The Strength of a Team – The Rye Y Tribe

by Laura Tiedge
Sr. Director of Healthy Living

When was the last time you did something for the first time?

On September 9^th, an intrepid group of 56 women -- mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, aunts and grandmothers -- set out to discover the mystery and challenge of the exciting and fun three-sport event called triathlon.  They are the Rye Y Tribe!

The Tribe, which was formed in early 2011, is a group of women interested in completing their first triathlon.  In 2012, sixteen members of the original team joined fifty “newbies” to train for and compete in the Danskin Women’s Triathlon, a sprint distance race in Sandy Hook. NJ.

Everyone came to the group with different motivations, abilities and personal challenges.  Some were already runners, or swimmers or cyclists – most were new to everything.  Some came to get back in shape and find a routine.  Some came to re-discover their inner athlete.  Some came to learn a new skill. Our youngest member was 16 years old; our oldest, 78.  All came to challenge themselves to reach for something that seemed unattainable or long sought after. 

Training started, in March, with the basics.  After refining their techniques—there is a more efficient way to swim, run and bike—and learning new skills, the women began to develop a plan for regular physical activity. Eventually, their routine incorporated all three disciplines.  All of this was just preparation though for a 12-week training plan that would begin in late June.

Along the way, the Tribe explored Triathlon 101.  From nutrition, foam rolling and selecting proper training clothes, to preventing injury, changing a bike flat and finding and getting into the perfect wetsuit – they learned it all!

We ran, biked and swam together.  We rehearsed the transition and became comfortable swimming in open water.  We hugged, cheered and celebrated our hard work.  We became a team – The Tribe!

Before we knew it, the race weekend had arrived!  After checking out the course and settling into our hotel rooms, the team enjoyed a relaxing dinner that included a last minute pep talk and conversation about our personal journeys to triathlon.  The coaches left the Tribe with two pieces of advice before retiring for a restless night’s sleep – Stay in the moment and keep moving forward!

It’s 5:00 am – race day – and the Tribe is awake, nervous and desperately seeking coffee as we organize our caravan to the race site.  A set of lost keys causes a last minute frenzy, but we remind everyone that this is what staying in the moment is all about – enjoy the good and the bad, the scary and the thrilling! 

We get to the race site and busy ourselves with preparing our transition area and waiting in line for the port-a-potties.  The ladies are talking about how this is “our first, our last tri”  “this is crazy, what was I thinking” – clearly another reminder to stay in the moment is required. And then, the countdown starts, the horn sounds, and we’re off!

In our pink team t-shirts, it’s easy to catch glimpses of each other as we move from swimming to biking to running.  Tribe members shout words of encouragement to their teammates-- “let’s go Rye Y”; “keep moving forward”; “you’ve got this” and “Go Mom” and slap each other’s hands in enthusiastic high-fives.  We were having the time of our lives.

By 10:00 a.m., the entire Tribe has finished, except for one team member.  Rosy, our oldest participant at 78, is still out on the run course.  And because this is the Tribe, and because we are sisters, a group of our team members sprint back onto the course, crossing the finish line again, this time with Rosy.  Everyone cheers.  At this moment, we feel the full power of our accomplishment and the strength of our TRIBE! 

 

Part of a Team

by Catarina Cabrera
On Sunday, September 9, 56 members of the TRIBE, the Y Rye’s women’s Triathlon group, finished the Danskin Sandy Hook Triathlon. The oldest competitor was 78; the youngest was 16.  For most, it was their first Triathlon.  Catarina Cabrera shares her inspiring story here.

Not too long ago, I couldn't run a single mile! I was critically close to turning 40 and taking stock of my life. I grew up the daughter of working class immigrants in Yonkers and throughout my childhood, sports for girls were just not an option. My parents were of the belief that only education had any value. For years and years, I did absolutely nothing physical except for the mandatory phys ed. As an adult, I was blessed with good genes so going to a gym was never in the cards. The thought of it was intimidating and worse, a waste of time. Then I spent the better part of my 30's having babies and unlike the Hollywood starlets, I would gain 40-50 pounds at a clip. Eventually Bootcamp found me and I started taking my body back!  With the support of some great ladies, I found that I could run. I was only capable of very short distances but I was actually moving forward ! Once I figured that out, I thought "What else could I be good at?"



Last September I enrolled in an adult beginner swim class at the YMCA. It took me months of spotty attendance and hyperventilating at every lap before I figured out rotary breathing! For 39 years, I had never intentionally put my face in the water so this was a HUGE accomplishment!!  I continued practicing and adding to my distances with Viwat's help and then I thought, "What else can I be good at?"

 I had seen the signs at the YMCA for a Triathlon Group many times and kept on with my day because I wasn't an athlete and that sort of thing took a lot of endurance, which I didn't have. Then one day on vacation, I was feeling sorry for myself because although I have a great husband and four good kids, I was 40 and hadn't done anything really inspiring ! Sure, I get my kids to school, get the homework done, and the list of endless mommy chores get done. But all alone at night, I'd ask myself, since you stopped working, what inspiring thing have you done? Then I remembered the posters and the masters swimming group at the YMCA and all those people who say that Tri's are so much fun! Before I had a chance to talk myself out of it, I emailed Laura Tiedge and she sent me the longest most detailed message outlining the entire process.  I signed up for the Danskin Triathlon before I even sent her a response.



Since that fateful day, I have been swimming, cycling and running with the most amazing group of ladies. There were many Sunday mornings that I didn't want to cycle or run. But, out of some sense of loyalty and commitment, I kept showing up.  Monday nights, they held Open Water Swims at Oakland Beach.  As someone who couldn't swim a yard just a year ago, I thought “this is going to be awful.” Magically, I willed myself to show up. The first few times out were tough especially since there are no black lines or buoys out there. My sighting skills were non-existent and I used to joke that my suit lacked a GPS. Somehow with the encouragement and kind words of so many, I kept showing up. If these ladies were going to give of their time, then at the very least, I was going to make the effort. Wow, am I happy that I did !



Until this race, my bike was only used to follow alongside tricycles! Coach Denise and Coach Sally taught me what the gears on my bike were meant to do. These extraordinary ladies went above and beyond their job to help me when my knees ached and I thought the Tri was over for me before it had even begun. Selflessly, they each gave of their time and expertise to adjust my bike and strengthen my knees. Coach Laura organized many meetings to prep us for race day! INVALUABLE !



On race day, my nerves were shot. I was dealing with achy knees and a bad case of poison ivy. I was a teary and anxious mess on the shoreline but the last words I heard were, "Keep Moving Forward!" Coach Vickie realized that I was not having a great swim, and even though she could have easily left me and swam on ahead, she stayed with me like a swim angel until I was around the last buoy.   I was never so happy as when I would see a pink shirt pass me or going the other way and hear "Go Tribee."

The night before the Tri, the coaches organized a team dinner at the hotel. We were each given a pink shirt and on the back it says, Life is One Big Transition.  Denise asked the group, "How long since any of you have been on a team?"  For me, the answer was NEVER. That changed on Sunday, September 9th, 2012. I was finally part of something bigger than myself: I was part of a team!  I could barely stand the emotions when I saw my 78 year-old team mate, Rosalie, cross the finish line. I was equally overcome watching all the pink shirts converge on one another in congratulations and joy watching others cross the line. Now, I belonged to this team of amazing and strong women. For that one day, I was great and I did something inspiring. I hope my girls and my son fully appreciate all the teams they will belong to and that their mom inspired them to be great too. 



I may never be a Super Model. I may never be President. I may never be a brain surgeon. But I will always be a Triathlete ! 



Thank You Tribees