Friendly rivals run for Dunn, disabled vets

June 21, 2011

Odis Franklin, left, and Bill Markunas will compete in the Ironman 70.3 triathlon in Lubbock June 26. (HERALD photo/Amanda Moreno)

It's a competition between Army and Marines — well, sort of.

Odis Franklin, former Army Sergeant, and Bill Markunas, former Marine Sergeant, will be taking part in the Ironman 70.3 competition in Lubbock June 26.

“We have a little joke going, it's to see who's better, the Army or the Marines,” Franklin said jokingly.

There will be more than 2,000 competitors at the triathlon, ranging from professionals to first-time triathletes. Men and women will be competing and will be flighted according to age classification and gender.

“He will be starting about 10 minutes after I will and hopefully that will put me out of the water about the same time as him and give me a chance,” Franklin said.

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