Table of Contents
Introduction!
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by Ben Greenfield
My Mum!
2
by Thomas Badley
My Mom the Ironman!
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by Cliff Worden-Rogers
DeLisa Macklin – A Champion Triathlete!!
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by Michelle Grady
Three's a Crowd!!
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by MJ Slikas, USAT Certified Coach
A Metaphor for Life!
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by Brandy Woodall
by Nicole Anne Zita Kuluris
Some Things About Mary!
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Zoo Mom Tri-s Hard!
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by Tara L. Carroll
Not “Just a mom”!
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by Husband and Loyal Supporter Jeff Vicario
Belinda Rocks!
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by Neighbor and fan Courtney Leach
My Mom, The Triathlete!
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by Erin Oliphant
Together We Tri!
12
by Krista Colle Gibson
The Woman Behind the Athlete!
13
by Staley Krause
The Ironman & A Mother’s Lessons for Life!
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by Richard B. Furey
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Introduction
by Ben Greenfield
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From husbands writing about their mother-wives, sons and daughters writing about their
mother-moms, and mothers writing about themselves, the Mother of a Sport anthology from Mindset
Triathlon is the first time I’ve ever witnessed such powerful emotions of the maternal experience brought
forth through the eyes of triathlon.
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You’ll chuckle as you read twelve-year-old Thomas write about his Mum proving everyone
wrong and showing that the impossible can indeed be achieved; you’ll be inspired as you read husbands
describe how their wives finally became true athletes; and you’ll learn crucial tips as the Ironwoman
mother describes how she balances family and training.
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Ultimately, the Mother of a Sport anthology shows that triathlon is much more than physiology,
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anatomy, nutrition, and fitness. Mothers and their family members from around the world prove in this
anthology that the true, motivating essence of multi-sport is based on the powerful emotions of love and
hope, the character building foundations of perseverance and endurance, and the core values and beliefs
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that allow the inspirational triathlete mother to care for her home, her family and her friends while still
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victoriously pursuing the finish line of one of the world’s greatest sports.
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http://www.bengreenfieldfitness.com
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My Mum
by Thomas Badley
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I am 12 years and want to write about my Mum because she says that I am her greatest fan. She is
45 years old and has four children: David (16years) Michael (14years) myself Thomas and my twin sister
Susanna (aged 12). My Mum is REALLY busy. She works for the National Health Service (we live in England) counselling people with Mental Health Problems, then spends loads of her time looking after us
four, and Dad. We all do sports and music to help us develop our talents. My Mum does so much for us
all; and, until she started triathlon, very little for herself.
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When I started swimming training at 5am twice a week, she asked if she could have a go. She
could not swim one length front crawl. She was truly rubbish! Then my Mum announced that she
wanted to swim properly. My Mum is very determined and read books, listened to podcasts and talked to
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people about swimming. She built up her swimming skills to now being able to swim 1500m front crawl
weights at home to get more muscles.
Then she got the idea of being a triathlete. My aunt said that she never would never find the time
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with tumble turns!! She had shoulder pains but it didn’t make her give up; she just started lifting
to train, so my Mum, being my Mum , set out to prove her wrong. We don’t have much money but she
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got a second hand bike and started to run and cycle whenever she got a few minutes. When she drops
my sister at trampolining she does her long run. When she takes me swimming and my brother to piano
in the evenings, she bikes in the gym. She cycles on rollers in the kitchen!!! I don’t know anyone who has
a Mum like her. She teaches us that everything is possible if you work hard. She teaches us about nutrition and visualisation and believing in yourself. She doesn’t just teach us, she shows us.
I am proud of
her and grateful for her example.
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My Mom the Ironman
by Cliff Worden-Rogers
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On her 48th birthday my Mom decided that in two years, she’d like to have done an Ironman.
She wanted to hear the voice “Jen Worden, you are an Ironman”.
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Ironman is a major accomplishment for any athlete. Completing the 140.6 miles of swim, bike and
run tests an athlete’s body and mind. There wasn’t any doubt that she could mentally get through it but
we worried about her physical health.
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Since she had only ever done a sprint triathlon (two years previous) this was going to take some
work. As a side goal she also wanted to lose weight. A problem she “carried” since giving birth to my
brother, sister and I.
The first year there was some progress in each discipline. Swimming she took to naturally. I gave
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her my old road bike “Simon”, which she nicknamed after Simon Whitfield. It was a bit big for her but
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she made it her own. Running seemed to be her biggest weakness as her additional weight put a lot of
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stress on her knees.
As the weeks counted down, Mom kept slugging through the training. It seemed for every new
mined to see this thing through.
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PB there was another injury to greet her. I think any normal person would have quit but she was deter-
Soon it was race day and our family was there for support. She got
through the swim no problem but started to suffer on the bike. Her knee
was holding up but her stomach wasn’t happy. She made it through the
first lap of the run course but her body was starting to shut down.
20 miles into the run, I had to give her the agonizing news that she needed
to stop. I didn’t want her to keep going and risk doing permanent damages to her body. Shortly after my news her body gave out, literally. She
had to be taken to the hospital as her sugar levels were extremely low and
her knee had swollen to size of a softball. Ironman no, but the toughest
mom alive, yes.
Bio: Our family began multi-sporting in 2004 when my brother did his first triathlon. Everyone seemed to catch the bug, especially my mom who wanted to go for the ultimate quest, to do an
Ironman.
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DeLisa Macklin – A Champion Triathlete!
by Michelle Grady
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I am on the distribution list for Mindset Triathlon and heard about this contest. Immediately I
thought of new friend of mine, DeLisa Macklin. Actually, I have only known DeLisa for a very short
while. She contacted me after coming across an article written about me on the internet, but we connected
instantly. It is actually very rare, as an African American woman, to meet other triathletes that look like
you! J
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The first thing that struck me about DeLisa was her genuine enthusiasm for the sport, definitely
one of the points that she and I relate on. During our first conversation, we went on and on about the feeling of crossing the feeling line, the energy experienced during a race and how we both would love to get
some of our other sister-friends involved so that they could experience the same! What I cannot relate to
To prepare for an event Delisa exercises two to three times a day five days a week. She wakes up
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is her ability to do all of this training, work a full time job AND manage a household. PHENOMENAL!
at 5:00 am to get to the swim club and has to be home by 6:15 am to get her three children up, and prepare
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two of them for school. Then it’s off to her full time job where she works until her lunch break, at which
time she will usually go for a long run or to the gym. After work
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she ensures she is home to have dinner with her family (every
night), and once the children are in bed she sometimes ride her
bike on the spinner before going to bed. The next day she is up
and at it again! I have never met anyone so dedicated that she is
able to do all of this training while never missing a beat with her
responsibilities as a mother, wife and Christian.
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DeLisa truly loves the sport of triathlon, although com-
peting can sometimes be intimidating. More often than not, she
finds herself being the only person of color in a participant pool
of hundreds and hundreds of people. Yet she never lets that affect her spirit. DeLisa is a true champion!
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Three's a Crowd!
by MJ Slikas, USAT Certified Coach
www.trismartcoaching.com
Wendy Beninato, triathlete and mother of 4 year old
triplets, is an inspiration to all! Wendy runs the household like a well-oiled machine. Every morning, the kids
need to be awakened, clothes need to be set out, and the
kitchen is an assembly line of breakfast and packed
lunches. Once she's able to see her husband off and
drop the kids at pre-school, Wendy takes time for herself. How? Training. Being a good triathlete takes disci-
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pline and dedication and Wendy exemplifies that every
day. Sure, there is housework to be done, but she man-
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ages to balance this with triathlon training, caring for the kids, and the multitude of side projects she has
going on at any given time. Wendy has been successful in the sprint and olympic triathlon distances, but
Wendy serves as a role model, not only to her children but to other mothers out there who claim
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her goal this year it to attempt her first half ironman!
there is no time nor energy to tackle the sport of triathlon. But if you ask Wendy, she knows the importance of being fit and healthy in order to instill those same values in her children. Whether it be getting
up in the wee hours of the morning to fit in a workout before her husband goes off to work and the little
ones wake up or logging in the miles on a treadmill in the basement while the kids quietly nap, Wendy
has proven herself to be someone who will do what it takes to get the job done.
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Many times, Wendy races without the support of her family due to the struggle it would be to
keep three small children entertained for the duration of the event. But if you can make it to an event
when the family is present, you will hear all three tiny voices screaming loudly for their Mommy and
beaming with pride when she crosses the finish line and greets them with big hugs!
Bio: Wendy Beninato, wife and mother of triplets, has been competing in triathlons for several years while balancing her family activities. She is an inspiration to those other mothers and all who surround her and is setting her
sights on completing a half ironman and qualifying for the Boston Marathon in the near future.
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