Chicago Triathlon: A Hot Test Of Endurance
CHICAGO- While you were sleeping… More than ten thousand athletes awoke on this blistering hot day in Chicago, then swam, biked and ran their way through the city’s 28th annual international triathlon. Its considered to be the largest race of its kind in the world.
Mark Fretta, one of the professional athletes, crossed the finish line first at 1 hour 52 minutes 22 seconds. The fastest woman in the race is the same woman who took home the top prize last year, Sarah Haskins, with an impressive 2 hours 2 minutes and 2 seconds. ”This is one of the greatest races in the country…but this year the heat makes it more difficult” she said. Race day last year started a bit chilly for the end of August in Chicago. This year temperatures hit the mid 90′s. ”The temperature of the water was really nice, but the humidity did get to some people. A lot of them had to walk during the running portion” says athlete Tim Maley.
Another athlete, Bill Owens, who’s done this race so many times he can’t even remember the exact number, says “Anyone who had to start this race after 10am really suffered”. Mother nature aside, athletes did get a little boost from the thousands of spectators from all over the country who lined up to cheer on the athletes.
Most impressive in today’s race were the blind, the paralyzed and the otherwise impaired triathletes who are now wearing the same medal around their necks as their able bodied counterparts.
The Chicago Triathlon is the third in the lineup of the Life Time Fitness Triathlon Series. Its a 6-race set that kicked off in Philadelphia in June and finishes up in Dallas in October.
(Just fyi; the grainy photos were taken with a cell phone)
