Forget the wind chills!
The announcement of the Habitat for Humanity Triathlon Series provides five good reasons to think about warm summer breezes:
Seventh Annual Yellow Creek Sprint Triathlon, 8 a.m., June 14 — Held in Yellow Creek Park near Indiana, this is a half-mile swim, 10-mile bike race and 3.5-mile run benefiting the Indiana County Habitat for Humanity. $35 registration fee. Contact: 724-463-7955; e-mail: jkk11@psu.edu ; online registration: active.com
Third Annual Kids Triathlon at South Park, 8 a.m. July 19 — Allegheny County's South Park Wave Pool. Proceeds go to Pittsburgh Habitat. For 7 to 9 year olds: 50-meter swim, one-mile bike, one-half mile run. For 10 to12 year olds: 100-meter swim, two-mile bike, one-mile run. Contact: 412-466-6710, box 6; e-mail: juliesac@hotmail.com ; online registration: active.com
Second Annual Kids' Triathlon, Lynch Field, Greensburg, (time not set) Aug. 9 — A benefit for Northern Westmoreland County Habitat for Humanity, the competition, with distances to be determined, is for ages 7 through 12. $15 registration fee. Contact: 724-527-1012; e-mail: habitatgirl@attbi.com ; online registration: active.com
Fifth Annual Tom Murray Cranberry Township Run-Swim-Run, 8:30 a.m. Aug. 23 — Held at North Boundary Park, Cranberry. Proceeds go to SouthWest Butler Habitat. It consists of a three-mile run, 500-meter swim and two-mile run. $25 registration. Contact: 724-774-8437; e-mail: tridebi@nb.net ; online registration: active.com
Seventh Annual Crooked Creek Olympic & Sprint Triathlon — Held at Crooked Creek Lake, near Ford City, (time not set) Sept. 6. A benefit for Armstrong County Habitat, this is a nine-tenth of a mile swim, 23-mile bike and 6.2-mile run. There will be a new sprint distance for 2003. $30 registration. Contact: 724-548-5716 or 724.545.4905; e-mail: carl@kittanning.com ; online registration: active.com
FREE TRAINING FOR KIDS
Dr. Don Gibbon, Triathlon Academy coach, will lead a free Kids' Training for Triathlon Seminar, at 10 a.m. May 31 at Bethel Park High School. Contact: 724-463-7955; e-mail: jkk11@psu.edu .
OTHER NEWS
For other activities, visit http://www.alleghenysc.org .
SKI PROGRAM
A cross-country ski instruction program is Saturday at Laurel Ridge State Park, sponsored by Western Pennsylvania Field Institute.
Cost: $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers. Equipment can be rented for $15.
Contact:: 412-255-0564.
HELP WANTED
We want to help runners in the Valley who plan to try their first marathon next year and are about to begin training toward that goal.
If you've completed a marathon, or many of them, we invite you to share tips on what worked and what did not for you.
What advice would you give to someone ready to make the move to a 26.2-miler⢠What was the best tip that you received when you were preparing for your first marathon⢠What was the worst recommendation?
Have you found a proper way to prepare, as opposed to under- or over-training for the big day?
Just how much mileage is needed in a training program?
Has cross-training or weight lifting helped?
What is your favorite marathon?
Any advice for those running the Pittsburgh Marathon May 4?
Please send your thoughts to: Rex Rutkoski, Valley News Dispatch, 210 Fourth Ave., Tarentum, PA 15084; fax 724-226-4677.
