Ashley Lage | Staff Writer

On Sunday, March 2, the Human Performance Student Organization (HiPSO) hosted their third annual indoor triathlon in Siebens Fieldhouse and the Lamberti Recreation Center. A triathlon consists of swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and running 26.2 miles. Five Buena Vista University (BVU) students and faculty participated in the event.

Participants had the option to team up with others to complete the Youth Tri, Mini Sprint Tri, or the Sprint Tri. Seven different age groups were allowed to participate with the youngest starting at a minimum age of 10 and the oldest age group at 60 and above. Whichever of the three triathlons one signed up for determined how long a person would have to swim, bike, and run with transition times in between.

A total of 21 people participated in this event. The overall winners of the Sprint Tri were Pete Pratkelis from Fort Dodge and Sarah Dvertsen from Storm Lake. The winners were based on who could complete the most distance in the allotted time, which was 15 minutes of swimming, 30 minutes of biking and a 20-minute run.

In the past, the indoor triathlon was held before the Iron Beaver Challenge as a part of Winterfest. Matt Hanson, a BVU athletic trainer and Lesa Turnquist, president of HiPSO, decided that the triathlon should be held after Iron Beaver so that students and faculty could use Iron Beaver as a way to train for the triathlon.

Because the triathlon is usually held during alumni weekend, the event lost participants this year.

“We’d like to see more students participate in the triathlon. The sound of it can be kind of scary, especially because it’s seen as a competition, but I think more students should participate just to get the experience of doing a triathlon. It’s something you can say you did. Participating in the Iron Beaver Challenge will especially help get someone into shape to just do the triathlon, even without intentions of winning,” Turnquist said.

Photo courtesy of Ashley Farmer-Hanson