A half-mile of swimming. 13 miles of biking. And a three-mile run. Sound like fun? 15 Grinnell students certainly think so.
For the third year, the Physical Education Department is running a triathlon training course for students of all athletic backgrounds to improve the skills needed to compete in a triathlon. Students create personal training plans with Head Swim Coach Erin Hurley, the current instructor, to develop their swimming, biking and running proficiency and eventually take part in a mini-triathlon, which the class hosts at the end of the semester.
Hurley said that since its inception, the class has grown considerably in popularity. "I initially only wanted to have twelve students in the course, but it now has fifteen, with five on the waiting list," she said.
One reason for the popularity of the course has been the diversity of the participants' athleticism, which was made effective by the method of instruction. "[Hurley] did a great job of making the class accessible to people with lots of different levels of experience and knowing the different types training that they entail," said Hugh Redford '10, who is enrolled in the course.
Regardless of prior athletic background, Hurley expects that all her students will be well prepared to compete at the end of the semester. "The class is really representative of what a triathlon is," said Hurley. Hurley herself trained for a triathlon in college, relying on her swimming background and supplementing her experience by biking in a group and running with a high school cross country team.
The class is structured to study both the theory and history behind the triathlon, and to train effectively using programs specific to the athletic ability of each student. The first two weeks of the class focused on the mechanics of the triathlon, with students using the text "12-Week Triathlon" to develop their training program. The class meets for two hours each week, during which students have the choice of swimming, biking, running on the treadmill, or working out on the elliptical machine. Each student keeps a training log recording their workout each day, and is expected to supplement their training outside of class as well.
The course began during the spring 2006 semester and was taught by former Assistant Swim Coach Alex Kuhn. Kuhn and Hurley initially developed the class as an alternative to the Conditioning and Core Swimming courses, basing the curriculum on their own experience as coaches and emphasizing a diverse training program.
Each student's workout plan is built around their individual ability and the goal that they wish to achieve. "When I graduate, I want to do triathlons as my athletic activity and so I wanted to be able to make my own training plan, and I really haven't had that before, having a coach tell me what I needed to be doing," said Anders Ahlberg '10, who has finished two triathlons already and has been swimming, biking and running competitively for quite a number of years. Ahlberg is more focused on the minute details of the triathlon.
Aditya Kini '10, who plays intramural racquetball but is not involved in varsity sports, agrees. "We could expect ourselves to improve by 10% every week," said Kini. "And that also depends on what kind of athlete you are and what you need, how much experience you have and how much you train, stick to the schedule, and it's a very personal thing."
While many people in the class simply want to finish the sprint triathlon at the end of the semester, others wish to use this as effective cross-training for further athletic activities. Anne Eaton '08 is training for a marathon at the same time, and Andrew Kishman '10 picked up swimming and biking over last year and now plans to compete in a half-ironman.
No matter what their abilities are, the people in the class were all unanimous in their recommendation of this class to almost anyone, from hardened athletes to people who have not gone for a run in years. As Hurley said, the different levels and areas of athleticism will allow for students to learn from one another: "One person's strength could be another's weakness."
