Judge stands alone in perfect attendance at Fla. triathlon, which he hopes to complete for 30th time
A Florida judge plans to compete—and, he hopes, complete—his 30th consecutive St. Anthony’s Triathlon on Sunday.
Organizers say Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Jack Helinger, 62, is the only participant to have a perfect record of attendance for the race, which was originally known as the Tampa Bay Triathlon, the Tampa Bay Times reports.
Helinger says he doesn’t intend to set any speed records during the race, and describes himself as a “solid middle of the packer” who is simply happy to finish. He says not pushing himself to race over longer distances is why he has been able to stay in competition year after year, suffering only minor injuries rather than major ones.
“I don’t think I deserve any special credit or recognition,” he told the newspaper. “The real heroes are the hundreds of volunteers who show up year after year to make sure that everybody has a safe race.”
