The 2nd annual CiderMan Sprint Triathlon was Sep 10, 2022, at Millstadt residents Rich and Mary MacKeen’s farm, Buttercup Ranch & Creamery. Fifty-two athletes and volunteers from multiple states arrived to swim, bike and run in the countryside of Millstadt.
Volunteers also helped to host a free concert on the farm on Sep 9. Two local bands, St. Matthew’s Celebrate Recovery Band (Grace and the Restoration) and Street Corner Serenade opened for the main act, Mitch McVicker. Mitch is a Dove Award artist and was in the Ragamuffin Band with Rich Mullins (who wrote “Our God is an Awesome God”).
Early the next morning, volunteers were on the scene as traffic flaggers, water distributors, water safety monitors, and many other activities. Mark Svec, from Cleveland, Ohio commented that “the most impressive part of the triathlon to me was all the love and care going on behind the scenes. Rich and Mary and all the volunteers worked incredibly hard to make the event a success and it was!!”
Triathletes train extremely hard in three disciplines: swimming, cycling, and running. This event gives racers in this and surrounding areas the opportunity to participate in a triathlon close to home. Karen Winter, a volunteer from Cleveland, Ohio, said, “It was great seeing everyone having so much fun.”
Participant Scott Geringer from Columbia, IL, stated, “Last year was my first time ever running a Sprint Triathlon and I got hooked. I’m over age 50 and just want to stay healthy. I love exercising outside so the CiderMan Triathlon was a perfect challenge for me.”
And you don’t have to be a triathlete to race in the CiderMan. There are many different options for all levels of athletes: duathlon, biathlon, aqua bike, only the 20K Bike, only the 5K Run, and even a Fun Run/Walk. Participant Matthew Swenson, from Belleville, IL, commented, “I had an amazing time competing in this race again this year. There were both casual athletes and serious competitors, yet everyone had a good time. The short distance makes it a great opportunity for bikers and runners to get their feet wet in the world of triathlons.”
Twenty percent of all proceeds from the event are being donated to the local Millstadt police and fire departments. We had many local businesses sponsor us. We were happy to put these sponsors on our t-shirt and make 4 x 4 signs for our top contributors. Several local businesses, such as Chiro Pro from Waterloo, and NuDeal in RedBud, also gave us coupons and items for a drawing held after the triathlon.
This is an annual event, so we hope that many more of you will come out next year, September 9, 2023. Next year promises to be bigger and better, and we are excited for the opportunity to bring commerce, volunteerism, health, and fun to our community.
