Triathlon exceeds organizers expectations

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman C.J. Hatch
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  The weather was sunny and a mild 82 degrees when Luke Air Force Base held the 13th annual fall triathlon Saturday with more than one hundred participants.

"This year we exceeded our participant expectations with a record of one hundred and ten," said Kevin Bruaw, 56th Force Support Squadron fitness center sports specialist.

Competitors arrived at the Silver Wings Pool at 6:30 a.m. to check in and prepare for the race. Each participant was given an electronic timing device to track their times during the event.

The triathlon started with a 400-meter swim with competitors swimming one at a time with 30 seconds between competitors. Their time began as they crossed a tracking mat at the entrance of the pool.

After exiting the pool contestants ran to a holding area to grab their bikes. While in the holding area contestants would enter a transition time. Leaving the holding area participants crossed another tracking mat to begin the official bike time.

Competitors rode for 13 miles crossing the bridge into and out of housing and on to the ability to survive and operate area and back to the pool parking lot. This marked the halfway point of the course and required bikers to make another loop to finish.

They quickly changed to running shoes and run across a tracking mat to begin the official run time. They ran to the 944th Fighter Wing headquarters building, turned around and returned to the pool parking lot. Each contestant's time was recorded as they crossed the last tracking mat.

"It was a good competition," Bruaw said. "In all categories the competitors were very close."

Bruaw also said they will be starting many events in October, including a strongman competition Oct. 16, a powerlifting competition Oct. 23 and the dual in the desert wrestling competition Oct. 30.

For more information on upcoming sport events, call the fitness center at (623)856-6241.

First place overall Male
Arrick Nietert
Swimming 7:03; biking 37:36; running 17:48. Total time, 1:02:27.

First place overall female
Kelly O'Halloran
Swimming 8:34; biking 46:50; running 21:41. Total time, 1:17:05.

First place overall team
Equipment Maintenance Squadron aerospace ground equipment
William Clark swimming 6:51; Ryan Warren biking 36:31; Michael Bemus running 19:16. Total time, 1:02:38