Sports
Local Swimmers Test Endurance in Thunder Triathlon
Forty-five members of the Tinley Park Thunder swim team competed in the Thunder Triathlon, an event that adds new challenges to the team's regular routine.
The monotonous grind of training for one sport day in and day out can be mentally exhausting for even the most passionate athletes.
For the Tinley Park Thunder swim team, participating in the Thunder Triathlon summer event breaks up their usual regimented routine.
Thunder head coach Scott Wilsak can relate to the sometimes daunting daily schedule his dedicated young swimmers complete. Wilsak swam for Tinley Park High School and participated in the triathlon during his years on the team.
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“It’s something different, it’s something fun,” Wilsak said of the Thunder Triathlon. “(When) you swim laps all the time you can get bored, so why not do something different? I know what these kids are going through, practicing as hard as they do. I participated in the event twice when I was in high school.”
The Thunder had a strong showing for Thursday's triathlon, with 45 swimmers participating. The event is broken up by age groups, from as young as 8 to as old as 17, with the 13-and-older division held to the toughest standard. Those group members each ran two miles, road a stationary bike for five miles and finished off the event with 33 laps in the pool (a 1,650-yard swim).
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Two Thunder senior members, Kevin Hesse and Andrew Griffin, said they always look forward to the Thunder Triathlon.
“It’s one of the favorite events we do in the summer,” Hesse said. “I think after doing this, we all feel closer as a team. It’s a bonding experience.”
Griffin said he enjoys the event because it’s a mental break from the regular grind of swimming.
“Once you get into the pool for so long, especially if you have morning practice and day practice four of five days a week, it gets tiresome,” he explained. “Mixing it up like we did today helps a lot.”
While the event is aimed for the participants to have fun, a friendly competition always emerges during the event. Hesse and Griffin finished first and second on the day. Hesse completed the triathlon in 52:42, and Griffin finished just behind at 52:53.
