NEIL GROTHEN – SPRINT TRIATHLON

Neil Grothen has been a member of the Hastings Family YMCA for over 17 years and has participated in the YMCA’s annual Spring Triathlon for 6 years. This year the Spring Triathlon has been postponed until July 17, 2020 and renamed the “Sprint Triathlon” due to restrictions and guidelines caused from COVID-19. But that hasn’t stopped the excitement and eagerness of racers to get back out there and start training for the triathlon! As we lead up to the event, Neil shared his experience from the triathlon and hopes it will encourage many others to take part:

“It is so much fun to be together with so many like minded individuals and it’s a fun way to support our YMCA! For me, I like the camaraderie of being on a team! I enjoy forming my team each year and I enjoy trying to find teammates for others who would like to participate! As a support for the Hastings YMCA, our Kiwanis club also helps the YMCA find individuals who are willing to be on a triathlon team.”, which is the very way Neil began participating in 2014 when the Kiwanis club encouraged individuals to take part in the triathlon. Now after being a participant, Neil helps put teams together for the triathlon every year, and even helped put together 13 teams in 2019.

“I would encourage anyone who likes to swim, bike, or run to volunteer to be on a triathlon team! Volunteering to participate creates an opportunity for 2 others to also have the fun! It is a way to support the YMCA!”

Leading up to the triathlon Neil’s team would train individually in preparation to run their part of the race relay style by either doing the running, biking, or swimming portion of the triathlon. “My experiences of participating in the triathlon have been being the runner on a team. However, if I were a swimmer and biker, I think I would enjoy the challenge to do the Triathlon individually too.”

You don’t have to be a professional athlete to participate in the triathlon and it is open to all fitness levels and ages! The triathlon includes a 400 yard swim, 12.2 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run/walk. Challenge yourself and race individually or put together a team and participate relay style like Neil!

Learn more about the Sprint Triathlon, register, or volunteer to be on a team!

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