Tri Till You Cry

Have you ever run 5km?  Or maybe you’ve cycled 30+ km or swum 2km.  If so, or if not, you know how challenging it can be to do each of these things, and even more challenging to do all three.  Now, imagine going further than that and continuously doing these three events until you just can’t go anymore.  That is what is going to happen this Friday, June 24th at the Kingston Family YMCA, and all in the name of children.

It will all begin on Friday morning with the opening ceremonies taking place at the YMCA.  Then from 11:30 until the last athlete standing has finally run out of gas, two representatives from each charity will swim, run and ride in two hour increments.  This isn’t a relay folks, these athletes are each going to go continuously throughout the entire weekend and yes, even overnight.

Each team represents a different children’s charity in Kingston including the YMCA, The Child Development Centre and Easter Seals.  The athletes range from marathon swimmers to avid cyclists and hobby runners.  None of the participants claim to be triathletes and all of them have day jobs ranging from teaching at Queen’s to managing a car dealership.  That is what makes this so inspiring.  Even the most accomplished Olympian would raise an eyebrow at the commitment these volunteers have made.  You can read about each participant here.

The swim will take place at the Y pool. The cycling route will go through the streets of Calvin Park and after 36 hours, on stationary bikes at the Y because, you know, they may be a little tired by then.  The run will be down Princess and up Johnson with all events beginning and ending at the Y.  The athletes will have the opportunity to grab a few power bars and refreshments along the way with the only full meals occurring at 1:30am each day.

All of the funds raised from this event will be divided evenly amongst the three organizations.  The organization who’s team lasts the longest will impose a “humiliation” to the CEOs or Team Managers of the losing charities to be completed in public after the event.

We’ve all experienced physical exertion in some form so I think it’s safe to say that whether you are athletic or not, everyone knows what a feat this is.  Please have a look at the site and make a donation and if you’ve got time on Friday (and throughout the weekend), head on down to the Y and show your support for these athletes and their charities.

Thanks to daniellemharms for today’s photo.