NEW HILL, N.C.--Swimming 750 yards, then biking 17.5 miles, and finally running at 5k. That's what brought hundreds to New Hill on Saturday. For triathlete Scott Debernardo, it was quite the challenge.

"You get through two events with pure adrenaline, then you get on the run, and it's tough," Debernardo said.

More than 500 triathletes and fans gathered at the Harris County Park for a morning of exercise and entertainment.

But many of the swimmers, bikers, and runners have traveled many miles to run even more.

"I have friends who live here, so I'm on vacation. I love doing triathlons, so I looked it up and there was a race where they live so I said why not?" Florida native Cameron Edwards said.

Edwards says she's done many triathlons before, but the Triangle Triathlon is much different than those on the Florida beaches.

"In Florida we're always in the ocean, the bike course is flat, no hills. Here it's so much fun to be in the lake, and all the hills, going up and down, it was so much fun," Edwards said.

Fun not only for the athletes, but also for family and friends shouting words of encouragement from the sidelines. Janine Santos cheered on her husband and his coworkers from SAS.

"I'm cheering for everyone, have you seen that there are people in their mid 60s and 70s? It's amazing what they're doing, we have to cheer them up of course," Santos said.

She also says whether you're in the race or on the sidelines, there's an important lesson for everyone to learn.

"It doesn't matter where you end up, first or last, as long as you can do it. It's really really amazing and I think it's a great example for the kids, we should all be moving," Santos said.