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Hitting the pavement and lapping limitations
(by Megan Burrow - August 13, 2008)
On your mark…
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Date: Sept. 7
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Start time: 7:45 a.m.
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Registration opens at 6 a.m.
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Race duration: approximately 3 hours total
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Race includes: 300 meter swim, 10 mile bike, 5K run
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Admission: $30, or $45 per team
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All proceeds will benefit the Hillsdale Food Pantry and Pascack Valley High School educational programs
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For more information on the Pascack Valley Triathlon or to register, visit www.pvtri.com
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A 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride, and a 26.2 mile run. The numbers of an iron distance triathlon would sound daunting to almost anyone, even the most accomplished athletes.
That’s one reason why Hillsdale resident Bo Petkovich has organized a shorter distance triathlon in the Pascack Valley, a triathlon that he hopes will introduce people to the sport and encourage them to become more active.
The first annual Pascack Valley Triathlon, co-sponsored by Pascack Valley Community Life and BOSSecurity, will take place on Sunday, Sept. 7, beginning at the Stonybrook Swim Club in Hillsdale. Participants will swim 300 meters in the pool, then bike through Hillsdale and River Vale for 10 miles, and finish the race with a 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) run. There is also a relay option for teams to participate in the event with each member of the group completing a leg of the race.
Petkovich designed the racecourse to be easy enough for people new to triathlons, but challenging enough for veterans of the sport. “I wanted to make the triathlon fun and easy for people to participate,” he said, adding, “It is the perfect entry level triathlon for people to get started.”
Petkovich grew up in Rockland County, moving to Hillsdale five years ago. He started participating in marathons in 1995, and has since completed 20 of the 26.2-mile races since. He says he first got involved in running when he was younger as a way to lose weight and stay in shape. When a friend announced he was thinking of doing the New York Marathon in 1995, Petkovich was intrigued. “It’s tough to go to the gym and work out everyday,” he explained. “It is so much more appealing to set a goal and work towards it.”
Petkovich said some of the most inspiring moments happen during marathons and triathlons, as people push themselves to the limit. “It’s really more of a mental challenge than physical. At some point, you’re gonna get tired and your body’s gonna break down, and mentally you have to push yourself through the pain and complete the goal.”
About three years ago, he was running the New York City Marathon. He was far into the race and his legs were tiring. As he ran, he saw a figure up ahead with an odd gait. The crowds were cheering the person on as he ran. As Petkovich approached, he saw the runner was a double amputee. “It was amazing,” he says. “I thought he would probably love to feel some pain in his legs. He’s out there and he’s facing a much bigger challenge.”
After completing one or two marathons each year for about a decade, Petkovich decided to attempt a new challenge in 2005: the New York City Triathlon. He noticed that the athletes there were in even better physical condition than marathoners and felt motivated enough to try an iron distance triathlon in 2006, completing the race in 11 hours and 34 minutes.
One drawback to triathlons is the steep entry fees, which can run upwards of $300, plus the cost of equipment. “I think the cost often prevents people from participating,” Petkovich says. Because the distances in the Pascack Valley Triathlon are relatively short, there is no need to buy a wetsuit and a simple mountain bicycle is fine for the bike course.
Petkovich hopes the short distances will encourage people who normally would not consider a triathlon to participate. “Since the swim is in a pool people shouldn’t be intimidated, and for the run, you can walk if you need to. There’s no penalty,” Petkovich says. “This is about getting people out there, getting them motivated, and getting them to try another sport out.”
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Photo courtesy of Bo Petkovich
Bo Petkovich, pictured here running in the 2005 New York City Marathon, has organized the First Annual Pascack Valley Triathlon, which will be held on Sept. 7.
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As long as people can cover all three distances separately, Petkovich says there is no reason why they can’t participate in the triathlon. “Go out and see if you can do the swim,” he advises. “Then try putting two together, maybe take a five minute rest in between.”
An important test is to attempt the bike ride and then the run back-to-back. “That’s the toughest transition,” he explained. “They call it the brick workout, because after it’s over, your legs feel like bricks. As long as you get enough fuel in you, keep yourself hydrated, most people should be able to do it in one to two hours.”
Two years ago when Lance Armstrong was running the New York Marathon, Petkovich purposely got a quick start out of the gate. He ran with Armstrong and his entourage of famous marathoners, Alberto Salazar, Joan Benoit Samuelson, and Hicham El Guerrouj for a few miles, before the record-breaking cyclist finally pulled ahead.
It’s an example of just how democratic distance races are, something Petkovich clearly relishes.
“You can’t play basketball with Michael Jordan, or golf with Tiger Woods, but with a marathon, you line up there with everyone else. Everyone's covering the same distance and everyone's going through the same thing.”
For more information on the Pascack Valley Triathlon or to register, visit www.pvtri.com.
Megan Burrow's e-mail address is burrow@northjersey.com
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