One day last summer, after listening to a PEC colleague’s recounting of their latest long-distance bike ride, I half-jokingly remarked that we could easily make a PEC Ironman relay team. Half of our staff members can spend hours on their bikes, a good handful find running more than a mile enjoyable, and I and a few others love to swim. My mistake was in making this remark with former PEC President, Davitt Woodwell, in the room. What started as a half-joke was immediately met with a “Make it happen!” And so, the PEC adventure in long-distance triathlon was born.
The timing was appropriate as State College, PA hosted their first Half Ironman in 2023, so the 2024 Ironman Pennsylvania 70.3 was the only logical choice for us. This length of triathlon includes a 1.2 mile swim in the lake at Bald Eagle State Park, a hilly 56 mile bike ride from the state park into State College, and a 13.1 mile run through the city and Penn State’s Campus with a monumental finish inside Beaver Stadium.
On Sunday, June 30th, two teams of PEC and PEC friends conquered the heat, humidity, and one brief thunderstorm to complete our 70.3 mile endeavor. Team PEC 1 included me on the swim, friend of PEC Tom Rutkoski on the bike, and spouse of PEC Daymon Long on the run. The Treehuggers were VP of Operations Megan Marrangoni (swimmer), Watershed Program Manager Tali MacArthur (cyclist), and Communications Coordinator Derek Maiolo (runner). We all had varying degrees of experience and practice, but everyone contributed to an outstanding performance! Special recognition for the moral support goes to Trails Manager Alexandra Long (sidelined by an injury) and pup cheerleader, Savannah.
PEC staff and friends taking on a race like this isn’t entirely new. For a number of years, we both sponsored and participated in the GAP Relay, a running race covering nearly all 150 miles of the Great Allegheny Passage with participants moving throughout the day and night. We were sad to see the popular event come to end after 2022. These kinds of adventures aren’t just an office perk — they are a chance for us to experience the abundance of outdoor recreation opportunities that Pennsylvania has to offer, a major focus of PEC’s mission. An event like this, which brought over 1,000 participants and their families, is just one example of the many ways the outdoor rec economy makes an impact. I share PEC’s philosophy that getting people outside is one of the keys to creating passionate environmental stewards and an event like this makes me grateful for all the advocates before me who ensured that Pennsylvanians would have abundant places to swim, bike, run, and everything in between.
Working at PEC has been a welcome reminder for me that my home state offers so much that I have yet to explore. Moving along the GAP trail in the middle of the night was the most fun I’ve ever had while running and a fantastic way to traverse the Laurel Highlands on a lovely fall day. Training for the Ironman swim gave me an excuse to practice more in open water, one of my favorite summer activities. This was my first visit to Bald Eagle State Park, but I was charmed by its setting in the valley and made a mental note to come back soon on my own.
I think my next adventure into Pennsylvania’s great outdoors will involve a little less racing and a lot more relaxing, but we’ve already talked about the possibility of taking on the triathlon again next year. Though I should probably be more careful about cracking jokes in the office from now on, especially if it could lead to more long-distance physical activity!