Seth Habberfield of Hampshire, a senior systems administrator at Medela Inc., recently ran, swam and biked during the Ironman Triathlon in Panama City Beach, Florida.
A triathlon is defined as a multiple stage competition involving completion of three continuous and sequential endurance disciplines. In its most popular form, it involves swimming, cycling and running in immediate succession over various distances.
Habberfield’s race summary was: 1:26:19 for the swim, 7:16:53 for the bike, and 5:54:54 for the run. The overall time was 15:02:40.
Habberfield said he once weighed 260 pounds. He shed 100 pounds so that he could compete in the triathlon.
“I believe in the Ironman mantra that anything is possible,” he said.
In order to enter the competition, Habberfield had to raise a minimum of $5,000. He exceeded the goal in February by earning $5,500. The total amount that he raised was $10,324. He took third place for fundraising.
“I wanted the money that I raised to go to a good cause,” Habberfield said.
He decided to raise funds for the Children’s Tumor Foundation that supports research and development of treatments and cures for Neurofibromatosis.
The foundation put him in touch with Ava Lowell, a 7-year-old girl in California who has been diagnosed with the disease. Habberfield and his wife, Sara, have a 6-year-old daughter named Kennedy.
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“Seeing kids who are Kennedy’s age with this debilitating disease broke my heart,” Habberfield said. “I wanted to race for Ava.”
Lowell sent Habberfield a note of encouragement that he carried with him during the triathlon. He also wore a bright green shirt that matched the shirts worn by his wife, his daughter, and other supporters during the competition.
“Tonya Johnson, Corey Voeltz and Jenny Kuras, all from Elgin, made the 15-hour drive down so they could be there for the triathlon in Florida,” Habberfield said.
Habberfield said that he, along with his family and friends, found a number of ways to raise money.
Habberfield’s mother-in-law, Margo Gray, crocheted winter hats with glow-in-the-dark threads that can be worn at night to keep the wearers visible to vehicles. She sold 50 hats at $20 apiece.
“We sold candy bars at the Jewel-Osco in Huntley and accepted donations at the same time,” Habberfield said. “We did two days of gift wrapping at Spring Hill Mall in West Dundee. We also held a two-day garage sale.”
While he was raising money for the foundation, Habberfield was also getting himself in shape for the triathlon.
“I started in April,” he said. “Most of my training was by my home, but I did go to a three-day Ironman swim camp in Florida. I also rode my bike from my driveway in Hampshire to Sandwich three different times.”
Habberfield and his family drove to Florida on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
“There were approximately 2,500 people competing,” he said. “There were over 100 people running for the same cause that I had chosen.”
Habberfield talked about the three endurance events he completed during the triathlon.
“We swam in the Gulf of Mexico,” he said. “Eight-foot swells produced 4-foot waves. There was red tide algae in the water at the time, but it didn’t affect me. I finished 10 minutes faster than I originally expected.”
Habberfield said the 112 miles he rode on bike wound through Florida state parks. When he and the others were running on the beach, area residents cheered them on while roasting marshmallows over fire pits. One man wrote football scores on a surfboard so runners would be kept informed about games being played that day.
“As I ran, it felt like I was in one long Jimmy Buffett concert,” Habberfield said. “During the last three miles, I did a lot of running and walking. I was physically yelling at my legs to keep going.”
When Habberfield came back with his family from Florida, they attended the November 19 Hampshire village board meeting where Habberfield’s participation in the Ironman Triathlon was applauded.
“We want to thank you for your fine effort,” said Village President Jeffrey Magnussen.
Denise Moran is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.