A group of athletes pushed themselves to the limit at the Big Fish Lake State Recreational Area in Hadley Township June 21.
The group 3 Disciplines Racing sponsored a triathlon and duathlon at the park, with about 200 people participating in the race, according to their Web site, www.3disciplines.com.
The triathlon consisted of a 1000 meter swim, a 40 kilometer bicycle race and a five mile run, while the duathlon consisted of a two mile run, 40k bicycle race and a five mile run.
Brian Francis, 35, was first among male participants in the triathlon with a time of 1:49.32, while Laura Sophier, 47, led all females with a time of 1:57.06. In the duathlon, Ron Shuster, 52, finished first among males with a time of 2:01.31, while Caryn Maxwell, 34, won the female division with a time of 2:12.41.
One of the triathlon participants was Steve Unruh, 32, of Brandon Township, who took part in his second triathlon. ‘I thought it was a real good event,? Unruh said of the race.
Unruh said things went much more smoothly this time around than in his first triathlon two weeks prior to the Hadley Township race.
?(In my first race) I hyperventilated on the swim and then I calmed down,? he said. ‘I got better at it during the past two weeks, and I knew where my limits were.?
He said he first thought about taking part in triathlons about a year ago, when he began cross-training for swimming and biking to take a break from his normal running routine.
Unruh plans on competing in another 3 Disciplines event September at Independence Oaks County Park in Clarkston, as well as the Paul Bunyan Ironman Challenge in Oscoda and another triathlon at the end of the year.
Another Ortonville resident, Kathy Connel, 35, also competed in her second triathlon. Her first one was last year at Stoney Creek in Rochester.
‘The one at Stoney Creek is nice because it’s a closed course,? she said. ‘I think it (the Big Fish Lake course) was more difficult because it was more of a rolling course and you had to contend with the traffic. Overall, I had a really good time. I think it was very well-run.?