Lexington, SC (WLTX)- More than 300 people came out to participate in the second annual Dam Tri on Lake Murrary, and one man came to show you are never too old to participate.
"In a triathlon you have to be good at all three, you can't be good at just one and not so good at the others," said Marshall Wakat.
For weeks, even month's, athletes and amateurs train for triathlons.
"I strongly believe in doing interval work where I work really hard for 3 minutes and then recover for a while and then work really hard again," said Wakat.
At these events you see people of all ages. Charleston native Marshall Wakat is 71.
"You have your age on your calf and it's so fun to pass a 30 year old. They are like 'what's going on, something is wrong here.'"
Don't let his age fool you--he is the reigning world sprint triathlon champion from last year in Beijing.
"That's half the fun being able to go past young people because they don't train everyday they just do these races occasionally. They don't understand that if you train everyday even if you are 71 years old you can beat a lot of 30 year olds."
He has participated in marathons and triathlons for the past 30 years. Wakat says he does it to stay alive.
"Exercise is controlled injury. As you get older you have to get smarter and smarter in terms of doing just the right amount and then recovering well."
As a longtime triathlon athlete he says he likes the constant change in sports during the event.
"Sprints like we are doing today are so much fun because just about the time you say I don't know if I can do this anymore you switch to another sport."
Despite his wins both in the United States and around the world he favorite part of every race is, "The run because it is the end!"