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Wednesday, August 27, 2008
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| Philadelphia Inquirer 8/13/2008
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Heather Leiggi of Bryn Mawr gets ready to get wet at last week's SheROX triathlon.
Posted on Wed, Aug. 13, 2008
Girls just want to do triathlons
By Lini S. Kadaba
A couple of weekends ago, Andrea Bernotavicius competed in a triathlon.
She swam a half mile in the Schuylkill, biked 15-plus miles in Fairmount Park, and ran a little more than three miles on Martin Luther King Drive.
But Bernotavicius, 49, of Williamstown is no Ironwoman, by her own estimate. She entered the Aug. 3 SheROX Triathlon Series, her first, to see if she could at least finish. (She did, with a time of just over two hours, 11 minutes.)
"I wanted to do a triathlon before I was 50," said Bernotavicius, who works in human resources for a Center City law firm. "After you get older, you want to prove more things to yourself. Mentally and physically, you want to stay younger, so you push the envelope."
More women than ever are going that distance. Female membership at USA Triathlon, the sanctioning authority for thousands of events, has soared from 19,038 in 2005 to 40,962 this year. Women now make up about 38 percent of the 100,000-plus triathletes who belong to the group.
"For some of them, it's a sports experience," said Maggie Sullivan, director of the Danskin Women's Triathlon Series, the grande dame of women's triathlons that dates to 1990. "But for most of them, it's a life experience in a sports venue."
The triathlon, it appears, has become the "it" goal for growing numbers of women.
The all-female event in particular serves as the latest midlife pick-me-up - more natural than Botox, less expensive than a fancy car (or Botox).
Larry Redrow, vice president of CGI Racing in Glassboro, described the tri as the new marathon - the previous ultimate for women. Its Philadelphia Women's Triathlon, which began in 2006 with 600 racers, fielded 1,400 triathletes last month, he said.
Baby boomers are especially enamored of the three-sporter, looking to show the world, or at least the spouse and kids, a little "I am woman, hear me roar!" empowerment. Or rather, "See me run! And swim! And bike!"
Besides, triathlons are easier on the knees.
"These aren't 20-year-olds," said Susan Rheingold, 42, of Center City, a mother of a 10-month-old and an oncologist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia who has done tris since 1999. "These are moms with kids."
Rheingold said she liked the sport in part because events often benefit cancer charities. Now she's a mentor, and recruited Cyndi Wildes, 46, a nurse at the hospital, to SheROX. (Capped at 1,500 entrants, twice the size of last year's field, it sold out.)
"I was running, not very fast, not very far," said Wildes, of Aston, who ran the 10-mile Broad Street Run before.
Her goal was to improve her endurance and find sports less punishing on the joints. A tri fit the bill.
"I'm not a competitor," said Wildes, who trained every other day. "It's all about what I can do. Not about anybody else." She clocked a 2:26:01.
It helps that friends and family - including her children, ages 8 and 10 - think it's "pretty cool. . . . I've had people say I am an inspiration to them."
Chantal Remé, 44, of Clifton Heights has run since childhood. After a few marathons, a tri was the next challenge.
Remé, a veterinary nurse at the University of Pennsylvania, ran SheROX in less than two hours. "The majority of us are amateur athletes," she said, "and out there to have a good time."
The social atmosphere is a huge draw. "It's sort of Kumbaya," said Skip Gilbert, chief executive officer of USA Triathlon.
Largely, that's due to the less competitive atmosphere at women's tris compared with coed events. SheROX, in its second year, dials down the intimidation factor by matching novices with mentors and holding clinics that cover details such as what type of bra to wear and how to transition from one event to the next.
Danskin, which operates eight races that attract 23,000 participants, has "angels" in the water to offer encouragement, and it pays Sally Edwards, a Hall of Fame triathlete, to finish last "so none of our women have that dubious honor," Sullivan said.
Susan Holden, 34, of Yardley ran her first tri in 2006 with Danskin, a year after completing treatment for breast cancer. (It has a Team Survivor category.)
Since then, Holden has done others, including the New Jersey State Triathlon. She's entered in the Danskin tri in Sandy Hook, N.J., next month.
"I never thought of myself as an athlete," said the mother of three and part-time fitness instructor. "And here, I did it.
"It was very, very empowering," she said. "I carried that across the finish line - anything is possible."
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Posted on Wed, Oct 24, 2007 |
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| Bryn Mawr's Leiggi thriving on triathlons |
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By Bruce Adams
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| ARDMORE– When Bryn Mawr resident Heather Leiggi competed in her first triathlon eight years ago, she was frightened."I was scared to death of the swim, since my swim training involved me jumping in the pool and hoping I made it to the other side," said Leiggi.
Leiggi hung in there, however, and completed the event – a small sprint triathlon outside of Harrisburg.
"I survived, and after having such a great time at my first race, I decided to keep doing triathlons," said Leiggi.
She began to compete on a national and international level; and earlier this month, Leiggi took sixth place in the Best of the U.S. National Championship Triathlon at Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, Fla.
Leiggi, a member of the Wayne-based HighRoad Cycles Multisport Team, represented Pennsylvania in the international distance triathlon, which consisted of a 1.5K swim in Lake Eloise, a 40K bike race and a 10K run. She completed the triathlon event in an impressive 2:15:07.
"It was probably the most unique course I have raced on, since it was inside Cypress
Gardens' amusement park," said Leiggi. "Imagine swimming around ski jumps and running around rollercoasters and water-slides."
The Best of the U.S. triathlon takes a male and female triathlete from each state and holds the race in an open class format (no age groups).
Leiggi has been the only female to represent Pennsylvania the past two years. The Bryn Mawr resident qualified by winning the amateur race at the Philadelphia Triathlon last year.
Recently, Leiggi spoke of her experiences in the Philadelphia Triathlon on a local radio show. "It was the first triathlon in Philadelphia in many years, and they wanted my views on how the race was [run] compared to other triathlons – and I think I tried to assure people the Schuylkill River really is safe," said Leiggi, with a smile.
"I had a blast speaking on the show. I was able to share my experiences with other people, a lot of whom were new to triathlon, and hopefully it will encourage people to get involved."
Leiggi, who ran for the cross-country and track teams at Bucknell University, hoped to continue her running career after college, but wanted to try something a little different – hence, her entry into triathlons.
"Surprisingly enough, cycling has been my strongest event [of the three]," said Leiggi. "I did compete in some junior cycling races in high school so I had a little experience – I definitely enjoy cycling the most. I've been on some absolutely beautiful rides with great scenery and I love the feeling of speeding down the road on my bike!
"Swimming is the event I need the most work on. I have improved significantly since my first race after many lessons, critiques, and tough workouts, but I continue to struggle with it."
Asked if she had a favorite triathlon course, Leiggi replied, "It's really hard to pick just one race that stands out above others since I have so much fun every time I race. The races that stick in my mind are the ones where everything comes together from beginning to end – this year, the Eagleman 70.3 Triathlon was one of those races.
"The conditions were great and the course was flat and fast. A lot of my family and friends were there to cheer me on, as well as a lot of my team members from HighRoad Cycles Multisport Team, which always makes it more fun."
Leiggi planned to turn professional earlier this year; however, she wanted to compete in the amateurs-only Best of the U.S. triathlon this month, and will postpone turning pro until next year.
Another of her goals this year was to qualify for the 70.3 World Championships; which she did in addition to qualifying for the ITU Olympic Distance World Championships for both 2007 (in Hamburg, Germany) and 2008 (in Vancouver, Canada).
However, Leiggi, who works at Advanced Health and Fitness in Narberth, will not be attending the 70.3 World Championships because her husband Jason will be racing at Ironman Florida the prior week. |
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| Skaneateles Journal 9/4/07
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Tuesday, September 4, 2007 1:29 PM EDT
Triathletes compete in annual Skinnyman competition in and around Skaneateles Lake
By Erik Sorensen / Skaneateles Journal
SKANEATELES - With the autumn-like air without a hint of haze and the deep blue-green water showing the faintest of ripples, Skaneateles Lake and the surrounding countryside never looked more lovely than it did Saturday morning during the third annual Skinnyman triathlon.
“It's such a nice day. I really lucked out for my first time in a triathlon. Isn't this just beautiful?” asked Auburn native Kara Hoselton, just after her picture was taken by in-laws Coleen and Neil Hoselton as she stood on the pier at Clift Park.
A record field of 450 triathletes competed in the Skinnyman - an 800-yard swim, followed by a 15-mile bicycle section, and then a three-mile run.
The race began promptly at 8 a.m. at the park, and for men's winner Matt Migonis, of Cazenovia, it ended just a little more than one hour and five minutes later.
Heather Leiggi took the top prize in the women's division - and a lake print from photographer John McCarthy - finishing an impressive eighth overall with a time of 1:12.11. Her parents live in Cortland.
“It went really well. It was a great swim course - the water was really clear, and it was really calm,” Leiggi said.
“And the bike was also really nice. No traffic, but it was actually hillier than I thought it was going to be. It was pretty challenging, but it was a good course.”
Leiggi, 32, is a world-class athlete. She qualified for the Short Course Triathlon World Championships in Germany this past weekend and will compete next month in the Best of U.S. Amateur Triathlete Championship & Festival at Cypress Gardens Adventure Park in Winter Haven, Fla. Each of the 50 states has a male and female representative, and Leiggi, a Philadelphia native, will be representing the Keystone State.
Hoselton is the daughter of Auburn attorney Paul Carbonaro and his wife, Kathy. She and her husband, Trevor, live in Stafford, Conn., where he is in the Marine Corps.
“This is actually my first triathlon. I was a swimmer in college,” said Hoselton, 24, who competed in the 100 butterfly, relays, and other events her coach slotted her in while at Le Moyne College. “I am a swimmer, so I was a little disappointed in my swim. I thought I'd be more conditioned in the water, and I actually felt really tight.”
Hoselton finished 128th overall with a time of 1:29.23.
Her mentor this summer was Bridget Dautrich. Hoselton used to work at Daut's, the family's restaurant in Auburn, and she and her father were frequent guests - sometimes grabbing a quick snack through the back kitchen door - when husband Kevin Dautrich was co-owner of Cassidy's restaurant in the early 1990s.
“She took me on a lot of bike rides, on a lot of runs. Bridget blew her tire out on O'Neil Road, though, so she had to walk her bike back,” Hoselton said. “I really felt terrible for her. She helped me out so much this summer.”
The Skinnyman, along with the Escape from the Judge swim Saturday and 5K run Sunday, is put on by a committee that has approximately 15 members and meets once a month year-round.
Saturday's race director was Michael Parker, of Skaneateles. A triathlete himself, Parker has competed in the world-famous Ironman Triathlon in Kono, Hawaii, on six occasions.
“The race couldn't have gone better. Wonderful support from our sponsors; the organizers and volunteers did a great job. The weather was unbelievable. Just nothing but good,” Parker said.
Coordination between the village police, the Skaneateles Fire Department, and the SAVES ambulance service was seamless. There were no reports of any injuries aside from a few minor scrapes and bruises.
Huge crowds lined the switch-off points in and around Clift Park, but village of Skaneateles Police Chief Lloyd Perkins and his team kept everything in order.
“Very good. No problems. Lot of pedestrians. As long as nobody gets hurt, everybody has a good time,” Perkins said. “Everybody wants to get the best vantage point, but it can't happen in the road.”
The mood was certainly festive during the race - lots of babies in strollers, old friends greeting one another, dozens of excited dogs on their leashes. Everyone seemed to be smiling, and the air was fragrant as a half-moon set in the west.
“Last year, we were worried about the hurricane that was coming up the coast (Ernesto). So we had some contingency plans in place if we had to cancel the swim, which proved unnecessary,” Parker said, adding the bike and run portions of the length would have been lengthened.
Serving as master of ceremonies for the awards and prize presentations was Bill Burdick.
“I heard from someone that has been to a number of these events, and he said, 'You know, at this triathlon, something very unusual is happening - people are staying. Normally, they run, they race, they finish, and then they go home,” said Bill Havens, an employee with Hand Held, which sponsored the race. “And it's true - there were hundreds of people in the park waiting for the awards ceremony and even after that. People who weren't even getting awards were still there.”
The Skinnyman sold out early - 450 entrants had pre-registered in early August, with athletes from all over the United States and Europe attending.
Parker and others, however, are not sure if trying to expand the field is the wisest move. It is a matter that will be discussed over the next few months though.
“We don't want to have the race lose its charm,” Parker said. “It's a great venue, and we certainly don't want to overpower the park. Maybe a little bit bigger than 450, but we don't want to get a whole lot bigger.”
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| Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 7/16/07
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For all the grueling hours of preparation triathletes put into their sport -- the laps in the pool, hours on the bike, miles of putting foot to pavement -- no amount of training can prevent equipment failure.
Just ask Dave Williams, a 31-year-old resident of Durham, N.C., who was leading the pack at the Pittsburgh Triathlon on Sunday when he blew a flat tire about 12 miles into the 24-mile bike portion of the race.
With no spare tube, Williams had no choice but to ride on the flat. His misfortune allowed 48-year-old John Brockenbrough to gain valuable time, and the Murrysville resident flew past Williams on the 10K run.
By the time Brockenbrough got near the finish line, he was all alone in front.
"It looked like it was going to be a really close race, but he flatted on the second lap and had to ride it down the hill and I was able to catch up quite a bit because of that," said Brockenbrough, who has either won or finished second in all 10 Pittsburgh Triathlons. "But I didn't really know, so when I started the run I was really going all out until the turn-around. When I got to the turn-around I realized I'd have it based on time but I wanted to be the first to cross the finish line so I kept going. I had a good day, definitely."
Brockenbrough finished the race in 1:55:46 with Williams behind him at 2:01:30. Heather Leiggi, of Bryn Mawr, was the top female finisher with a time of 2:10:37.
Williams said that Brockenbrough caught him about four miles into the run.
"But it was still a fun race, and John was flying," Williams said. "He was running very fast so my goal was to stay as close as I could to him."
The Pittsburgh Triathlon was the state qualifying event for the annual Best of the U.S. Amateur Triathlete Competition, so Brockenbrough and Leiggi will now have the opportunity to represent Pennsylvania in Winter Haven, Fla., in October.
"That was one of my main motivations," said Leiggi, who placed eighth in the female 30-34 group at the USA Triathlon Age Group National Championships in Portland, Ore., two weeks ago.
Leiggi said she came out of the swim portion in 10th place but by the time she got off the bike she was in second. She caught second-place finisher Samantha Bird of Arlington, Va., in the first mile of the run to win.
"It was a good race," Leiggi said.
Brockenbrough said that work commitments would probably keep him out of the Best of the U.S., but he hopes to race along with his father in the run-bike-run International Triathlon Union Duathlon Long Course World Championships on Oct. 21 in Richmond, Va.
His father, Mt. Lebanon's Roger Brockenbrough, 72, finished first in his age group with a time of 2:41:16 yesterday.
"If I qualify I'd like to go (to the Duathlon Worlds) with my dad," John Brockenbrough said. "We like to race together if we can, especially worlds. Our goal is to see if we can both be world champions in the same year. But I've never won a world championship in anything. It's really hard to win worlds. Everyone wants to be world champion of something, it doesn't matter how obscure a sport it is."
Karen Price can be reached at kprice@tribweb.com or 412-320-7980.
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