MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. --
Marine Corps Community Services hosted its 16th annual
Sprint Triathlon Relay and Kids Triathlon to improve health and physical
fitness for service members, their families and members of the local community
here, Aug 15.
Families exercised and participated in friendly
competition against each other for the sake of community athleticism and
camaraderie.
“It is a great family event,” said Lt. Col. Rodolfo
Quispe, the Marine Corps Special Operations Command strategic mobility officer
at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. “We get to swim a little bit, bike and run
on a beautiful day.”
Various local businesses and organizations sponsored
the event.
“This is not only for the military, but for the
local community as well,” said Quispe. “Competing is always good, you always
want to go as hard as you can.”
According to Quispe, the triathlon is a great
community event because of the mixture of military and local community members participating
in friendly competition.
Adult participants experienced fast-paced transitions
starting from a 400-meter endurance swim, a 10-mile bike ride and a three-mile run,
while children 9 to 12 followed suit in a less daunting 150-meter swim, eight-mile
bike ride and three-mile run. Children below the age of 9 swam 100 meters, rode
bike for three miles and ran for 1 ½ miles.
“We wanted to provide people with a multisport event
and give everyone a different way of exercising,” said Bernadine Crosby, the special
event coordinator with MCCS.
According to Crosby, the annual triathlon is an
event that the whole family can enjoy and participate in together.
“The event could not happen without the volunteers
helping today,” said Crosby. “This triathlon is a great way to exercise and
network between the base and the community. It is like a melting pot, it is a great
way for people to meet each other.”
With helpers around every corner directing the
athletes, volunteers provided refreshments and cheerful words of encouragement
to the remaining participants. As athletes crossed the finish-line, they were
rewarded with medals, excitement and a sense of accomplishment.