On September 22nd, twelve members of Team SpoFit plus staff and volunteers competed in the Tempe Sprint Triathlon at Tempe Beach Park. And the good news is, they all made it!
Tim Surry, Peter Fischer, Leonard Zech, Robert Bradford, Megan Harden, and Kelsey Bocken competed individually, while Kevan Brininger, Evan Malady, Ricardo Phelps, Jen Chaille, Tim Hults, and Gabe Gerbic competed as relays. Wounded Warrior, Kyle Murphy, and SpoFit Lifeguard, Nate Skotak volunteered their time to motivate the Team, offering guidance and support, along their 750 meter swim, 12.3 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run.
All the members were introduced to the sport of Triathlon during SpoFit’s Try-A-Tri events, quarterly events held in SpoFit’s lap pool, stationary bikes and hand bikes, and indoor track. These events have given members the confidence to transition their skills to a real, outdoor triathlon. Weekly Team SpoFit workouts also helped improve technique and endurance, allowing our members to complete this triathlon.
“It was an honor to watch everyone compete in the real-deal, after hours of watching them train inside SpoFit. The most incredible part of the day was seeing the community come together to cheer our Paratriathletes on,” said Team SpoFit Coordinator, Kelsey Bocken. For two months, Kyle Murphy has been working with Team SpoFit, helping them swim farther, getting used to open water, and sending inspirational quotes when he couldn’t make a workout. After everyone finished strong, Kyle exclaimed, “They just kicked some major butt!”
If you are interested in getting involved in similar events with Team360, contact Kelsey Bocken at
kelseyb@abil.org, or check out the Team360 web page.
For more photos visit our Facebook album.