‘My First Triathlon’ attracts large group of local competitors

Several ambitious local athletes donned their swimsuits and running shoes and hopped on their bikes to participate in “My First Triathlon” the past two weekends at Lake Chelan.

The local competitors were among 650 athletes who tried out My First Triathlon in its U.S. debut.

The series began in Canada five years ago in an effort to encourage first-timers to compete in a triathlon.

“Our entire goal is to get people up and moving, give them confidence that they can do something they never thought they could,” said series creator Brent Kamenka of World Endurance Sport.

Competitors completed a 1/4-mile swim, followed by a 12-mile bike ride and a three-mile run. Those distances are less than half the distances of an Olympic triathlon.

Participants ranged in age from 6 to 74.

Kristi Schaffler, 33, of Lynnwood, said the biggest event she had competed in prior to the triathlon was the three-mile St. Patrick’s Day Dash.

Schaffler, a middle school teacher, was thrilled to have finished her first triathlon.

“They tried really hard to make it not intimidating,” she said. “I felt like it was doable; I knew it was going to be hard, (but) I didn’t think I was going to die.

“I just went in thinking, ‘OK, my goal is to finish.’ I wasn’t trying to pass anyone or get a better time than anyone else, I just wanted to finish.”

Schaffler and her friend competed in the July 12-13 event. She said their training routine included walking three miles three times a week, swimming and riding an exercise bike at the gym.

Schaffler said although she was a little nervous at first, she became more confident thanks to the support of the participants and the local townspeople who came out to cheer on the racers.

The experience encouraged Schaffler to compete in more triathlons. She has already started training for the Danskin triathlon Aug. 17 in Seattle. And she plans on competing in next year’s “My Next Triathlon.”

After her positive experience at the event, Shoreline’s Teresa Pape, 30, a production associate for Evening Magazine, said she wouldn’t hesitate to compete in another triathlon, either.

“The experience was so rewarding, so empowering,” she said. “Once you’re done you know you can do anything. ‘I have done a triathlon, I can do this project I didn’t think I can do, I can speak in front of a group of people,’ whatever makes you scared.

“Once you have accomplished something as big as a triathlon you know you can pretty much accomplish anything you set your mind to.”

Pape said she decided to compete in the event only a month ago to celebrate her 30th birthday, which was July 8.

“Last year I did a marathon in celebration of turning 29, and I (was) looking for something to do now that I’m 30 and old,” she joked. “Once you’ve done a marathon what else can you do? That would be a triathlon.”

Although Pape is an experienced runner, she had to figure out how to swim and ride a bike again. She followed the last month of a triathlon training spreadsheet she downloaded from the Internet, but said she wouldn’t recommend that method to others so late in the game, since it had her biking 15 miles the first day.

The event had a more friendly and supportive environment than many of the other runs Pape has participated in.

“It wasn’t like I was in competition, it was just like I was surrounded by friends,” she said. “Everyone supported each other and was cheering each other on. It was a very unique experience.”

Celeste Jackson, 31, of Mountlake Terrace, competed in last weekend’s triathlon. Although the 90-degree heat was a little stifling, she said she enjoyed the event.

“It was such a sense of accomplishment to come across the finish line after doing all three things — especially in that heat,” the technical writer said.

Jackson recommends everyone try at least one triathlon, and thinks the Lake Chelan event is a wonderful place to begin.

“I think it was a great place to start,” she said. “It seemed like a really safe environment for learning.”

Jackson even revealed her strategy to those who decide to try their first triathlon.

“You just have to take it in chunks, not think about the next thing ‘til you get to it,” she said. “At least that’s the approach I took. If I was thinking, ‘I have to run three miles’ while I’m swimming it’s just not going to happen.”Next year’s My First Triathlon will be July 10-11 and 17-18 at Lake Chelan. My Next Triathlon will be the same weekends, with an earlier starting hour. For more information, visit www.tri101.com or contact World Endurance Sport at 1-800-343-4466.