The Carmel aquatics center is currently preparing for its annual triathlon, which will be held on April 26 at the aquatics center.

“We are currently having our triathlon clinics, which has been really good, because each Sunday we gain about 4 or 5 people (to compete in the triathlon),” aquatics center director Kinsey Wallace said.

According to Wallace, the triathlon also benefits other aquatics center programs as well.

“The other good thing for us is that (the triathlon) gives us more people for our community lap swim program,” Wallace said. “They sign up to do the triathlon and then they come to the pool to practice swimming for the event.”

While there are many other triathlons that take place near the Carmel area, Wallace said that Carmel’s is unique for its accessibility to beginners due to the fact that the swim portion is held in the CHS pool itself.

“Normally they do (triathlons) in a lake or somewhere; you can’t see where you’re swimming. So, the benefit is, one, you can see where you’re going, and the majority of the time you can literally put your feet down and walk the whole thing if you wanted to,” Wallace said.

Lifeguard and senior Madison Johns, while having never participated in a triathlon herself, said that many of her peers have encouraged her to try one out.

“I have a lot of friends who have done one, and they all say it’s really fun,” Johns said.