This month more than 76 individuals at Naval Station Everett have signed up to take the Irongoat Navy fitness challenge. Individuals will have 31 days to complete an ironman distance triathlon; 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run. 

Traditionally, the ironman triathlon is one of the most grueling endurance races because competitors are required to cover all three disciplines, at such great lengths, in a single day. At Naval Station Everett, however, participants will be able to accumulate miles in each of the three disciplines throughout the entire month. The goal of the program is to make what most seem impossible, possible.

According to Diana Sall, the sports, fitness and aquatics manager at Naval Station Everett, this is the second year the event. “This challenge is a great way for people to feel successful,” she said. “Anyone really can do it. It also exposes individuals to parts of the fitness center they might not otherwise use. Some of our regulars in the fitness center use the pool for the first time and some of our swimmers are now coming upstairs to use the fitness center.”

Lt. Cmdr. Craig Sylvester, the assistant director of the Everett operations for the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (IMF), plans to complete the entire distance in one day.

An accomplished triathlete, Sylvester, originally from Charleston, WV, has been competing for the last 14 years. He has completed five ironman races and is using this challenge as training for his upcoming race in June.

“I wanted to complete the event in one day to illustrate to the military personnel at my command what all my talk and emphasis on fitness is all about. It’s also an important training session in preparation for Ironman Coeur d’Alene in June,” he said.

Sylvester plans to complete the entire challenge on March 9.

He will begin at 7 a.m. in the pool and then proceed upstairs to the fitness center to complete the 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run. He hopes to finish the challenge in under 11 hours.

The Irongoat Navy fitness challenge is taking place the entire month of March. For more information, call the fitness center at (425) 304-3922.