“Our athletes left it all out on the track today and we have never been more proud!” Seniors participate in Mid-Valley Senior Center Olympic Triathlon

Last week, some of the most competitive folks around participated in the hopes of finding athletic glory as part of the Mid-Valley Senior Center Olympic Triathlon in Houston.

The triathlon consisted of three events meant to test the fortitude and fun of the teams that dared to compete. First off was selecting the right partner to ensure victory, which meant some people had to exercise strategy in finding the right partner that could balance out any weaknesses, a partner that would cheer them on to keep going…or maybe was their spouse and it would keep the peace.

“The husbands really took it to the next level,” said Melissa Sonnek, Program Manager for Wasilla Area Seniors, Inc (WASI).

All of the events had the components of any other triathlon-swimming, cycling, and hitting the pavement with one’s feet.

The first event was a 2-seater Tricycle Race in which partners could switch off if the other got too tired. After completing the timed event, it was off to the next event, the Power Walk and Roll. For this event, one person would be seated in a utility wagon while the other had to pull them for a lap, where speed was key.

Finally, there was the Air Swim, was true pairs event. One teammate donned all of the typical swim equipment of googles and snorkel, plus a set of flippers and water wings. That partner then remained in a wheelchair and had to “swim” while being pushed by their partner for one lap. If a piece of swimwear was lost or if at any time someone didn’t continue to make “swim” movements, points would be docked, so the pressure was on. Once the lap was completed, the other partner then had to “swim” while being pushed.

“There was so much joy and laughter, it was phenomenal,” said Sonnek, adding, “everyone really enjoyed themselves out there.”

To help bolster team spirits, several cheerleaders from the Houston High Hawks cheer squad were on hand to brighten the event.

“We were very lucky because the cheerleaders just had their tryouts the week before, and their cheer coach was all about having them out there. The interaction was fun, and it was good for the seniors and the kids to see.”

Also on hand was Bagpipe musician Norm Weaver to provide some musical scoring to pump up the athletes in between events.

Sonnek said that the event was such a phenomenal event thanks to the many amazing volunteers from the Houston and Big Lake communities.

“We are just so blessed that we have the volunteers to support us.”

Of course, what triathlon would be complete without prizes and the Mid-Valley Senior Center’s very own Jane Bond to hand out the trophies?

“It’s her favorite job, and she was just delighted to be there. She was amazing.”

The First Place team was The Dynamic Duo! Second Place went to the Good Guys and Third Place went to Wasi Wazoo. There were also awards for the Best Lap going out to the fastest lap.

“Our athletes left it all out on the track today and we have never been more proud! They gave this Triathlon their all! We have never laughed so hard and cheered so loudly!!”

There has also been a call for a repeat of the triathlon, which Sonnek assures will happen again.

“It is so awesome to get our seniors out and participate in any of the events we have. It’s a blessing to give them the options to participate and have fun. It’s amazing,” said Sonnek.

For more information about the Mid-Valley Senior Center, or how people can volunteer, visit the Mid-Valley Senior Center Facebook page, or go to www.wasillaseniors.com