TRIATHLETE

The following story was written by Victoria in the summer of 2000 as she began training for her first triathlon and a couple of local sprint distances in preparation of an Olympic distance in Monterey, California. It is her hope she inspires others to go beyond their personal best!

Synopsis:

For the first time in its history, the triathlon is an event at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Australia.  On Saturday, September 16, 2000, a contingent of amateur St. Louis triathletes will be going the same distance in California as their Olympic counterparts. The difference? It’s not about winning, but finishing. St. Louisans raised $3800 each for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  It’s called Team in Training and it’s the first time the St. Louis chapter is taking part in a triathlon.  For some, like broadcaster Victoria Babu—it doesn’t come without some struggle…and perseverence.

TEXT:

It’s kind of odd, yet sweet, to have your ten-year-old daughter serve as coach and inspiration. But that’s where I find myself every weekday morning this summer as I don my swim cap and plunge into the subdivision pool with two dozen of the neighborhood kids as they practiced for their next meet.  I take it as a compliment when one of the Mom’s recognizes my swimsuit (a seldom worn team suit which once belonged to my 14-year-old daughter) and thinks I’m one of the kids. That’s nice to hear at my age. Better sounding to my ears is…”great form, Mom! Remember, breathe out of your armpit!” 

     Just four months ago, I couldn’t swim. Okay, maybe the dog paddle and a weird variation of the breaststroke. But swim a mile in the ocean? Yep, that’s what I’m doing on the weekend of my 42nd birthday this September 16th. Oh! But that’s not all! When I finish the swim in beautiful Pacific Grove, California, I hop on a borrowed state-of the-art bike and cycle nearly 25 miles near golfer’s paradise--Pebble Beach. (This is tough because I’ve given up golf to train for this event.) Not done yet! Next, I jog 6.2 miles—but I’m told it’s a “flat, fun course!” Actually, that was the hook that drew me in.  My left knee just can’t take more than that. Thanks to constant pounding training for marathons and too much time on the Stairmaster, I’ve joined the millions of baby boomers making orthopedists very rich!

     So why put my body through these challenges?  Physically, the three sports seem to be better than one. The variety is easier on me, not as boring and I wanted to do something that would help others, while helping myself. That’s why I signed up with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training. It’s open to anyone 18 years of age or older, who is “seeking a challenge, wants to make a difference, and have a great time.” Having quit my job at KTVI FOX 2, I wanted to do all those things. Always have. Always made excuses. Maybe the same ones you’ve made--don’t have the time, energy or motivation.  Now, I have the time, getting plenty of rest and like my teammates, raising $3800 each, mainly through a letter-writing campaign. In addition to a donation to the society, the money pays for training, travel and race expenses.

     As one of my former television colleagues (in his early 50’s) wrote, while generously donating to the Leukemia Society,  “Go for it, Vic!  You’re actually doing what so many of us just think about.”   Really? Is this truly a boomer’s dream?  Are we trying to convince ourselves we’ve still “got it” or is it just the allure of the challenge, no matter what our age? For me, it is uncharted territory, a new goal, but it is also about conquering fear. Fear of the open water. When you run, you can stop and walk. With swimming, there’s no place to go. It is truly sink or swim!

     I convinced my husband of 17 years, 41-year-old David Niswonger of Healtheon/WebMD, to join me in this pursuit to better the lives of children who’ve fought to live, while getting ourselves fit for life. It’s not been easy, but then four-year-old Jack Saettele of Clarkson Valley and eight-year-old Lauren Waterbury of Chesterfield have had more struggles in their young lives than most of us. They’re the Team in Training’s honored teammates. Both were diagnosed with leukemia while still in diapers and now are in remission. So, as these two brave little souls conquered their challenges, so are the rest of us.

      My husband’s quit smoking and lost more than 15 pounds. I’ve become toned and can swim…slowly. Team member 28-year-old Lori Ott of St. John has lost 15 pounds since winter, following a knee injury. “I wanted some extra coaching and it’s so much more fun to train with other people of varied degrees of ability.” Lori’s already competed in several triathlon’s and is enjoying some first place wins in her age group.

     Every year, 100-mile bicycle rides (Century Rides) and marathons (running 26.2 miles) have lured amateur athletes. This is the first year the St. Louis “Team in Training” is offering an Olympic triathlon. “It was a huge success on a national basis and we know there are lots of triathletes in the area and many want a new challenge and help a great cause,” says Lori Kugman of the St. Louis chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Kugman says this triathlon group has raised over $90,000.

    The attractive part of Team in Training is just that--we train on weekends as a team. It’s different every weekend, but we either cycle together or run or both. Sometimes we meet in Frontenac and take Clayton Road out to West County and back, a good 20-25 miles.  Other weekends we meet at Forest Park to run six miles or more with other Team in Training marathoners. Swim training is every Sunday from 3-4pm at Wellbridge in Clayton. Our coach is veteran triathlete Mark Gowler of the Running Center in Rock Hill. He leads the charge for the 22 of us who’re taking part.

     It is a diverse group, not only in their age and backgrounds, but in their fitness level, as well. A personal trainer, fitness instructor, physical therapist and graphic artist are part of the mix.  44-year-old Susie Altepeter of Chesterfield is an accomplished swimmer, marathon runner and mother of six children. “When my daughter’s swimming mate got cancer I decided to do this in honor of her. I train early in the morning and late afternoon. It (the exercise) is an outlet when I’m running the kids here and there.  It’s motivating to do the fundraising and see yourself improve from the early weeks of training up until the event.”

     44-year-old Gary and 39-year-old Jill Saettele, parents to our honored teammate, Jack, are veteran Ironman triathletes and Team in Training participants. They serve as mentors for the group, along with Flavia Bader of Chesterfield.  “I’m so grateful people do this. Jack’s drug (ARA-C) was experimental and without research he wouldn’t be alive,” says Jill. “And we (Team in Training) are the number one moneymaker for the Leukemia Society.”

     The St. Louis contingent makes up the 400 triathletes from across the country who will compete next month in California. Aside from a half dozen of us 40-something’s, the majority of the group are in their 20’s and 30’s. Shobhina Chheda, 36, an internist/pediatrician and professor at St. Louis University and 29-year-old Stacey Garverick, a social worker at SLU have competed together before.  They are among about a half dozen experienced triathletes in the group.   Jim Berding, 35, is a computer technician from south city who’s volunteered his expertise to the Leukemia Society through the years and competed in several marathons. This year he decided to take on the Olympic triathlon. “I wasn’t punishing myself enough,” he laughs. “I needed a bigger challenge and I’ve found it to be swimming! I just need to get the swim done and I’m okay.” This is Jim’s fifth effort raising money for Team in Training.

     Gowler helps us with each event. His approach his firm, but gentle. Before we even began training, he assessed our fitness level and then outlined a training schedule for us to follow every day until the competition.

     While running, he tells me to swing my arms more front and back rather than across my body to help push me forward.  And while cycling, Gowler rides up beside me offering this advice, “Victoria, your knees are bending too much, your seat needs to come up higher on your bike.”

      We practice several drills for swimming. It’s the most technical of the three sports. “A swimmer can’t  really see what they’re doing wrong, that’s why I like to videotape every team member and suggest ways to improve,” Gowler says. He also stresses good form. Gowler works on our strokes and the most efficient ways to gain distance without taxing ourselves. “Deep, relaxed breathing is important at the start of any race. People tend to go out like it’s a 200-yard sprint, part of that is for the stronger swimmers to get away from the crowd. You can do that if you’ve incorporated that fast pace into your workout, but then settle into a comfortable pace,”he says.  In an open water swim, Gowler instructs us to look up every 10-12 strokes “Make sure you’re swimming in a straight line toward the buoys,” he cautions.

     In fact, my first open swim was far from stellar. Just a month out from our big race day, my training partners and I head to Lake St. Louis.  The morning is already warm and my fear of open, deep water  beginning to prey on my mind.  We spray our neck and wrists and ankles with cooking spray to make it easier for our wet suits to slide on. Mine is the latest—the Stealth! I like the sound of it and picture myself strong and fast. I bought it at Fleet Feet in St. Peters, sponsor of many local triathlons. Wet suits are necessary in the California competition to protect us from the chilly Pacific. An added bonus is they provide buoyancy. I find that quite comforting.

      We ease into the murky, tepid water. Coach Gowler makes sure each member pairs up with another. My guardian angel is Jill Saettle.   Just a few strokes out and I’m panicking. The wet suit is fine but I’m not used to the feel and I begin to hyperventilate, my mind focused on the depth and darkness of the water. Jill tells me to float on my back to bring my breathing even and controlled. I do. I’m thinking this is going to take me days to finish but I refuse to quit. The group waits patiently for me at every checkpoint. By the end of the one mile swim, I’m feeling more confident.  However, I could have done without the bird feathers that fell from my wetsuit when I peeled it off! A return visit to the lake a week later with Coach Gowler without the wet suit begins a bit rough, but the more I swim, the more comfortable I become.  Cheers from my teammates help, as well.

    Seconds count in a triathlon. Not only is fitness and endurance important, the transition between sports is an art in itself. We even practice that!

    Mark suggests we roll our wetsuits down from the neck to the waist while running from the water to our bicycle. Many Team in Training members will have their cycling shoes clipped onto the pedals, ready to go. But at recent outing Mark warns us, “If you remember anything, it’s your bicycle helmet. It’s the first thing you strap on and the last thing you take off before running. In some triathlon’s, you can be disqualified if your helmet is not secured before you ride.”

     It doesn’t take long to realize the final transition from cycling to running is the toughest. “I felt like my foot and leg were locked in that L-shape. My shins felt hard. For every step I took, I had to think to roll my feet. This happened for the first two miles,” says first time triathlete and Team in Training member Liz Sadlo, 36, of University City. She recently competed in the Wood River, Illinois triathlon. Coach Gowler says,” “Take smaller strides and gradually build into it until your legs feel more normal. Usually, within the first mile you get your legs.”

     When most people think of triathlons, they think extreme. That image comes from the Ironman Race in Hawaii. In that race, competitors swim 2.4 miles, bicycle 112 miles and then run a 26.2-mile marathon.

The St. Louis area hosts several entry-level triathlons, such as the South County YMCA, the Babler Beast, Wood River, Illinois, Lake St. Louis and Ballwin Autumn Days.

      Wood River was my first triathlon and I found it so much fun! 225 participants swam 450meters, cycled 12 miles and then ran four miles. I finished, but I was awfully slow on my transitions.  I look forward to my next one in Ballwin to improve my time. The most impressive finish came from our esteemed Coach Gowler who finished first in the 40-44 men age group in 57 minutes and came in 2nd overall by just one second. According to David Spetnagel, owner of Fleet Feet, some 600 amateur triathletes compete locally. “About 30 are serious Ironman competitors. It’s becoming more popular, in part, due to the Olympics and all the television coverage.”

      All in all, the fundraising isn’t so tough, the training actually is the highlight of my day, and I’ve met a lot of interesting and dynamic people. Plus, it’s not only tested my mettle, but can be a very spiritual experience, as well. Exercise is a great time to reflect and clear the cobwebs. It’s now a new, positive lifestyle choice for my husband and me; something we can do together and include the kids. 

     I may not come home with a medal, but returning with the satisfaction that I finished with dignity and helped others, will be as good as gold!

                                                                                          ###          

Note: Victoria did finish her first Olympic triathlon with dignity and strong, as did her husband! Seven months later, the couple completed a second Olympic distance in St. Petersburg, Florida for the Leukemia Society’s Team in Training, raising an additional $4000. Victoria has since competed in over a dozen sprint distances in Missouri, placing a couple of times in her age group. Her new fitness regimen led to Victoria becoming a certified personal trainer.