Joann Merritello has spent the month of February taking swimming classes, running on treadmills and biking at the Campus Recreation Center East in order to finish her requirements for The 2nd Annual Indoor Triathlon, a program hosted by Campus Recreation at the University. Merritello is one of 60 participants in the indoor triathlon program.

Participants must complete 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking and 26.2 miles of running. Record progress on official record sheets need to be submitted by March 1.

Merritello, senior in Math and Spanish, has gone to CRCE three to five days a week to finish the requirements. She said even with her busy schedule, she tries to find time between classes, work and meetings with the Illini Strings Orchestra to complete her goals.

“It’s definitely easier when you know you have to make time to finish something, especially when making time to go to the gym to work out,” Merritello said.

Chris Nasti, graduate assistant of fitness with Campus Recreation in charge of wellness and fitness programming at CRCE, organized the indoor triathlon.

“The idea is to keep people motivated and get people exercising when it’s cold outside, hence the indoor part of it,” Nasti said.

Nasti said the program has participants of all athletic abilities with different goals, ranging from weight loss to training for competitive triathlons. To keep participants motivated, Nasti said, weekly e-mails are sent to participants to check on progress and provide training advice.

“We’re sending out weekly e-mails to keep the excitement up,” Nasti said.

Nasti said the requirements can be done in any order and can be completed at any exercise facility or outdoors. Participants also have the option of completing miles for swimming and cycling by attending any water-based group exercise class or a cycling class, which Nasti said has helped to promote the Campus Recreation group fitness program.

Robert Trimble, vice president and treasurer of the Fighting Illini Triathlon club, said the indoor triathlon is a great program and said the spring schedule is just right.

“The time frame that they have to do the program is when most people are fizzling out on their New Year’s resolutions,” Trimble said. “This is something to motivate people to stay in shape and get healthy.”

Nasti said there is no grand prize for completing the triathlon. Everyone who participates will receive a T-shirt regardless of whether or not they complete it. Participants who do complete the program will be awarded with a certificate at a post-race party, which will take place on March 10.

Nasti said two people have already submitted their results and he expects to receive more close to the end of the program.

Merritello said she needs to finish her running and cycling requirements in order to complete the program.

“I’m probably going to finish within the next couple of days, it’s exciting,” said Merritello.

Nasti said the program would most likely continue in February 2009. Nasti, who has participated in the program for the past two years, said he wants the program to keep people motivated and remain engaged in aerobic activity.

“I hope, regardless of whether or not people finish the whole event, that at least they’d stay more active than they would’ve otherwise, got a lot of aerobic activity and hopefully found this event to be fun,” Nasti said.