On Saturday, August 11th, Gunston’s Athletic Director, Jon Mellinger competed in the 2018 USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships in Cleveland, Ohio, in the second largest field in history with over 5000 competitors throughout the weekend.
Athletes swam in Lake Erie and biked and ran along the lake shore overlooking downtown Cleveland. Competitors of both races had the chance to compete for Age Group National Titles as well as spots on Team USA in 2019. The olympic-distance event consisted of a 1500 meter swim, 40km bike, and a 10km run. Athletes who competed at this event have qualified throughout the course of the year for the opportunity to race.
“This race was something special for me” Mellinger said. “Cleveland is basically home. My family is from northeast Ohio and I have so many fond memories there so returning to a place that we all call home to race in a national event meant the world. I’ve had a few podiums this season and I felt like my fitness was in a good place. Overall, it wasn’t the result or time I was hoping to achieve, but I battled all day long after some very challenging swimming conditions.”
Follow him on Instagram as he continues to document the remainder of his season, @ad.mells. Mellinger trains and competes as a member of an elite triathlon team, E3 Training Solutions, out of Boston, MA.
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