The triathlon club at UNA has competed the past two years at the collegiate level and is currently training to prepare members for the 2012 season.

“I didn’t think I would be into triathlons, but I’ve worked my way up and love it,” said President Wes Sego.

Sego was approached by David Hater in 2009 to help start the organization. Hater had recently left UNA’s football program and wanted to find something else he was passionate about.

“I played so many sports when I was young, but I had never put three together,” Hater said.

For new members, they said there’s no pressure to be a champion right away.

“Don’t be apprehensive if you’ve never done all three sports; it can all be taught,” Hater said.

Sego said that at the beginning he wasn’t a strong swimmer, but he continues to better himself. When training, he said that if a person is weak in one aspect that he/she shouldn’t relax on the other two portions to focus on the weak link.

“Typically you want to swim at least three times a week, then run and bike throughout the week,” he said.

Consistency is one of the most difficult parts of training,” Hater said. “Don’t find excuses. Triathlon is one thing you really need to train for.”

To help members train, Sego and Hater said they will schedule around class and work schedules. Hater said that working in a group is more encouraging and holds a person accountable when setting and achieving goals.

For new members, the team will train them at their own pace and incorporate sprints. Sprints are races which include a 600 yard swim, 3.1 mile run and a 15 mile bike.

A majority of the members compete in Olympic races. These races include a .98 mile swim, 6.2 mile run and 24.85 mile bike. The average time to complete an Olympic race ranges from 2-3 hours.

The team travels from April through October to compete in the Southeast Collegiate Triathlon Conference. During the season, they have six races and contend with larger universities.

“The cool thing about triathlon is there’s no division, so we compete against schools like Alabama,” Hater said.

Sego said during the 2011 season a majority of UNA’s team finished in the middle of the pack at races.

“It’s hard to build an organization from scratch and be competitive,” he said.

Hater believes the triathlon club needs time to improve.

“The club is still new,” he said. “There are other clubs that have been established for years.”

Competing at nationals gave the team time to bond with each other and other varsity athletes that share their interest in the sport.

Membership for the club is open to all students, faculty and staff.

“If you show an interest, come train with us,” Sego said. “Never be afraid of the unknown. You never know what you’ll be missing.”

For more information, contact Sego at [email protected].