With temperatures in the lower 80s and a cloudless sky, Saturday was good for the more than 1,300 people that participated in Muncie's annual Endurathon.
Hundreds of bikes sat on their racks at Prairie Creek Reservoir, as their users began to run in the last part of the Endurathon, which is the 13.1 mile run in addition to 1.2 mile swim and 56 mile bike race.
The Endurathon started 31 years ago, when six residents decided they want to race on all three categories. In the past few years the organization added other categories, such as the sprint, which is a shorter version of the Endurathon, Aqua Bike, for swimming and biking, and the duathlon, which is only running and biking.
The event has taken place at Prairie Creek Reservoir since its beginning, Endurathon race director Brian Myrick said. Although the event has ended twice in downtown Muncie, the tradition is to start and end at the reservoir.
Myrick said this year's number of participants was the biggest they have had since the creation of the event, with many participants coming from all over the country. People from 42 different states came to the race this year.
"Little by little we've increased numbers for a long time, we kept it at 700, and a couple years ago, when we added a sprint event we saw more," he said. "We had a duathlon this year, which is new. So just little by little in the past few years we've increased the numbers."
Some of the participants were out there to compete, but others, like Ball State University alumnus Joe Schmidt, were out there for a good workout. As a former member of the Ball State runners association, Schmidt said he wanted to go out there just to have fun.
"It's just a lot of fun, that's the only reason I [competed]," he said. "I didn't really do it to compete with other people. It was just a goal I set for myself — to see if I could do it."
This was the first time Schmidt competed in the Endurathon, so he participated in the sprint category. Schmidt had participated in other triathlons and races, but it was the first time he combined biking and running.
"I'd like to participate again next year," he said. "I don't know if I'd be ready to do the full-length endurathon, but I'd like to come back."
Brandon Morris, an Indiana Wesleyan University student, said this was not his first time participating in the event. He competed in two past events since his friend invited him. Morris said he has participated in the sprint category and wants to continue doing so in the future.
"I'd love to participate again, but not in the actual Endurathon. I choose life," he said.
Michigan resident Ashlee McCallie said she wanted to have fun while working out.
"I have a friend that did the actual Endurathon, and she got me to participate this year," she said. "I had competed in other triathlons before in Indiana and Michigan. Those were smaller races."
McCallie participated in the sprint category, but unlike Schmidt and Morris, she said she wants to be prepared for the Endurathon next year.
"It's a great workout, and I work out all the time so I think it's fun to go out there and show people that I've been working," she said. "I'd like to participate in the Endurathon next year. That's the plan."
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