Gleason Prepared for Nat'l Triathlon Championships

by Nick Lenz, Sports Anchor/Reporter
August 02, 2012 6:49 PM


Taking on a triathlon is no small task. It takes endurance, drive and heart.

T.J. Gleason said, "I started as a swimmer when I was 10 years old and that was one sport that I really excelled in and we went to all the different sports. You name it, we did it."

A few years later, Gleason would find success in running as well.

Gleason said, "I got pretty decent at that too and people were like 'Well if you can swim and you can run why don't you just pick up a bike and do a triathlon?' and I was like, well, shoot what's that?"

We never forget our first bike.

"It was a hand-me-down from my dad. It was actually my mom's from the 80's," said Gleason.

Gleason would soon find his sport; one that combined all three. Now a sophomore at Augustana College, he has set his sights on Nationals and training has been seven days a week.

Gleason said, "You just everything fine-tuned and get your strength up and your endurance so that you can first of all finish the race and second of all finish it well."

He's only been doing the triathlon for two years, but he's already made his mark finishing 22nd out of 150 at the Pan American Championships in Canada back on July 8. But there's a dream on the line for Nationals. If he wins, he earns a top spot for the World Competition in New Zealand in October.

Gleason said, "Oh my goodness, it would just bring all of the training I have done over the past two years and make it come to its peak, right where I wanted to be and it would make all the workouts and everything worth it."

A kid with a strong desire to win it all.