“I love the buzz and the camaraderie.” That’s the reason given by Enniskillen woman Julie O’Hare for putting herself through the gruelling endurance of triathlons.

She’s not alone.

Many locals are getting involved in the triathlon trend; swimming, cycling and running themselves to levels of fitness they never thought possible.

For some, it’s a family affair, with children taking part with their parents, pushing each other to the limit and prompting much banter and competitiveness at the family dinner table.

For others, it’s the ultimate in endurance, with Ironman events taking up huge amounts of time to train and money to afford the equipment, travel and entrance costs.

A triathlon involves a swim, followed by a cycle, finished with a run.

The distances can vary, from sprint distance triathlon: 750m/20km/5km, middle distance triathlon: 2.5km/80km/20k, to long distance triathlon: 4km/120km/30km. The ultimate test is the Ironman distance triathlon: 3.8km/180km/42km. TRY-athlons are often arranged for beginners, with a 400 metre swim, 10k cycle and 2.5km run.

Triathlon clubs are springing up in neighbouring counties, particularly around the border but there are no clubs currently in existence in Fermanagh.

Siobhan and Julie O’Hare For sisters-in-law Julie and Siobhan O’Hare, taking part in triathlons began when they were asked to compete in a relay team at the annual Mullaghmore triathlon six years ago. Since then, they have regularly competed in triathlons in Mullaghmore, Ballyshannon, Swanlinbar and Sligo.

“Back then I couldn’t run the length of myself,” recalls Julie, who explains that she gradually trained herself to run. She adds: “Anyone can run, it just takes determination to train yourself and build yourself up.” Siobhan had been a long time member of Enniskillen Lakelanders Swimming Club, so she also decided to give it a go.

“After that competition, where we each did a leg of the triathlon, we decided we’d try to do the full sprint distance triathlon the following year,” Siobhan explains. “We trained a lot and now we’ve been doing it every year since.” The Mullaghmore Triathlon is very popular among Fermanagh competitors and eight of the O’Hare family took part in this year’s event in June. Siobhan and her three children, Julie and her daughter, along with two nephews enjoyed the weekend of competitive fun.

“For me personally it’s all about getting the kids involved even to the point of flying two of my daughters home for this event,” Siobhan comments. “Part of the fun is handing it down. They’ve progressed from swimming with Enniskillen Lakelanders to taking part in triathlons because they’ve seen their parents doing it.” “The trends seems to be those in their late thirties to forties starting to do triathlons,” Julie observes. “The triathlons are always well organised and divided into age groups. There are often over 65s taking part; I hope we’ll still be doing it when we’re in our seventies!” Not only do triathletes have to contend with forcing their bodies through each gruelling part of the race, they also have ‘the transition’ to deal with. “Some people call it the fourth discipline,” Julie explains, “because you can lose a lot of time here.” The transitions involve getting out of the water, stripping off your wetsuit (you wear your tri-suit underneath) and putting on your cycling shoes and helmet quickly and efficiently and then getting off your bike and into your running shoes for the final leg of the race.

“You could do a triathlon every weekend of you wanted because there are so many being organised,” comments Siobhan.

Asked why they do it, Julie replies: “It’s about having a goal, it gives you something to aim for. I love the buzz and the camaraderie, the cycling in particular has a lot of social interaction.” The pair are usually in the water by May each year, swimming from Trory to Devenish and back in preparation for a summer of triathlons.

The swimming section can often by unpredictable and can take a different length of time during each race. Julie recalls one occasion where a storm blew up while she was in the sea.

“The waves were so high that I couldn’t see anyone else in the water. It got to the point where I was so cold I got extremely concerned about my safety. I just put up my hand and the boat came and picked me up. I must say, the organisers always ensure that safety is a priority.” Siobhan adds: “The bike can be tricky too, particularly if the roads are slippy or you have dogs running out at you!” Julie has noticed “the impatience of traffic”, saying: “There are big lorries that would blast you off the road, they’ve no manners.” Their advice to people considering getting involved is to try a relay first and train all winter. “Get into the pool, go to spinning class and do circuits classes to strengthen your core.” Julie concludes: “It can be hard to juggle work, being a mum and training, but, it’s a bit of craic. Forget about what other people think and just do it.” Paul Carron Triathlons are enjoyable for Paul Carron, who first experienced them while at St. Michael’s College.

He only recently got back into the sport and has noticed a huge improvement in terms of professionalism and commitment from organisers and competitors.

“After school I began running but I suffered a slipped disc. That got my into the pool and then, later, I got back on the bike.” Ahead of last year’s Mullaghmore triathlon he decided it was time “to get back to doing all three disciplines.” Observing the growing popularity of triathlons, he says: “A lot of people have gotten into cycling and, from there, have progressed to triathlons.

“There used to be a club in Enniskillen but it would take someone with a lot of commitment to get it set up again.” Professional triathlete Gavin Noble was a role model in the early days, Paul explains, saying: “He was a good example of what ultimately can be achieved, he was always a very committed athlete.” Triathlon “is a young sport,” Paul notes, adding: “When I got back into it last year, the first time since I was 16, I couldn’t believe how professional they were. You need insurance, your bikes and helmets are checked before they’re put into transition, you must wear a wetsuit in open water.” He has noticed that “the numbers doing the races are growing” and there are “all ages, shapes and sizes competing.” Following Mullaghmore in June, Paul is looking forward to competing at Ballyshannon in August.

“I’m a naturally competitive person but I’m not fast at the minute. I want to build myself up to doing an Olympic distance one. Ultimately, I’d love to do an Iron Man triathlon,” he states.

His advice to those considering triathlons is not to worry about the swim. “It’s the swim that puts people off. There are different distances laid out for different abilities and they try to cater for everyone.

“If you have doubts, do the relay and when you really get into it, you will keep aiming for something bigger.” Whilst he feels “exhausted” when he is finished, he says: “I’m getting used to it now and I get a lot of enjoyment from them.” Right: Paul Carron from Enniskillen is planning to compete in Ballyshannon next month.