An Orange County community group for triathlon competitors is accepting new members with reestablished training sessions now in place.
Founded in 2014, Korean American Triathlon Team is now set to meet every weekend for trainings led by a professional coaching staff as it is utilizing the Korean community in Orange County to promote the group.
KATT plans to meet every Saturday at 6:30 a.m. in Cerritos Park East (13150 E. 166 St.). The training, led by Mu-seong Lim, starts with running. From 9 a.m., coach Jang-gyun Yoon leads the swimming session. Cycling training is held separately on Sunday at 7:30 a.m. in Cerritos Regional Park.
“Most people don’t even consider competing in triathlon as they think there’s only 140-mile full course to complete,” said competitor Nae-chang Park, who has completed approximately 20 triathlon events. “The distances vary depending on the competitor, so anyone can participate and control their workload. We’ve been seeing more Koreans in their 50s and 60s joining our team.”
Membership fee is $50 per year and swimming pool admission is $3 extra. For bicycles, coaches will help the competitor select whatever is most suitable for their needs at an affordable price.
“Just repeating one exercise can be a burden on your body and raise probability of an injury,” said coach Yoon. “If you combine swimming, cycling and marathon, the body becomes more accustomed to enduring various exercises and the injury risk decreases.”
Those interested in joining KATT are encouraged to call (909) 210-0459 or (562) 728-3808.
“Although triathlon is something anyone can try, it’s not something anyone can start easily,” said KATT manager Sean Lee. “But constant preparation for competition will give you confidence and sense of accomplishment.”
By Nakhee Park
