Another Charleston Sprint Triathlon Series, a mainstay of triathletes and other endurance athletes for the past 17 summers, has come and gone.

Just as returning to school signals the end of summer for most families, Sunday's series finale ends the season for some local triathletes.

As an avid runner, I've marked the seasons in Charleston with certain hallmark events. Fall is the Knights of Columbus Turkey Day Run. Winter is the Kiawah Island Marathon (actually held in late fall) and Charlie Post Classic 15K. And spring is the Cooper River Bridge Run.

The triathlon series is the event for summer, in part, because it is so friendly and doable — even for sub-par swimmers, people who own clunker bikes, and pavement plodders.

It never ceases to amaze me the number of triathletes, some of whom are now Ironman finishers, who cut their triathlon teeth with the series and how many first-timers still arrive on the scene with each event.

My first triathlon came at the sprint series in 2000. I "breast-stroked" most of the swim and rode a $250 used Motobecane that I bought at Easy Rider Bikes. I skipped three seasons before I did another.

I never really envisioned doing all four in the series, but this year I did. I expected to be entirely bored by the time the fourth rolled around, but with each one, I got fired up about the next one. As I've heard people say in the past, the inspiration came from others.

Subsequently, it's been a rich experience as a writer.

Some of the stories I've told. Most of them I have not. But I think it's worth touching on what has touched me this summer.

I am inspired by the range of ages in an event that is strenuous.

I wrote about William Boulter six years ago, when he was 71 and an avid participant in the triathlon series. Well, the ever-upbeat, smiling Boulter is still out there. And at 77, he's still finishing well in front of 100 people, most of them half his age or younger.

Another age theme is the fact that men and women well into their 40s and 50s often are competitive with triathletes young enough to be their adult children. In fact, three of the top five points-based triathlon champions were "masters" athletes, ages 40 and older.

Among them was Dawson Cherry, 43, who had top-five finishes in all four triathlons, including a first place, two second places and a second place in series championship. The other two were Hugh Myrick, 41, and Steve Caskie, 52.

Then, there are guys within a minute or two of each other who duke it out for the masters title, such as 54-year-old Rick James, 44-year-old Lance Leopold and 42-year-old Tommy Rogers. Jameswon the masters title and Leopold the 40-44 title.

Another fortysomething would have nudged his way in there if he had completed another triathlon. Mark Rutledge put in one of the most notable performances of the series.

After not competing in a triathlon since 1993, Rutledge had a second- and fourth-place finish. Because he holds a world age-group record in the breast stroke, many weren't surprised by his ultra-fast swim splits, but he did stun others with top-six bike splits.

And after three years of battling back problems, 44-year-old Patt Loggins proved that she still has something to prove, winning two of the triathlons and the series championship. Loggins is training for the Ironman World Championship.

And yet, the next generation is knocking on the door. The most notable are David Thomas, who just turned 19, and Jennifer McDonagh, 25.

Thomas accomplished his goals of finishing the triathlon in under an hour and finishing in the top five for the series championship. He was third.

McDonagh, who had second- and first-place finishes in the first two triathlons, probably would have finished first in the series, but on July 21 she broke a vertebrae while tubing behind a boat. She never lost feeling in her legs, but is expected to take at least three months to recover.

Meanwhile, her husband, Neil McDonagh, the top local male finisher in the Cooper River Bridge Run, also gave two top-10 performances in the second two triathlons. In the last one, he blasted out a 15:40 in the 5K, which is the fastest run split in the history of the series.

Then, there are the stories in the middle and back of the pack.

Melanie Stuart, an "Athena" (women more than 150 pounds), cutting 10 minutes off her time since starting triathlon four years ago and finishing among the top four women. Formerly weighing 203 pounds, Stuart may have competed in her last triathlon as an Athena. She weighs right at 150.

Cancer survivors, such as Anne Boone and Penny Hoey, among others, compete against themselves, a perspective that only people who have been through their experiences can know.

Three years ago, Stephen Thompson was almost killed while training on his bicycle on Johns Island. Thompson never lost his enthusiasm for life and living and, now 42, keeps competing and finishing in the top 10 of his age group.

The joy of life is a theme of the series. Perhaps one of the best illustrations of that occurred during this year's event when William Friar, 29, carried his bride, Margaret Gramling Friar, across the finish line. They were married the evening before the July 29 triathlon, and she insisted that he do the tri before they headed off on their honeymoon.

He wore his white vest in the tri and she wore her wedding dress.

But all this couldn't happen without Paul and Kathleen King, as well as their kids, Amelia and Skylar, who have been putting on the race from the beginning and the army of dedicated volunteers who get out to James Island County Park in the dark before each triathlon.

King knows the magic of the event, and says he is humbled by it.

"The cast may somewhat change from race to race, but each race has a certain feel to it," says King. "If you go there and pay attention, you understand what I'm talking about. It's extremely positive and enjoyable. It's an experience that a lot of people build their summers around."

Reach David Quick at 937-5516 or dquick@postandcourier.com