"Savannah Rock of the Marne Triathlon"

(This past Sunday, Sept. 7th, 2008)

The History of Triathlon

Early triathlons were held as offbeat training exercises for runners. The first known modern day triathlons were held at San Diego’s (Calif.) Mission Bay in 1974. Organized by members of the San Diego Track Club, the events were held on summer evenings and were intended as no more than light-hearted breaks in the normal grind of training for marathons and 10Ks. These club events consisted of a run-bike-swim format.

One athlete who raced at the first Mission Bay Triathlon, John Collins, was very influential in the further development of the sport. Collins, a U.S. Naval Officer, took the triathlon concept to Hawaii and used it several years later to combine three of Oahu’s endurance events – the Waikiki Rough Water Swim, the Around-Oahu Bike Ride and the Honolulu Marathon – into one race: the Ironman. Only 12 men completed the first race held in January of 1978.

In 1979 Nestor Gernay and Steve Lynn orgainized a "Tin Man " ( 1/2 Ironman / 70.3 ) event in Savannah, Ga. This event had the same swim-bike-run format as the Ironman Hiawaii . 12 people finished in October 1979.

OF COURSE.....a few of our Golden Isles Multi Sport Athletes represented us in this event.

1. Amber Wellman, SSI

2 Tim Carlson, BWK

3. Jennifer & Steve Blackerby, BWK ........Just to name a few! ........WAY TO GO GUYS!!!