| Tri-athlon
on your bucket list?
Chris, (the son of Janice Wassmuth who grew up in Greencreek) and his wife Jennifer started TruthEndurance “Swim, Bike, Run, Nutrition” (truthendurance.com) in Lewiston. Chris handles the coaching and Jennifer, a registered dietician nutritionist, the nutrition and recovery. Chris pointed out the nutrition and recovery is probably the most important part of a training program and the part most people ignore. He himself fell into this when he was playing basketball and cycling, eventually having to have knee surgery in 2012. After the surgery he was told he probably wouldn’t be able to run again which gave him the determination that he would complete an Ironman triathlon. As he approached this goal he said he knew he could cycle, was sure he would be able to run again and he “knew how to swim.” Then he started the swim training and realized he really didn’t know how to “swim.” “Swimming is the part that stops most people from triathlons,” Chris said. There are four different types of triathlons – A sprint (500 to 700 meter swim, 9 mile bike ride, 5k or 3.2 mile run); Olympic (1500 meter swim or .9 miles, 24.8 mile bike ride and 6.2 mile run) half ironman (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride and 13.1 mile run) and then a full ironman (2.4 mile swim, 112 bike ride and 26.2 mile run). The time limit is 17 hours to complete a full ironman. Those interested in trying to complete a triathlon, Chris recommended starting with a sprint (about 10-12 weeks of training) or an Olympic (16-20 weeks of training). Chris said he works on training and technique with people, testing them at the start then testing again 4 to 6 weeks later to see what gains have been made and then the coaching goes from there depending on the individual. Chris said the valley and surrounding area is great for cycling and running and thanks to the Aquatic Center there is year-round swimming available. Scott Stoll, manager of the Aquatic Center, said they do have several athletes using the lap swimming facility regularly (including Larry Seubert of Cottonwood who recently received several gold medals in the Lewiston Summer Games this year in swimming events) and in October of this year is looking at offering an adult “swim stroke improvement” program. Chris said the best part of all this for him is the different people he sees that do complete a triathlon – including a 75 year old woman and a 450 lbs. man. He said the average age of a competitor is between 35 to 44 years of age but has seen all ages from 18 on up to the 75 year old. Chris did say that for a lot of people once they get into the training and compete in their first sprint of Olympic triathlon become hooked. Locally there is a spring in Moscow usually in March, an Olympic in Walla Walla and the ironman in Coeur d’Alene in late June. This year Coeur d’Alene is hosting a second ironman on Aug. 21. **To learn more about Chris and Jennifer’s TruthEndurance business go to truthendurance.com (208/305-6395). **To learn more about swimming programs at the Aquatic Center – including indoor water aerobics, water walkers, river walkers & wave jumpers, personal training – The AquaticCenter.org or stop by the facility. It features a 25-yard, 8-lane lap pool; zero-depth entry, warm water therapy pool; large capacity hot tub; a fitness center and more. 
On the right is Chris Raykovich of TruthEndurance and on the left Scott Stoll, manager of the Asotin County Aquatic Center. Chris is the son of Janice Wassmuth from Greencreek. |
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