101 Teams Reflect Rising Success of Pleasant District Family Triathlon

In any athletic endeavor, there is only so far a body can go—whether it’s lowering your time in the 100 meters or throwing a baseball as hard as a Major Leaguer.

The same principle is at work with organizing events. You can only double your participation for so long before the numbers become too big to keep up the pace.

As organizers of the Pleasant District Family Triathlon head into the event next September, that’s the fortunate dilemma they face: how to top the surging interest among participants and sponsors that made the 3rd annual happening such a great success.

With 101 two-person teams and more than 15 sponsors, the “PDF Tri,” as it is dubbed, took over the Pleasant District on the bright and crisp Sunday morning of Sept. 21st.

One statistic that suggests continued strength in numbers: 81 of the teams were in the 7- to 10-year-old category, with 20 in the 11- to 15-year-old group. The experience shared by Dan Crimmins and his 8-year-old son, Shawn, is one indicator that there is ample room for growth.

“Shawn really enjoyed his first race experience,” said Crimmins. “He was eager to try a triathlon since before he learned to swim, and this race exceeded our expectations. It was a joyful, rewarding experience and we can’t wait to do it again next year with our whole family.”

Even those who struggled found joy in completing the race, even if it was slower than most.

“This was a fun adventure for me and my children--and although we didn’t get the best times, we had a blast through the experience,” said one first-time participant. “In fact, we were buzzing about it so much that now my wife is talking about participating next year.”

Sarah Gulseth, Pleasant District Association president and the West Cook YMCA’s marketing & communications coordinator, was the chief organizer of the event.

“We created this race three years ago to give families an opportunity to race together - whether beginners or experienced - and we’re so thrilled that it’s grown the way it has,” said Gulseth. “We also had a fantastic turnout of fans, including parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends—many more than we’ve had in the past.”

The turnout of teams, many of which consisted of a parent with a child, exceeded the first two years combined: 29 in the inaugural triathlon in 2012 and 58 a year ago.

Every team began in the pool of the West Cook Y, 255 S. Marion St., then transitioned to bicycles stationed to the north of the building. Each bicycling lap was 1.4 kilometers, traveling along a Randolph Street-to Maple Avenue-to South Boulevard-to Home Avenue-and back to Randolph course.

After hopping off bikes, participants moved onto Marion Street, where they ran up and down the street until finishing just outside Greenline Wheels, 105 S. Marion St. It was a fitting spot, as the shop is where everyone checked in to get their assigned numbers and timing chips.

The streets were closed to traffic and Oak Park Police officers were positioned at each corner, to ensure safety. Scattered throughout the route were supporters, including Oak Park-River Forest High School athletes and even the Huskies mascot, who cheered on participants.

Ruben Figueres, who has competed in more than 200 triathlons across the world and has represented Spain and the United States in five world triathlon championships, took part in the PDF Tri for the second straight year.

He called it “a real bonding experience with the kids,” adding that the laidback structure provided a welcome entry point into the triathlon realm “without the nerves and anxiety of the big races.”

For 7- to 10-year-olds, as well as the adult accompanying them, the distance was 100 yards of swimming, 4.2 kilometers of bicycling and a one-kilometer run. For 11- to 15-year-olds, the lengths were doubled: 200 yards, which amounted to eight lengths in the YMCA pool, 8.4 kilometers of bicycling and a 2K run.

Customarily, the endurance event incorporates swimming, biking and running over a combined span of 15-plus miles (sprint distance) to 140.6 miles (ultra distance, including a 26.2-mile marathon).

For each age group, the top girl, boy and adult received prizes from Pleasant District shops and restaurants.

The PDF Tri ushered in “Pleasant Week To Be a Kid,” a series of events organized by the Pleasant District Association that celebrated children and families. The week concluded on Sunday, Sept. 28th with Children’s Day at Pleasant Home, 217 Home Ave.

PDF Tri sponsors were the West Cook YMCA, Greenline Wheels, Lively Running, The Pleasant District, INTENT Multisport, Inside Edge Public Relations, Edward Jones, Carnivore, Visit Oak Park, Hulafrog, Go! Go! Go! Fundraising, Pleasant Home Foundation, The Carleton of Oak Park, Peekaboo Playroom, the Wednesday Journal / OakPark.com, The Printing Store, RoadID, Elite Rehabilitation Institute, Palmgren Acupuncture, Serenitea and Lifeway.

All proceeds from the PDF Tri benefit the West Cook YMCA’s efforts to build a stronger community.

To view event results, visit westcookymca.org/pdftri. To learn more about the Pleasant District Association, visit http://pleasantdistrictoakpark.com/

PHOTO CAPTION:

Dan Crimmins of Oak Park and his 8-year-old son, Shawn, exult at the finish line of the Pleasant District Family Triathlon on Sept. 21st. They were one of 101 two-person teams to complete the event. (Photo by Craig Taylor)