Sedgebrook residents take part in own Ironman challenge

The Ironman Triathlon is widely considered to be among the most challenging athletic events in the world. Sedgebrook continuing care retirement community introduced a modified version of the Ironman/Ironwoman this summer, with approximately 40 residents signing on.

The event was the brainchild of Jackie Nitsche, fitness specialist at Sedgebrook, and implemented by Wellness Coordinator Jessica Jonckheere.

"We encouraged residents to participate in all three categories: biking, swimming and walking or running. Each 20-minute workout equaled a mile, and over the course of 10 weeks, the participants each accrued 280 minutes, or 140 miles, equaling the distance of a triathlon," she said.

The Ironman/Ironwoman was launched partly to encourage more residents to use the pool at Sedgebrook.

"The pool is such a wonderful asset to the community, and exercises in the water are beneficial on many levels," Jonckheere said.

The program also promoted consistency in exercise.

"Because the participants tracked their progress and turned in their own logs, they were able to see whether or not they were consistent and achieved their goals," Jonckheere said.

"There was also a fun element of camaraderie as participants encouraged each other to keep going."

The objective of this and all fitness and wellness programs at Sedgebrook is to help residents maintain their independence in order to be able to enjoy doing what they love.

"Our goal is to keep residents as active as they are today, if not more so," Jonckheere said.

• To submit Your news with one photo, go to dailyherald.com/share. To submit Your news with multiple photos, send it to nbrcalender@dailyherald.com.