A Dry Alternative

On Sunday February 23, 2014 a small group of determined individuals were up-and-at-‘em early at the Hulda Crooks Park in Loma Linda for the Community Dry Triathlon. Standing in a circle around trainers Sam and Ashleigh Benavides, they were warming up before beginning their 5K Run/Walk part of the Triathlon. The course set out for them was through the rolling hills of the South Hills Preserve above Hulda Crooks Park, and Sam Benavides issued warnings for the 3.1 miles of hilly terrain. “Now, look for the trail markers we’ve set out for you along the way. You should see markers at .5 miles, 1 miles, 1.5 miles, etc. If you’re not seeing those, you’re on the wrong way. And the biggest hazard to watch for will be mountain bikers. If you see one coming down the trail stop and let them pass you by before proceeding.” After completing the series of warm up exercises, the group walked past the dog park and straight up to the hills, pausing only for a group shot before beginning the uphill climb. Speaking words of encouragement and a few more words of caution, “Everyone have water?” Ashleigh Benavides asked, “Everyone remember the most important part? Have fun!” With different fitness levels, some of the participants took off running while others were walking their way through the challenge course. Waiting for them at the end of the trail was a giant “3.1” emblazoned on the ground with a bouquet of red balloons tied to a fence. Once the event was completed, the triathlon-ers then went to relay stations set up at the park to complete the second part of the challenge. Prone Heel Taps, Double Crunches, Crabwalks, Jump Squats, Lateral Burpees and Decline Pushups were the labels on the relay stations. Each person stopped to complete the established number of exercises spelled out on the station, or did their very best to complete as many as they could before going on to the next challenge. Once the six stations had been finished, it was on to the third part of the Triathlon, the jump rope station. For Renee Ratcliff of Redlands, the jump rope was something she had not done in a long time. “Wow, I haven’t jumped rope since elementary school,” said Ratcliff as she picked up the handles of the rope at her final destination. In talking about her commitment to participating in the Triathlon Ratcliff shared, “The Walk/Run course was really steep, and it was hard for me, but I made it! I attended the boot camp before this and it’s fun. Ashleigh guides each person through the journey at their own level of fitness. Since October, I’ve seen a 5% change in muscle tone and I’m looking forward to the Possibilities Triathlon in Loma Linda this year on April 27th. This will be my third year at Possibilities, and I want to compare how much better I will do thanks to the effort I’m making now.” Rancho Cucamonga resident and participant Robert Christenson said, “My mom works out with Ashleigh and I run a lot of marathons already, so we made this a family thing with my brother here, too. Most people have difficulty working out unless it’s with someone else or you have a goal. I had made a goal to lose 100 pounds over the course of the last five years, and I’ve succeeded at that. People should make a commitment and stick to it. It gets easier as you go along.” Coleen Bielas of Loma Linda shared, “Ashleigh is a big inspiration to me and the work outs make me feel good. I was really nervous at first about joining the Dry Triathlon, but I said, hey, just do it! So it turned out not so bad, I ended up having fun and making friends!” Benavides explained the concept of the Community Dry Triathlon was to provide people with venues outside of the bike riding and swimming that goes with what is considered a “normal” triathlon. “This is for people who don’t have access to bicycles or pools so we substituted the relay stations and jump rope; and without the swimming, it’s a ‘dry’ triathlon,” she said. After the course was done, each participant was given goodie bags along with prizes from sponsors of the Community Dry Triathlon for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. As everyone stood around enjoying some healthy treats and bottles of water after their hard work was over, it was clear that the effort of the day was well worth the hard work. “We’re in the lifestyle change business,” said Benavides, “We want people to focus on getting started in eating healthy, and living a healthy lifestyle. The Triathlons are designed to help people measure how much they’ve improved since the last one they’ve participated in because beginning a healthy lifestyle is all about improvement one step at a time.” More information about the next Dry Triathlon can be found at www.better-life-fitness.com or by calling 909-222-5462.