Running 3.1 miles, swimming a quarter mile, and biking 12 miles sounds impossible to some, but to five students and one teacher, it’s just another summer.

On July 20, senior Jenna Berg, and juniors Ashley Pantona-Price, Erin Amschlinger, and Jackie Gates participated in a triathlon in Bay Village. Junior Britney Towner participated in another on Aug. 2 in downtown Cleveland, and history teacher Sara Ziemnik used her experiences in long term races to train the girls and give them advice.

“I didn’t find triathlons until I was out of college, and I wish I would have found them earlier. It will make them better athletes in the sports they already play, plus it’s a life sport. It keeps you healthy; it’s fun, and you get to meet new people,” Ziemnik said. Her passion for bringing triathlons to high school students was met with enthusiasm, and the five girls used her help to keep training and to never give up.

Whether the girls decided to do the triathlon to challenge themselves, like Amschlinger, or to prepare for cross country, like Gates, they trained daily to help them succeed in the triathlon. Every Saturday, the girls would do “bricks”, which is riding bikes and then transitioning into running together, which got longer every time. They did open water swims, and a transition clinic to help them switch from biking, running, and swimming easily. All the girls trained on their own as well.

“The hardest part of training was the morning bricks because they were really early and hard, but they got us well prepared. They definitely pushed us to the limit,” Gates said. Amschlinger also struggled during training.

“I thought the hardest part of training was swimming because I wasn’t a strong swimmer. I had to work really hard on it,” Amschlinger said, “but I surprised myself in the race, and I did fine.” With struggles like these, it is only natural that the girls would be apprehensive about the triathlon.

“It would probably look stupid if I stopped in the race and gave up. I wouldn’t be able to say I finished a whole triathlon,” Gates said. All the girls agreed that Ziemnik’s coaching and support was inspirational enough to not give up.

“Everyone doubts themselves, but it makes you stronger when you keep going,” Ziemnik said. Ziemnik hopes to create a new club sport in the near future for triathlons, which will include clinics on nutrition and bike maintenance.

“No matter who you are or what goals you have, you can do it,” Ziemnik said, which is all the more reason for students of all athletic abilities and ambitions to “try a tri!”

Jenna Berg also contributed to this story.