TIFF WELLS
Staff Writer
There is a new club sport in town. It’s the Triathlon Club. When the collegiate nationals are held in the spring of 2006, Pepperdine will be competing in it. As of yet, the NCAA doesn’t hold a national competition for triathletes. Therefore, Pepperdine triathletes will be competing at the collegiate nationals. At a triathlon, there are three events: a 10-mile run, a 1.5-kilometer swim and a 40-kilometer bike ride.
Natalie Hayden was the “brain-child” behind the formation of this new club. Hayden is a law student at Pepperdine. Before becoming a law student, she was an undergrad at the University of Minnesota before transferring to the University of California-San Diego in 2001. While attending UCSD, Hayden “raced on their triathlon team and was amazed that there was nothing of that sort here.”
She wanted to do something about it, so she stopped by the campus recreation office and proposed her idea to Matt Kalish, the intramural and club sports coordinator at Pepperdine.
“I then talked to a former P.E. teacher here and then he emailed his students about this new club,” Hayden said.
More than 20 students responded by showing up to the club’s first meeting on Sept. 22. “This club has a broad mix of members,” Hayden said. They learned that the ultimate goal for the club is “to promote the commitment to endurance of the members of the team.”
With another goal being to promote health and fitness, “it’s an addicting sport and one comes to love it,” Hayden said. There are no specific requirements to become a member of the club. “To do the biking portion, you must need a bike. You must also be able to swim one length of the pool,” Hayden said.
Members will meet Mondays and Wednesdays at 2 in the afternoon, in Firestone Fieldhouse, before they commence training for the day. The weekend schedule is announced every Wednesday. As the team gets closer to going to nationals, they will meet more often each week.
“An advanced group will meet five to six hours a weekend. But for now, the weekends are open to see where everyone is at,” Hayden said.
Freshman Shelly Carter said she is very excited about this because “I’ve been swimming for years.” She has also run track and cross country since her sophomore year in high school.
Endurance is key for this physically demanding sport. Carter said she wants to see how far she can push her body and “wants to get into the ultimate shape.” Eventually, she said she wants to cross the finish line of a triathlon and enjoy every moment of it.
“I’ve been a water rat forever, and I just wish it had a bigger influence in triathlons,” Carter said.
Freshman Zachary Buck has been involved with triathlons since he was 6 years old.
“I don’t think very many people are aware of triathlons and how awesome they are,” Buck said. His father has completed several Ironman triathlons (an Ironman consists of a 26.2-mile run, a 2.5-mile swim and a 112-mile bike ride), which are held yearly on the big island of Hawaii.
“My first actual triathlon was a kids one when I was 8,” Buck said. He has done about 10 triathlons, including sprint distance triathlons and Olympic distance ones.
“I have never been part of a triathlon club, but I have always enjoyed training with my father and his other triathlete friends,” Buck said. He prefers the running portion and has been involved with track and cross country in high school, but said he loves the swim and bike as well. He joined the club to be involved with the triathlon lifestyle and Buck said he wants to be around people who share the same interest and passion that he has for the sport.
However, freshmen aren’t the only Pepperdine students taking up the triathlon challenge.
Senior Tina Jeon said she is very excited about this new club and hopes more people will join.
“Running has always come naturally for me, but I only swim and bike recreationally,” Jeon said. She feels that a triathlon is a great challenge because “it keeps you in really good shape all over.” She also suggested that Pepperdine could add this as a P.E. class in the future.
New members are always welcome to join the triathlon club. Meetings are open to anyone who is interested.
11-17-2005