BUILDING STRONGER COMMUNITIES …WOMEN FROM THE FANWOOD-SCOTCH PLAINS YMCA, THE JCC AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES PARTICIPATE IN TRIATHLON

The Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA has been a big supporter of building stronger communities.  On September 8th, over 110 women from the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA, the JCC and surrounding communities participated in the Iron Girl Triathlon (formerly Danskin Triathlon) at Sandy Hook.

The group, dubbed “Triwomen SPFW” have been meeting and training for the event since January.  Triwomen SPFW was organized by Amy Carow of the Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA, who had participated in the Danskin Triathlon in 2006 and set out to convince 100 local women to do it in 2007.  She succeeded that year and has continued to bring over 100 women to the Danskin triathlon every year since.  “This is an event that anyone can do,” says Carow. “Many of the women don’t believe it until they cross the finish line, but they all finish with smiles on their faces.  Most of them are planning to do it again next year, and they’ll encourage their friends to take on the challenge too.”

With the support of Fanwood-Scotch Plains YMCA, the JCC and local shops such as Jay’s Cycle Center and the Westfield Running Company, free workshops on triathlon related topics were offered to the group after a kick-off meeting in January 2013.  In addition to the free workshops, the group offered swim clinics, bike rides and group runs.  Several mini-practice triathlons were also organized in order to prepare participants for the half-mile swim, 10 mile bike ride and 5K run.