"I remember thinking that anyone who would do all three –swim, bike and run – was out of their mind,” recalls Phil Gormley, chairman of the Westchester Triathlon Committee, when thinking back on the event's early days.
Gormley first competed in the Westchester Triathlon in 1981 as part of a relay team where he swam half a mile in Eastchester’s Lake Isle, his teammates biked 15 miles to White Plains and finished with a 5K run around the high school track. Today, Gormley and more than 1500 triathletes will compete in the Olympic distance race comprising a .9 mile swim, 25 mile bike ride and 6.2 mile run.
This September's race marks the 34th running of the Westchester Triathlon, a charity event that promotes a healthy lifestyle by offering races for all ages and levels of athleticism. Embracing the entire community, the organizers are proud that more than 7,000 locals participate as triathletes, spectators, and volunteers. This year's race has been sponsored by apparel company, Zoot
This year, Zoot Westchester Triathlon has announced the addition of the Martin E. Franklin Corporate Challenge, named in honor of Franklin, co-founder of Jarden and a long-term philanthropic supporter of the Westchester Triathlon.
In addition to the Olympic distance, Westchester Triathlon offers the following on Saturday, Sept. 24:
- Westchester Super Sprint - For 15+ years: a 300 yard swim, 6 mile bike and 1 mile run.
- Westchester Kids Triathlon - Ages 7-10: 75 yard swim, 2 mile bike and 1 mile run; Ages 11: 14 race a 150 yard swim, 4 mile bike and 1 mile run.
Westchester Triathlon is a non-profit organization that donates its net proceeds to charity partners, including Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, MAC Angels, Challenged Athletes Foundation, Team Red, White & Blue, Generation Ubuntu and Soul Ryeders.
For more information, visit their website.