MEC holds first triathlon in Strathmore

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associate Editor

 

A total of 77 athletes jumped into the pool, pedalled against strong winds, and hit the pavement, after less red tape and the town’s involvement made Strathmore the ideal location for Calgary’s Mountain Equipment Co-op’s (MEC) first triathlon.
The outdoor-recreation-gear-and-clothing-goods cooperative, which organized running and bike races for the past three years, ventured into unchartered waters when the vision to offer an inexpensive triathlon in the area blossomed.
While Calgary proved counterproductive by demanding large fees associated with pool rentals and road closures, Strathmore’s walking trail, accessible roads, and the town’s willingness to work with the organization allowed for the event to take place on Oct. 10.
“Our whole reason for putting this on was to keep the price and cost low so everyone can participate and Strathmore was really accommodating for that and willing to work with us,” said Tara McFadden, event coordinator. “I really hope our numbers go up for next year. We didn’t really recover our own costs, we actually spent money to put this event on. But it’s really great to see so many people participate.”
While the MEC Calgary Sprint Triathlon kept costs low by not offering t-shirts or participation medals, expenses accrued through advertising, rentals, and certified flaggers. With only 10 volunteers, MEC also enlisted the help of 15 of their staff members.
MEC’s family-friendly approach and the low $35 entry fee encouraged stay-at-home father of three Chris Green to participate in his first triathlon.
Enduring a six-week training schedule, Green shed 10 lbs before the start of the race.
“I started off at 237 lbs and then I started the race at 227 lbs, just the training alone changed my life,” Green said. “I used to be really fit before the kids. Then with the kids, everything fell off the wagon. So I thought this might be a fast way to get back into shape. And it totally worked.”
The event attracted athletes of all skill levels. While Green began training just over a month ago, other athletes have been training for most of the year. For former Strathmore resident, Darren Heyner, who’s been participating in triathlons for 18 years, Oct. 10 marks a day for competing.
Last year on the day, he qualified and participated in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii and this year he returned to Strathmore to win first place in MEC’s event. While he followed a six-month-training plan with 10 workouts a week for his ironman competitions, he said having the event in his hometown gave him an advantage.
“I’ve done races on this loop and so you know, on the way out to use it all up because you know it’s going to be windy and uphill on the way back,” Heyner said, who also took part in the Tri-Smore event, together with his daughter Samantha, in Strathmore earlier this year.
“I originally grew up as a runner, and I find if you do all three sports, you don’t get hurt as much.”
Although MEC faced a snow storm for their trail run at Nose Hill in Calgary the week prior, the weather turned warm for the triathlon last week – despite some strong winds.
Even though the organization will not be making up their costs – as was originally expected – the team was optimistic about bringing the event back next August with hopes of attracting more athletes to participate.