Summer is seen as training time for many athletes, as it is the off season for most sports, but for a select few summer is their busiest competition season.
Several Lake Zurich teachers are involved with summer running events, ranging from an Ironman 70.3 race, a marathon, to a 5k run.
The Ironman 70.3 is considered a half Ironman, where competitors swim 1.2 miles, bike 56 miles, and run 13.1 miles. The Ironman originally came to be in Hawaii after a debate about the most fit type of athetes; runners, cyclists, or swimmers. Lesly Ravenscraft, ELL teacher, ran an Ironman 70.3 race in Muncie, Indiana July 9, 2011.
Ravenscraft trained for five months preceding the event, following a set training program.
“Every Monday was a rest day where I did nothing. The rest of the weekdays alternated
between running, swimming, and biking.” Ravenscraft said, “Saturdays and Sundays were called BRICK days – I would have to do two of the events on those days – sometimes it was swimming
and biking; sometimes it was biking and running,”
Their are many aspects of competing, not only physical but mental. Many competitors have a division or portion of the race that they feel is the most challenging.
“For me, personally, the swimming was the most rewarding. Normally, the swimming is the greatest challenge for me,” Ravenscraft said, “I usually struggle with the swim, but this race I felt the strongest in the swim. I came out of the water smiling and strong. I did not have the feeling of ‘thank god that parts over’.”
Another popular summer event for many athletes is the marathon. A 26.2 mile test of the body’s endurance, based on the tale of Phidippides, who ran the 26 miles after the Battle of Marathon to deliver the news of their success and died shortly after.
Nicole Collins, science teacher, is currently training for a marathon, which she plans to run later this year.
Mark Borst coordinated the LZ Tritathlon this summer, with around 450 participants in the race and 420 finishing. The race was run on July 10, 2011 out of Paulus Park.
“The feedback I got from participants was very positive, with many saying they would bring their friends back next year,” said Borst.
There are many types of popular races that are run during the summer. Once such race is the 5k run, a very popular summer event with thousands scheduled across the country each year. 5k runs are held as races and also as “fun runs” where no places are kept and are held for charities or other causes.
Karen Marchand, English teacher, ran her first race since 2006 this summer, a 5k,and plans to race again next year and continue with these races.
School sports are just kicking into gear while for some athletes competition season is coming to a close.