On Sunday, March 8, the Kingston and Ulster County YMCA held its 33rd Indoor Triathlon. The event consisted of a 15-minute swim, a 20-minute aerobic bike ride, and a 20-minute run. The total distance accumulated determines the winner.
I have been a member of the YMCA on and off since 1964, and I have recently been employed at the front desk for several weekday mornings. Working at the Y has given me a lot of insight into the essential services it provides.
I always enjoyed the atmosphere at the Kingston YMCA, which felt like a healthier version of the TV show, where everyone knows your name. I recognized that its outreach programs brought more people into the building and it became more representative of the community, but I thought of it as “the gym.”
I see now that it is far from being a gym. In fact, it has become a health center. It provides services for families and individuals from school age through senior citizens. In fact, senior citizens are the largest group of Y members.
Speaking of seniors, the Wall Street Journal published an article in May 2025 about the Y’s “Kick-As Old Farts” (KAOF) workout group. The group started in 1980 as a benefit for IBM employees. IBM may have left town, and members may have retired, but the group lives on and enthusiastically welcomes new members.
KAOF members range in age from 89 to 95 years. They continue to practice activities from the 1980s and use the 1950s playlist they started with. Hank Van Peres continues to be the piper of this joyous band of elders. The Y offers many health classes and activities to help seniors address the health issues they face and provide a healthy social environment.
The Wednesday Morning Coffee Club is a more diverse group than KAOF. I welcome them every week. This is a group for retirees and people who need to work on their fitness before going to work. This “too hard” often comes at 5 am
On the other side of the age spectrum are year-round, affordable childcare and daycare services, swim lessons, summer camps, and other activities that the YMCA provides for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary school-aged children. These services are vital to working families.
The Y also has an “out of school” program for vacations and school holidays. It has a youth center and recreational programs for all ages, basketball leagues, volleyball leagues, pickleball, and more. In the 21st century, the YMCA has become an international “social center”.
As a “gym,” the Y offers more than any club. The Y has a pool, three gyms, three weight rooms, a cardiovascular center, a spin bike center, a rowing center, a yoga room, and a wide range of fitness classes and activities for adults and youth.
When you consider bang for your fitness “buck,” the YMCA can’t match. For all the information the Kingston and Ulster YMCA has to offer, visit https://ymcaulster.org/.
YMCA Indoor Three Results
At this year’s YMCA Indoor Triathlon, the top three men overall were Ian McGrew (10.62 miles), Brandon Roman (10.53), and Massimo Cordella (10.45). It was Rome’s third year in a row finishing second. Top women were Kelly Fitzgerald (8.95), Lydia Dillon (8.94), and Stephanie Baird (8.87). Only 0.08 of a mile or 140 yards separated the top three women. It was only 52 feet that separated Fitzgerald and Dillon. All three were in separate heats meaning it was only internal motivation that drove them. It was good that Fitzgerald’s hard work paid off as she moved up from third in 2024, second in 2025, and first in 2026! The team winner was Team Studt, consisting of Carrie Studt, Helen Mannery, and Barbara Bonfield (7.42).
I also competed as part of my recovery from my left hip and right knee replacement. It felt good there, and I look forward to more. Competitors in my age group should be careful because, as Satchel Paige once said, “Don’t look back, you might get some benefit” – right, Phil C?
Age group winners were: 20s: Taylor Remington (6.84) 30s: John Hay (9.88) and Christina Tante (8.07) 40s: Julianne Spring (8.76) and Clara Dimond (8.20) 50s: Bill Shashty (9.59) McQuill (9.59) and Kristoff (9.37) Kim Scott (8.64) 70: Richard Miller (8.59).
Prizes were also awarded to the individuals who covered the most distance in each discipline: Swimming: Art Boyko (47.5 laps), Lydia Dillon (39 laps) Cycling: Ian McGrew (7.05 miles), Kelly Fitzgerald (6.13 miles) Running: Massimo Cordella (40 laps), Lydia Dale (40 laps).
The youngest finisher was Lily Haynes, age 16 (7.60 miles), and the oldest competitor was Richard Miller, age 72 (8.59 miles).
Congratulations to the YMCA Indoor Triathlon Committee for organizing a fun and challenging event for the community. All proceeds from this event benefit the YMCA’s Strong Kids Fund.
UCSPCA Winery Run (May 9) — Update
In my last column I featured one of UCSPCA’s shelter dogs, a 108-pound blind Akita named Bernard. At the end of February Bernard was accepted. A volunteer from the shelter who was his shelter “soulmate” sent me this update on how he is doing with his newly adopted “furever” family.
“Sometimes there’s just an extra special animal at a shelter that you really bond with. Bernard was that dog for me. I remember the first time I met him. He had something special from day one. The more I spent with him, the more I fell in love with him. I was happy to take him anywhere. He would sit in his chair and enjoy himself.
She was amazing, meeting everyone. Once he removed his eyes and no longer had a face, he acted like a puppet, only wanting love from everyone. He will always hold a special place in my heart. I am very grateful to the new family that gave him a home. He deserves the best and it certainly looks like he has found a good home.
For information, registration, or donations, visit https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Gardiner/BrunswickWineryRunForUCSPCA (runsignup.com on Bing).
World Indoor Athletics Championships
For an Olympic gold medalist, an indoor title is not a career requirement, and many veterans will prioritize the 2027 outdoor season in March. Even with the loss of some big names, the field remains deep.
For runners like Cole Hawker and Jared Noggis, the race in Poland isn’t about stardom—Hawker has already secured Paris. Instead, they use this meeting to stay fast throughout the year without any foreign world championships. It’s a chance to test their tactics in the 3,000m against rivals like Josh Kerr.
They join international mainstays such as Mondo Duplantis and Kelly Hodgkinson, as well as top US women such as Ellie St-Pierre and Tara Davis-Woodhall, who rarely miss major championships.
This schedule creates an opening for young athletes who are usually overshadowed. A prime example is American rising star Cooper Lutkenhouse at 800m. For a young runner, an international indoor medal ranking provides the points and prestige needed to reach major professional meets. While casual fans might miss a few snaps, the racing at Torun will be exciting as the rising stars are hungry and the podium is wide open.
US viewers can find coverage of the March 20-22 event on NBC and CNBC. To watch every lap live, Moore will have full coverage of the morning and evening sessions throughout the weekend.
The next race
April 18: The 29th YMCA Kids Classic is at Dietz Memorial Stadium in Kingston, New York. The Kids Classic is a track meet for kids ages 2-10. These events range in distance from 50 meters to one mile, based on age/level. Register by March 22 to receive a shirt. To register: https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Kingston/26thAnnualYMCAKidsClassic (runsignup.com on Bing)
April 26: Kiwanis Kingston Classic, Round Out Waterfront 10K, 5K, and 1.5‑Mile Donut Run Register: https://www.zippy-reg.com/online_reg/index.php?e=2422 (zippy-reg.com in Bing)
Race calendar
• Saturday, March 15: Kingston Shamrock Run (2 p.m.) Kingston, NY – https://www.shamrockrun.org/
• Saturday, March 21: Washingtonville Scholarship Run – https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Washingtonville/WashingtonvilleScholarshipRun (runsignup.com on Bing)
• Sunday, March 22: Wallkill Shamrock Scramble 5K – https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Wallkill/ShamrockScramble (runsignup.com on Bing)
• Sunday, March 29: Spring on the Trails Endurance Run (12hr, 6hr, 3hr), Lagrangeville – https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Lagrangeville/SpringontheTrailsEnduranceRun (runsignup.com on Bing)
• Saturday, April 18: YMCA Kids Classic – https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Kingston/26thAnnualYMCAKidsClassic (runsignup.com on Bing)
• Sunday, April 26: Kiwanis Kingston Classic – https://www.zippy-reg.com/online_reg/index.php?e=2422 (zippy-reg.com on Bing)
• Saturday, May 9: Brunswick Winery Run for UCSPCA – https://runsignup.com/Race/NY/Gardiner/BrunswickWineryRunForUCSPCA (runsignup.com at Bing)
• Sunday, May 24: Woodstock Race 15K & 5K (Zina), Kingston – https://www.zippy-reg.com/online_reg/index.php?e=2441 (zippy-reg.com in Bing)
So as you can see the race calendar is really hot and I hope to see many of you on our roads and trails in the coming months.
Steve Schellencamp has been active in cross country running circles since 1966 as a runner, race director, volunteer and coach. He is a member of the Ontura Runners Club and president of the Shawangunk Runners Club.
#Running #Kingston #Ulster #County #YMCA #offers #bang #fitness #buck