UCD employees compete
in Danskin Triathlon
 |
| Evelyn Casiano, Annie Rietema and Jamie Snyder at the Danskin Women’s Triathlon. |
On July 17, Annie Rietema, Jamie Snyder and Evelyn Casiano competed in the
Danskin Women’s Triathlon held at the Aurora Reservoir.
The race consisted
of a .75K swim, a 20K bike ride, and a 5K run. This was the first triathlon
for these HSC employees.
“Jamie, Annie and I met because of our mutual interest in nutrition
and staying fit,” said Casiano, a professional research assistant in
the School of Medicine’s Division of Health Care Policy and Research. “The
University gave us the setting to meet, our interests enabled us to develop
a friendship and the triathlon helped strengthen that bond.”
Casiano, a former Marine, admitted that all she had ever done was run. “This
venture was a first for me, but definitely not the last. It’s an incredible
feeling to challenge myself like this – words cannot describe the feeling
you get when your foot actually crosses the finish line!”
“Deciding to do my first triathlon was terrifying,” admitted Rietema,
a PRA in the School of Medicine’s Department of Gastroenterology. “For
the first few weeks after signing up, I could only talk or think about it
in short increments or I would get nauseated from feeling so nervous. The
only remedy for the nerves and doubt were long training sessions, where I
could feel my body getting stronger and my confidence growing.
“The day of the race was phenomenal,” said Rietema. “Seeing
women of all shapes, sizes, ages and races, conquering a grueling course; but
more
importantly conquering their own fears and self doubt about doing anything
like this.”
Snyder, who is also a PRA in the Department of Gastroenterology, quoted the
slogan engraved on the back of the medals they received at the finish line,
which said ‘The woman who starts the race is not the same woman who
finishes the race.’ “That’s so true!” exclaimed Snyder, “because
now we’re addicted!”
The group has dubbed themselves the FAB 3, which stands for Fabulous Athletic
Babes. A well deserved name after the grueling training required for a triathlon.
Upcoming events for the FAB 3 include the Tri for the Cure Triathlon on August
7th and the Fall Frenzy Triathlon on September 11th. Under consideration
is the Colfax Marathon in 2006.
Keep up the good work!
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