True enough, after a week of snow to ice to rain, bright sunlight poured Sunday through the wide windows at the UNC Wellness Center, trying to distract three dozen athletes as they tried to splash, spin and sprint their way out of a fist-fight with cabin fever.

Wellness Center director George Wayson was quick to note that it wasn't spring, yet.

"We have to remember that it's only around 38 degrees outside," he said, laughing.

Despite the lure of the first sunny day in an otherwise bleak February, the fourth annual UNC Wellness Center Indoor Triathlon easily met its goal of demystifying the notion of multisports being only for the elite.

Sponsored by the Center and Triangle Multisports, the event welcomed 37 individuals into the pantheon of multisport competition, featuring finish-line-like cheers throughout each leg of competition.

Participants competed in three events in 15-minute intervals. They were sorted into six-member waves, which began at staggered intervals in the Wellness Center's indoor lap pool, and competitors tried to complete as many laps as possible, using any swim stroke, in the allotted 15 minutes. After a short transition, each had 15 minutes to cycle as far as they could on Life Fitness stationary bikes in the cardiac rehab area. After another five-minute transition, they had 15:00 on treadmills to walk or run as far as possible.

Winners were based on mileage over the three events, expressed in percentages of maximum distances completed.

For example, if 40 lengths were the greatest distance covered in a swim, then everyone's swim lengths were compared to 40 lengths in terms of a percentage. Similar percentages were tallied for bike and run portions and totaled to determine winners. (Anyone posting the day's top scores on all three events would have received a score of 1.00 x 3 = 3.00.)

Kristie Shifflette was the women's overall winner with a score of 2.80, and Liam O'Fallon posted a 2.82 to win the men's individual title.

"This is just fun," O'Fallon said. "Everyone's here cheering you on, and this is the first time I've tried this indoor tri. Then there's (elite triathlete and trainer) Dave Williams here giving you 'smack,' and if you're going to get (grief) from someone, I guess it might as well be Dave."

Wayson said the staging of the event went pretty much as expected.

"It's a proven system, and everything's gone exactly as planned," he said.

Owned and operated by UNC Hospitals, the Wellness Center at Meadowmont comprises a 25-yard indoor pool, indoor track, aerobics studios, cardiovascular and strength training equipment, free weights and multi-purpose room for basketball and group exercise.

The right size

Kathy DeBlasio, UNC Wellness Center's lifestyle enhancement director, was more than pleased with the field of 37 competitors.

"This is the best turnout we've had for an indoor triathlon," she said. "I think we had five slots open this morning, and we filled them up with people just walking in and some of our volunteers who'd said they wanted to jump in."

Six of the 37 competitors made up two rival three-person teams comprised of Wellness Center staff.

The "Wellness Center-East Berlin Trainers" squad was composed of Monette Williams (swimming), Mary Petters (cycling), and former Cal State Fullerton sprinter and current personal trainer Greg Garus.

"We're called East Berlin, but don't ask me: I have no idea," Williams chuckled.

"Yeah, I was a sprinter in college which, depending on what year you're looking at, was 6-to-8 years ago," Garus explained.

Williams was just coming off an 8-month hiatus from swimming following inner ear surgery.

"Usually I just coordinate the race -- with a lot of help -- but this year they were telling me, 'No, you have to compete, '" she said.

On the other side of the imaginary Iron Curtain was the "Wellness Center Fitness Freaks," consisting of Logan Washburn (swimming), Laine Kratt (cycling), and St. Johns University grad Mitch Van Bruggen, who ran 5-minute miles on the treadmill and might have run faster had the machine had faster settings than the 12 miles-per-hour maximum.

"I should've started out quicker and then just kept it at 12 miles-per-hour the whole time," Van Bruggen said.

The rivalry will have to be settled down the line, as each of the two teams scored 2.77, maintaining the peace for at least another year.

Age groups

Behind O'Fallon, age-group winners among the men included 40-49 winner Frazier Keck (2.60), followed by Scott Musson (2.59), and Butch Miner (2.26). Alex Strano (1.80) and wheelchair athlete Wayne Dixon (1.42) rounded out the 40-49 bracket.

In the 50-59 set, Pete Guild took the title (2.16), followed by Stu Coman (2.15) and Joe Miller (1.98).

"I hadn't been in the pool since the last time I'd done this back in 2008," Miller said, "but it went surprisingly well. I hate the treadmills, though."

The women's 19-and-under age-group winner was Maggie Blunk (2.42), and the 20-29 winner was Alexandra Dunk (2.28). Maya Lindley (2.73) captured the 30-39 crown, with Elizabeth Galperin (2.59) finishing second and Liz Watt (2.30) in third. Rounding out the field were Jennifer Prenda (2.20) and Lou Bray (1.34).

Susan Trimmer (2.77) was first among 40-49 year old women, with Gwen Van Ark (2.54) earning the silver medal and Deborah Pritchard (2.42) taking the bronze. Beth Guiles (2.40), Heather McLean (2.32), Susan Chesser (2.27), Anne Wendt (2.17), Grace Ueng (2.14), and Joy Kerner (1.69) rounded out the field.

"This was the first year I've gotten back on my bike, and it was a little scary," said Ueng, who suffered a life-changing bicycle accident during a ride four years ago in California. "... I might do a charity ride this year."

Ann Sotolongo (1.99) narrowly edged out her sister-in-law Joy Sotolongo (1.98) to capture the women's 50-59 crown, with Mary Miller (1.87) placing third, and Gretchen Delametter (1.55) fourth.

Good legs

Posting the fastest legs in the swim portion were Monette Williams (46 laps) and Scott Musson (40 laps). The fastest on the cycles were Liam O'Fallon (9.08 miles) and Mary Peters (7.14 miles). Kristie Shifflette (2.08 miles) was the fastest female on the treadmill, while Mitch Van Bruggen (2.94 miles) left his treadmill smoking.

While it was a level playing field for most every competitor in the event, the competition was a series of uphill climbs for Wayne Dixon, a wheelchair athlete who valiantly participated in tailored versions of two of the three events.

Dixon had high praise for the emphasis on inclusion at the Wellness Center, noting that that was not always the case.

"(Race organizers') insurance rates are double when they include wheelchair people," he said. "Having these people be willing to let me participate is just awesome. Also, the Endurance Tar Heel 10-miler in Chapel Hill is allowing me to participate."

Dixon said his events were only slightly different that the other competitors' but certainly challenging.

"The hand cycle was a little tough," he said. "I normally would've cycled about six miles in 15 minutes back when I was walking, but on the hand cycling machine, it only registered three miles. Swimming would have gone a little better had I gotten here and warmed up some--I only got 19 laps, and I can do better than that. My mileage on the Wellness Center track was pretty close to what I would have done running."

Next up

While many of the athletes competing will go on to compete in local outdoor triathlons throughout the coming year, Dave and Monette Williams are planning to compete in the Ironman distance at Lake Placid, N.Y., in July.

"She's been working real hard to get herself back in shape after the ear surgery," Dave Williams said.

O'Fallon will test his prowess at the White Lake Sprint Triathlon later this year.

"My goal is to keep Dave Williams within sight," he said, laughing. "But I felt great today: I finished, I had a good time, and that's what it's all about, right?"