Brown Wins Bruin Triathlon

Jared Brown took first place in the Under-19 age group at the second annual UCLA Iron Bruin Triathlon April 9. Brown’s combined time of one hour, 19 minutes and 12 seconds was two seconds faster than his closest age-group rival and placed the 14-year-old Palisadian 49th overall in a field of 210 competitors. By comparison, the 24-year-old male winner finished in one hour and 42 seconds. ‘ The competition, presented by the UCLA Triathlon Team and Cadence Performance Cycling Centers, was a reverse triathlon starting with a four-mile run at Drake Stadium, followed by 10-mile bike ride through campus, and ending with a 400-meter swim at the Sunset Canyon Recreation Center.’ ‘ According to his mother, Renee, herself a triathlete, Brown’s interest in triathlons began a little over a year ago. Now a ninth-grader at Wildwood Academy, Brown played in the Palisades Recreation Center’s youth roller hockey league five years ago and swam for the Palisades-Malibu YMCA team for four years, becoming an accomplished breaststroker even though it was his least favorite stroke. “He was going to quit the swim team because he was bored with the repetition,” said Renee, who around that same time was trying to figure out how to spice up her own workout regime and decided to try a triathlon. “So I asked him ‘Why don’t you start training with me?'” Mother and son trained together and entered their first race last April–the first UCLA Iron Bruin Triathlon. Jared won his age group in one hour, 34 minutes and 23 seconds. “What I enjoy about triathlons is that you get to do more than just run,” he said. “I actually liked the biking part best.” Brown competed in four more triathlons in 2005 and ended the season by winning his age group at a competition on Catalina Island. He joined the Southern California Junior Elite Team and Acme Coaching and works with coach Ian Murray. The team is sponsored by Cliff bars and Zoot Suit. “Jared thinks it’s so great because he gets Cliff bars whenever he wants,” Renee said. The competition season started in March and Brown will compete in about eight races this summer, including the USAT Nationals in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in August. “Being part of the team has been a great experience for me because I’m able to work out and be coached by one of the most accomplished triathletes,” Brown said. “I’ve also met a great group of kids who all have similar interests.” Mom is still trains too and also ran in the UCLA triathlon, placing fifth in her age group. “My real happiness comes from seeing what the sport has done for Jared,” she said. ‘It is so exciting to see your son become passionate and focused about something–especially something that you both can share.”