Triathlon participants don't have to wait for warmer weather for their next competition. The Butler YMCA is offering its annual Indoor Triathlon on March 23.

“The Indoor Triathlon is just to break up the winter blues and to give people something to train for in January,” said Sandy Ihlenfeld, senior physical director for the YMCA.

Ihlenfeld said participants usually begin training for the triathlon eight weeks before the event, which is open to athletes 16 years of age and older.

“We wanted to have something a little sooner, something a little shorter, so this is a sprint triathlon,” said Andrew McLaughlin, aquatic director for the Butler YMCA.

The Indoor Triathlon will be a first for Jamie Knauff, sports and family director for the Butler YMCA, who “learned” how to swim in January.

“I had an idea of how to swim, but I could not breathe to save my life,” said Knauff.

Athletes will have staggered start times to begin the triathlon so each participant can have their own swimming lane in Pool 1.

“That way they are not on top of each other,” McLaughlin said. “They can just do the race and aren't waiting for a long period of time.”

The athletes' first task is to complete 18 lengths of the pool.

“Once down is a length. A lap is down and back, so nine laps or 18 lengths,” McLaughlin said.

Each participant will be given a card where his time in each event will be recorded.

After finishing at the pool, participants will change and head upstairs to the group cycling room to bike seven miles.

“We have allotted a certain amount of time between events,” McLaughlin said. “Typically, five minutes is sufficient.”

Transitions between the pool, bikes and treadmills will not be added to the individual's time.

After the seven miles on the bike are finished, athletes will hurry back downstairs to run 3.1 miles on a treadmill.

The top three athletes in each age group will medal, as well as the overall fastest female and male.

“A really good time is 45 minutes,” McLaughlin said. “I'd say an average would be close to an hour.”

Because the triathlon is indoors with shorter distances, it's a good event for beginners.

“It gives the newbies a chance to get used to a triathlon or to try one out,” Knauff said. “Swimming is the hardest part for most people, so being in a pool as opposed to open water is going to help people.”

The YMCA offers cycling classes, swim lessons and personal trainers to help people feel prepared for their first event.

“When someone finishes something, often times they cry, because they never thought in their life they would finish something like that,” Ihlenfeld said.

The YMCA has offered a triathlon at Moraine State Park for the past 30 years, so some athletes may use the indoor triathlon as a training tool for that race, slated for July 13.

“Moraine is very similar on distance, but it's harder because you have air current, water temperature, and all those different kinds of things,” Ihlenfeld said.

Families are always welcome at the indoor race to encourage their favorite athletes.

“Families come, they bring banners and posters and cheer,” said Ihlenfeld. “That's the Y; that's the best part of the Y.”

After the event, there will be refreshments and an award ceremony.

“I just love seeing athletes participate and push themselves to the limit to reach their goals and, of course, afterward relax and talk about it with each other,” McLaughlin said.

<B>WHAT: </B>Butler YMCA Indoor Triathlon<B>WHEN: </B>1 p.m. March 23. Start times will be staggered based on the number of participants<B>WHERE: </B>Butler YMCA, 339 N. Washington St.<B>REGISTRATION: </B>Participants can register online at www.bcfymca.org/butler/news-events/special-events or in person at the Butler YMCA. The registration deadline is Monday, and participants must be 16 years of age or older.<B>COST: </B>$35 per person