The New Luray Tri Sprint - and other endurance sports news

In honor of the new Tri Sprint that is coming up June 5 in Luray, thought I'd put a couple of items together in a post about outdoor endurance sports.  I'm not planning on competing in any of these events this year, but I'm considering it in the future - this year my goal is simply to be more active and get more exercise than I have the last couple of years, and so far, so good.

The first news in this regard comes from a note we received from Mary's cousin Heidi, who lives in Munich with her husband and children.  She's joined a tri team there, and the team keeps a blog, so I've added them to the blogroll "Sporthasshuster" over there on the right.  Click through to the team for a photo of everybody.  Here's the note we rec'd from Heidi with the news:

"I applied for and was selected to “Sport Schuster’s Elite Triathlon Team.” You had to live in munich, own a racing bike, and do some type of endurance sport – I run marathons) and get this, I got a spot. There are only 12 of us and everything we do is sponsored by the sport store and our main goal is the Garmin-Alpen Triathlon on Sept 18th. It has just been like winning the lottery and I am so very happy. We are trained by ute Schaefter, a German professional Triathlete, who won all distances for Germany up until 2005 when she “retired” (she is about as old as Felix). I will send you our blog address and if you want you may follow and also check pics and try and read the German text."


Now onto the new Luray Sprint.  Set for June 5, here is the description of the race from http://luraytriathlon.com/:

"June 5th: Set in the Shenandoah Valley near the beautiful and welcoming town of Luray, this race offers the same great course as the August sprint triathlon beginning with a swim in pristine Lake Arrowhead followed by a 16.5-mile bike on paved roads through the surrounding woods and farms and ending with an out and back 5K with rolling hills on the roads of Page County."

Be sure and check that link for the video of the course.  If you've ever wondered why I write so much about the beauty of the area, you'll see why...turn down the volume if you are at work - soundtrack is Queen!

This race, along with the other two that are done in August, benefit the community.  On race weekend in 2009, organizer David Glover announced that more than $10,000 was donated to the United Way of Page County.  United Way is the beneficiary again this year.  Also in 2009, another $8,000 was donated to the Luray Downtown Initiative, Luray Volunteer Rescue, Shenandoah Volunteer Rescue Squad, Luray Christian Church, Luray Parks & Recreation Department, Luray Police Dept and the Page County Sheriff's Office.

I did a post on the volunteer experience last year here:  http://hawksbillcabin.blogspot.com/2009/08/luray-tri-weekend.html. Needless to say, I am looking forward to helping out again this year - I'll do all the races if I can.

As far as participating, maybe in a few years.  I have a thought that I might like to run the Berlin Marathon in 2013...the 30th anniversary of my run in 1983.  Between that and swimming lessons, I might be able to finish.