Airmen push endurance to limit with triathlon

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Alex Martinez
  • 39th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey (AFPN) --  Thirty-eight Airmen and civilians participated in the Sprint Triathlon here recently.  It was a triathlon that proved to be anything but ordinary.

The triathlon, hosted by members of the 39th Force Support Squadron, challenged the participants with three grueling events: run, bike and swim.

"The event went as well as could be expected; it was different but good," said Lt. Col. Tim Brock, a member of the 90th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron and the Men's 30-and-over triathlon winner.

The event was different because the order of events deviated from the classic swim, bike and run order. Instead, participants ran first, bicycled second and swam to the finish.

They ran 5 kilometers or one modified time around the triangle running route; bicycled 20 kilometers or once around the perimeter of the flight line and swam 225 meters in the base pool.

"It feels good to win a well-organized event," said Senior Airman Bradley Williams, 39th Maintenance Squadron and men's 30-and-under triathlon winner.

Airman Williams has competed in many triathlons and is training for an Iron Man competition in November.

Eighteen volunteers, along with Airmen from the fitness center, helped run the event.

Another triathlon event has not been scheduled yet for the season, however, a spokesperson for the fitness center said due to the success of this event, it's likely there will be.