Recently, Sgt. Robert Lounsbury participated in a Triathlon at the Western States Police and Fire games in Reno, Sparks, and Tahoe. This was his first ever triathlon and when he signed up he did not realize what he was getting himself into. His preparation consisted of taking on the new tasks of swimming and bicycling. In June, six weeks prior to the games, he started swimming and bought a bicycle to start training. He is an avid runner so he was already prepared for the running leg of the event. He did not know the event was going to be held at one of the most difficult venues in the world. The Donner Lake, California location is a very popular site for triathlons and host several world class events throughout the summer. This location is very challenging due to the 5600 foot elevation and the extreme hill climb during the bicycle section. During the first three miles of the bicycle ride, there is a 1200 foot climb placing the competitors at 6800 feet elevation and at the top of Donner summit. The entire course consisted of a one mile swim, 25 mile bicycle ride, and 10 KM run.
Sgt. Lounsbury finished the event in just under three hours and only minutes behind the first place finisher. He finished in 12th place overall and 3rd in his age division winning a medal for his accomplishments. He said, "This is one of the most difficult events of my life but one of the most rewarding." He said he is looking forward to competing in other triathlons in the future closer to sea level.
