Starting Thursday, June 16, at least 30 women from South Orange, Maplewood and Millburn will begin training in earnest to compete in the Iron Girl Sprint Triathlon on September 11 in Sandy Hook, NJ.
Perhaps you can be one of them.
For many of the women, it will be their first triathlon and it will be a test of balancing personal and work responsibilities to train for the 1/4-mile swim, 12-mile bike ride and 5K run.
The women are undertaking the training as a part of Team TRIumph, led by Patricia Canning. The team is a USAT certified women’s triathlon club that “empowers its members to take charge of their health and wellness goals through supportive and fun group training sessions.”
Canning, a South Orange resident, founded the group last fall and it has grown quickly from 17 initial members to 50.
The team will launch its summer session on Thursday, June 16 at 7:30 p.m. with a meeting at SOMA Skin & Laser, 90 Millburn Avenue, 2nd floor. (SOMA Skin & Laser is one of several local sponsoring businesses including CycleRX, High Gear Cyclery and Sneaker Factory.)
If you want to join the ladies, you can still get in on the action. Canning says that no-one should be intimidated: The group includes women at all fitness levels who motivate one another with the sole goal of completing the triathlon.
“I personally am feeling that I’m taking my body back. And this regime gives me permission to make myself, my health, a priority,” said one club member. “With all the competition for our time, it’s tempting, and something I do. I rationalize. I put myself last. I haven’t done that, and everyone is adjusting and getting on board.”
Club membership is $150 for the year. Visit the Team TRIumph Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/TriTeamTriumph or email Canning at TriTeamTriumphInfo@gmail.com.
For more information, see the flier below or click on the icon underneath it to enlarge.
