CHICAGO — It seems like just yesterday that Chris Glibert was running in the State Cross Country Championships at Scioto Downs, while wearing Mount Vernon Yellow Jacket colors.
Now a graduate student at Northwestern University, Glibert was recently the top finisher in the 18 to 24 age group at the Ford Ironman Triathlon in Madison, Wis.
He wound up finishing 11th overall, with a total time of nine hours and 33 minutes. Incredibly, that was his first ironman — ever.
His performance landed him for an automatic berth in the 2012 Ironman Triathlon World Championships, which take place in Kona, Hawaii, in October of next year. That gives Glibert 13 months to prepare for what will be his second ironman triathlon.
Glibert’s studying goes hand-in-hand with his workout routine. In fact, it comes in pretty handy.
“I started my second year of a three-year program,” said Glibert, who is working on his doctorate in physical therapy. “Half the time, in class, we’re learning how to workout properly and teach other people to exercise. It definitely plays a role.”
For Glibert, becoming a triathlete was a natural next step from his years as a cross country runner.
