Roger Lillo likes to work out, he just hates doing all of that cycling, running and swimming, alone.
Lillo, 33, a lifelong local athlete, excels in many sports but the North Wildwood police officer is determined to put his considerable energies into triathlons.
The recent creation of the Wildwood Triathlon Club (WTC) is the result of Lillo and six work-out buddies organizing their strenuous endeavors into group activities and earning formal recognition from the prestigious USA Triathlon, the national governing body of the sport.
North Wildwood police officers Adam McGraw and Vinny Corannante, county prosecutor’s office detective Ed Musick, local businessmen Jim Yost and Steve Del Monte, along with county probation officer Bill Bolle helped Lillo found the WTC.
“I’d been tossing and turning with this for a couple of years,” said Lillo of the January 2006 formation of the club.
Triathlons are primarily composed of swimming, cycling and running, although sometimes local weather conditions alter the events or combine them in some way. Law enforcement personnel are permitted to use the Coast Guard pool in Cape May and WTC members also train in the Wildwood Crest pool.
Since winters have not been very harsh in recent years, Lillo and friends have cycled and run on boardwalks and bike paths throughout the area.
“You don’t get bored when you’re working out with other people,” said Lillo. “The time goes by much faster and the work out doesn’t take as big a toll on your mind when you’re distracted.”
With 25 members, WTC has emerged as a gathering place for serious competitors to share their desire for physical competition without the isolation that long-distance trainers must endure.
The affiliation with USA Triathlon enables Wildwood members to gain discounts on clothing and race entry fees along with the credibility of being associated with the national organization.
Lillo, a Wildwood Catholic and Atlantic Cape Community College graduate, said the WTC is always seeking sponsors to help with uniform expenses, food and energy drinks, etc. He said sponsors get their names on banners posted during races as well as publicity through the WTC Web site: www.wildwoodtriathlonclub.com
WTC members participate in triathlons at all distances, although sprint distance races are most common in this area. Sprint distance triathlons often consist of a ¾ mile swim, a 10-mile cycling leg and a 3.1 mile (5k) run. The competition calendar is usually full on weekend mornings from April through October.
Lillo said WTC member Del Monte grew frustrated with traveling to sometimes disorganized events run by non-athletes who did not know what triathlons entail for the competitors, so the local businessman and former stand out high school pitcher decided to organize and operate his own race. April 14 is the date of the DooWop Duathlon, a short distance run-bike-run based at the Wildwoods Convention Center.
Lillo, who attended Shippensburg State University before earning a bachelor’s degree from Thomas Edison State College, loves competing and going to races.
“It’s a great work out,” he said. “We talk a lot about the sport and sharing tips and techniques.”
Lillo joked that members need not concern themselves with diet because they need lots of calories and energy to compete in triathlons. “I pretty much eat what I want,” he said.
The club is also proud of its colorful paraphernalia, including an eye-catching logo that draws attention from competitors from as far as the Sunshine State.
The group’s goal is to increase membership. “We want to make it a premier club,” said Lillo. “We want a lot of enthusiastic members, great sponsors and fun socializing. Stuff like that.”
Those interested in competing with or supporting the Wildwood Triathlon Club can contact Lillo at 609-374-4541 or at rogerlillo@comcast.net