Athletes avoid the rain at indoor Wheaton triathlon

For Jim Junta and his wife, Diane, volunteering at Sunday's Midwest Indoor Tri-Classic Series at the Wheaton Sports Center was a personal affair.

As dozens of athletes were running laps or cycling on stationary bikes as part of the annual indoor mini-triathlon, the Wheaton couple spent the morning manning the booth of the Illinois chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

"This hits very close to home," Jim Junta said. "Even during these tough times, there are so many people out trying to do some good."

More than 200 competitors spent the day swimming laps, running and cycling as part of a fundraiser for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Event organizers hoped to raise about $25,000 for the group. Sunday was the last of four such indoor meets held in the western suburbs over the last few weeks.

Julie Zinkus, a fitness director at the Wheaton Sports Center, said the complex has donated its space for the annual event, in part, because the owner and several members live with multiple sclerosis.

"The condition affects a lot of people," Zinkus said. "For them, it can be a struggle just to get up in the morning."

Mark Sullivan of Naperville and his 15-year-old son, Connor, have been competing in the annual meets for the last three years. Mark's old college roommate's mother has multiple sclerosis, so he decided to actually take part in the events rather than cheering on his son from the sidelines.

"He's real interested in this, so we come out every year," Sullivan said. "The indoor one is about all I can do, though. If I did a real (triathlon), I would die."