Our eighth year of the Buck Hurley Triathlon is in the books! No monsoon rain, thunder or lightning this year, just a beautiful day. Thanks to all our neighbors near the Hurley YMCA and near the triathlon course on Jake Alexander and Statesville boulevards and Brenner Avenue. We appreciate your support and patience.

The Buck Hurley triathlon is a 300-yard pool swim, where you start in the pool with a chip on your ankle that keeps your time when you cross timing mats. Your race starts when you push off the wall. You zig zag your way from one end to the other, going 12 times up and down, making it 300 yards.

You come out of the pool and run/walk into the transition area behind the Hurley YMCA. You grab your bike and come out the Life Church side of the YMCA. Life Church had over 50 volunteers from their church helping and we thank them!

We have over 120 volunteers helping us each year, which include the Salisbury Police and Fire departments, Salisbury Parks and Rec, Salisbury Rowan Runners, Life Church, YMCA staff and members, neighbors and people who just love to help out. We absolutely could not do this amazing event without the help of our volunteers.

A special shout out to my husband Kevin Marsh, friends Jennifer Burroughs, assistant race director, and my personal “runner” (does whatever needs to be done last minute) Melissa Mangum.

So after the participant grabs their bike, they ride 10 miles in two loops on Jake, Statesville and Brenner. All the volunteers are keeping everyone safe along the way and encouraging them. After the bike, they go back into the transition to get ready for the 5K run.

There was a new route this year and everyone loved it. The route went behind our wonderful neighbors Harris Teeter on the Greenway, continuing on Brenner and in front of John Calvin Presbyterian Church, made a turn around and went back the same way finishing behind the Hurley YMCA.

Shortly after you finish, OnTheMarkSport has a five-split time ready for you. First split is pool swim to transition, second split is the transition time — how long it takes you to get from the water to getting ready and the bike.

The third split, which is your bike time (including your run to the mount line where you can get on your bike). The fourth split is the transition from bike to getting ready to run and the fifth split is the 5K run. This gives you a total amount which will be your finishing time.

We couldn’t do this with our wonderful sponsors, since it costs quite a bit to put this event on, and this is a fundraiser for our families and individuals in need, after all. The YMCA will never turn anyone away due to the inability to pay. The funds raised help offset some of that cost.

Larry Cloninger Ford & Toyota was our main presenter of the eighth Buck Hurley Triathlon. Gordon and Carolyn Hurley provide the purse for our winners and this triathlon is in honor and memory of their son Buck Hurley who died too soon.

Always a huge support is Busby & Webb Orthodontics. Accelerate Therapy & Performance (formally Fowler Physical Therapy), and owner and sponsor Delaine Fowler actually won the Overall Female division! Wendy’s Restaurant, Novant Health Women’s Associates, Salisbury Tutoring Academy, RAM Concrete, F&M Bank, Techno Gym, Central Piedmont Builders, O’Charley’s restaurant, The Medicine Shoppe and Eric from Skinny Wheels Bike Shop, who was busy helping participants fix bikes and/or flats. It inspires me so much to see a wonderful community work together to make this happen.

Many athletes return each year from around the state and neighboring states, and love coming to our community where everyone makes them feel welcome and encourages them. Even our wonderful volunteers heard our top triathletes, who are here to win the money, encourage the triathletes who are here for their journey. That’s what it’s all about — people working together. I am so proud to be part of this amazing event and awesome community.

Next year’s date is set for Sunday, May 6, 2018. If you are inspired to participate in this amazing event, please do not hesitate to come ask for help at our Hurley YMCA or South Branch YMCA where Krystal Karriker inspires aspiring triathletes to get ready for their next challenge.

If a triathlon is not in your future, we added a Buck Hurley 5K this year. They do the same route as the triathlon, they just start a bit earlier. It was a small group but I believe it can grow into something beautiful. Hurley Warrior John Sokolowski won the Overall Men and Hurley Warrior MB Pauley Brown won the female division.

For complete results of the triathlon go to OnTheMarkSports.com

Salisbury, I thank you

Ester H. Marsh Health & Fitness Director JF Hurley family YMCA