a team or individually in an event that is (a) reasonable, fun distance."
Unlike many other triathlons, the Hodag W.I.L.D. Triathlon has a team aspect.
"You have to be a special person to do a full triathlon and I give them all the credit in the world," Thorsen told the River News last year before the inaugural triathlon was held. "It takes a ton of dedication, a ton of training and a decent genetic makeup. The thing about a mini-triathlon though is that anyone can do it, particularly this one."
Athletes can pair with one or two friends to split up the sections of the race. With a three-person team, one person would be responsible for the swimming portion, another for the biking portion and the third would handle the running.
The bike portion of the race will start on South Shore Parkway to Alder Drive, then on a trail to Old Farm Road and N. Lake George Road, South Shore Drive to Tre Fiske Road and back to the beginning.
"The triathlon is for a great cause, (it's a) lot of fun, beautiful course and distances where you might need to train a little bit for it - I mean a 300-yard swim is not just an easy swim, you've got to get in the water a little bit beforehand and train a little bit for it - but otherwise (it's) a distance where most anybody who is in fairly good shape is going to be able to complete (it) or somebody who has been spending some time training for it should have a lot of fun with it," said Dana DeMet, executive director of the Rhinelander Area Chamber of Commerce.
Last year 70 to 80 participants got their blood pumping at the first annual Hodag W.I.L.D. Triathlon and this time organizers expect over 100 people.
"I think that if you're thinking about getting into triathlon racing than these mini-triathlons are an awesome first exposure to it because it requires some fitness and some training but nothing that anybody can't fit into a normal workday schedule," DeMet added.
Athletes may register now or on the day of the event.
Those who preregister will get a preferred rate of $65 per individual or $130 for a relay team. Visit www.hodagtriathlon.com or www.wildleadership.org and click on the registration tab to preregister before Wednesday, Aug. 20. After that date those wishing to be a part of the triathlon must register on-site.
Registration will be $85 per individual and $170 per relay team after Aug. 20.
For some athletes the W.I.L.D. event may only be the beginning.
Starting in 2015 Northwoods athletes will be able to participate in a mini-triathlon series.
"Next year it's going to be like a Northwoods triathlon series so that way you get scored overall and at the end of the year then there will be an overall winner like an overall placing for if you compete in so many triathlons," DeMet said.
For more information, contact the Rhinelander Chamber of Commerce, Spine and Sport, or W.I.L.D. Ministries.
Kayla Breese may be reached at [email protected].
Comments:
You must login to comment.