By Amy Hensel
ahensel@cherryroad.com
The seventh AuSable Valley Triathlon, a fundraiser for Love INC-Oscoda County, will be held Saturday, June 8. There are just a few days left to register at a reduced rate.
“People can register for the second registration deadline, May 15, for $40,” Love INC executive director Laurie Diller said. “After May 15 it’s just $5 more, $45. They can register the day of the event as well.”
Entrants compete as individuals or in a team of two or three: kayak for one mile, bike for 11 miles and run for three miles. Diller shared some details about the makeup of this year’s race. “We have teams with all family members,” she said.
One team is two brothers and a sister, the Alchins. Logan is a triathlon veteran, but Maggie and Kolby are new to the event. Father-son team Dr. Greg Thornton, from Big Creek Chiropractic, and Drake Thornton are returning after competing for the first time in 2023.
Two siblings are making up another team. It will be the fifth year for the brother. “He has done it before by himself and another time with two sisters,” Diller said. “This time it is just with one sister.”
A husband and wife entered. “They are not a team. They are each doing it,” Diller said. “They go all over the U.S. It’s neat that they are choosing to do [our event]. I think they said they were going on up to the UP after this.”
Mary, Julieanne and Sara Nakamura from Livonia are first-time participants, but they did not enter as a team. They are each doing all three legs of the triathlon.
“We really want to encourage families and friends to do this together,” Diller said. “One team called themselves Besties, because they are best friends.”
Ursula Latreille and her brother Richard Holsbeke are competing with Fairview runner Arin Pyles, who is making his triathlon debut. An all-women team, not a family, from Oscoda is returning for the fourth year. A five-year triathlon veteran is a PT and athletic trainer at Clarkson High School.
One entrant, returning for his third year, commented on the triathlon committee. He said, “You do a great job, organizing and communicating.”
Diller is pleased and thankful for the number of sponsors, new and returning, which support the triathlon. There are two different levels of sponsors: Silver, $100 and Gold, $200.
“It’s up from last year and we had several move up from silver to gold,” she said. “We also give silver credit for in-kind sponsors. “AuSable River Outfitters are donating gift certificates and Fairview BP are donating gas cards.”
Diller is happy to see all the participation from outside the area but wishes more Oscoda County residents would sign up for the triathlon. “I’d love to see more locals,” she said. “I’m glad for the ones that we have.”
There is an alteration to the kayak leg of the race. “Because the boat launch is so small for that many kayaks to pile in all at once, we are doing it in heats this year with the teams going first,” Diller said. “At least ten kayaks with have a ten minute head start. Hopefully they will back first and get out to make room for all the other ones.”
Diller encourages competitors to make a weekend of it and enjoy everything else which is going on in Oscoda County. The triathlon is completed early in the day. There is time to take in Nor-East’r Music & Art Festival at the Oscoda County Fairgrounds and Red, White and Blue Collar Festival in downtown Mio, or spend some relaxing time on the river after the stress of competition is over.
Register at RunSignup.com or by email: ausablevalleytriathlon@gmail.com Follow AuSable Valley Triathlon Facebook page for updates. Love In the Name of Christ, a ministry of eight local partner churches which looks after the needs of the Oscoda County community.
