TRW hosts first Duathlon for GRIC Youth and Adults

May 5, 2023 

Kyle Knox

Gila River Indian News

Duathletes gathered at the Mul-Chu-Tha fairgrounds Saturday, April 22, for the first-ever duathlon.  The event challenges participants to complete two sports, biking and running. The event was coordinated by the Tribal Recreation and Wellness (TRW) staff, it was non-competitive for the first year, and featured courses for both adults and children. 

“We [TRW] always host runs and we recently completed a bike ride challenge so we thought it might be interesting to combine the two, so here we are,” said Aleshia White, staff member with Tribal Recreation and Wellness.

The TRW Duathlon differed from other Duathlon events one might find.  First, the adult course challenged each person to run a 5k (three point one miles), bicycle for 10 miles, and run another 5k.  Then the youth course tasked each child to run a half-mile, bike one mile, and run another half-mile.

Eight adults and three children accepted the challenge for the Community’s first duathlon, each completing at various times. 

Youth Grayson Cruz and his older brother, Owen Josay, came from Coolidge to participate this day.  Their mother was excited to see TRW provide a variety of events that could genuinely challenge them.  She always tries to find ways to keep them both active and thanks TRW for hosting new events for her family to join. 

Avid runner and bicyclist Sandra Nasewytewa, District 6, was one of the duathletes.  She said the heat was the most challenging but enjoyed the course.  Nasewytewa thoroughly enjoys the increase of bicycling events TRW is hosting and hopes the duathlon continues after this year. 

White said she was “excited” about the event turnout and hopes TRW considers making it an annual event.