Susan Conway: On Being a Female Triathlete
On August 20, 2016, three truly amazing and “Legendary Women” from Team USA will compete in the 2016 Olympic Triathlon in Rio de Janeiro. This past spring it was announced that Gwen Jorgensen, Sarah True, and Katie Zaferes all qualified for these highly coveted spots.
The triathlon has grown in popularity since its creation in San Diego during the early 1970s. Originally born from the French concept of “les trois sports” from the 1920s, triathlons include running, cycling, and swimming. Competitors may compete as individuals or in teams, but are not allowing to rest between race segments. Races vary by distance in four length categories: sprint, Olympic, long course, and ultra.
Triathlon was officially inducted as an Olympic sport during the 2000 Sydney games. The Olympic Triathlon consists of a 10 km run, a 40 km bike ride, and a 1.5 km swim. USA Triathlon, the national governing board for the sport, reported its total adult and youth membership at 170,033 in 2014. Of that number, 63,082 were adult women and girls — an impressive 37.1 percent!
This is an exciting time for women in sports. While it’s true not every female triathlete can be an Olympian, it is true that all female triathletes are amazing. They’re women and girls across the country, all filling a variety of roles in their daily lives. The triathlon is just one aspect of who they are. They’re average, yet extraordinary. They’re like you and I, and isn’t that encouraging?
So what does it take to be an awesomely fierce female triathlete? Cathey Rose catches up with Susan Conway to find out!
C. Rose: “Hi, Susan. Thanks for talking with me today! Tell me a little about your athletic background. Have you always been athletic?”
S. Conway: “Thanks for this opportunity. Athletics have always been a part my life. A huge part. I grew up playing team sports; basketball and softball were always my favorite. I ended up playing basketball in high school and for a couple of years in college. My goal was to become the next Pat Summit. I figured I would always be involved with basketball in some capacity, but life took an interesting turn and plopped me into the world of triathlon.”
C. Rose: “When did you first become involved in training for and competing in triathlons? How did that come about?”
S. Conway: “I first became involved in triathlon training in 2013. It was through a group of friends at work that I learned about (the) sport and it really interested me. They were all either swimming, cycling, running, or doing all three. I figured I would give it a shot because at that point in my life I was really itching for a new challenge. Distance training and endurance sports were, for the most part, completely new to me. It is a completely different mental and physical approach than what I had been used (to), but I have been able to incorporate many lessons I took from basketball into my current training.”
C. Rose: “What’s an average week of training look like for you?”
S. Conway: “An average training week would look a little something like this: On Mondays I run for thirty to forty-five minutes. Tuesday mornings I have swim practice for forty-five minutes, while Tuesday evenings, I ride my bike for an hour. On Wednesdays I have track practice for one hour. Thursday mornings I swim for forty-five minutes. Fridays, I rest. Saturdays, I normally go on a long run for two-or-more hours. Sundays I normally do a long bike ride, for more than two hours.”
C. Rose: “How do you stay motivated?”
S. Conway: “Ugh…motivation. Sometimes it’s pretty hard to find when the alarm goes off at 5:00 a.m. on Sunday and you have to go get that long ride done. But I think what motivates me most is thinking about all the people I train with who are going through the exact same thing. I’m not the only one getting up early, or missing out on time with family and friends, or trying to watch what I eat, all in order to make sure my training stays on track. So many of my teammates are doing the exact same thing, and I want to be a part of that! I want to be a part of the journey with them, so that in the end, I can celebrate on race day with them….there is nothing like the feeling of crossing that finish line.”
C. Rose: “How many triathlons do you think you’ll enter this year?”
S. Conway: “By the end of this year I will have entered five triathlons. A sixth is still possible.”
C. Rose: “And I know you travel for those, too. What’s your favorite thing about the sport?”
S. Conway: “My favorite thing about the sport is the camaraderie. I have been a part of Team Z for three years now, and there is nothing like being a part of group where you can talk about everything from nutrition to saddle sores and no one passes judgment! They support me during workouts, give guidance and advice, coach me through the tough times, and most importantly, they are always there on race day cheering for you! Team Z is a large group of 400-plus people. I don’t know everyone, and we don’t always participate in the same races. We often have large contingencies of people showing up at races just to provide support and cheer. So when I think about it, to have people out there, some that I don’t even know, give of their time and energy to be on the course just to cheer and provide the emotional boost I need…that’s a special feeling!”
C. Rose: “What’s been your scariest moment?”
S. Conway: “My scariest moment in triathlon was when I crashed on my bike during a race. The road was still slick from the rain the night before, and I was not totally familiar with the bike course. Coming out of transition there was a downhill and a hard right turn. My wheels came out from underneath me, and since my cleats were clipped into my pedals, I flew down the road attached to my bike. I skidded to a halt when I hit the cop car that was stationed at the intersection to direct traffic. No physical injuries, but it (took) me a few minutes to gather myself and regain my confidence to get back on the bike.”
C. Rose: “Oh, my. That is frightening! What other races or competitions have you entered aside from triathlons?”
S. Conway: “Other races I have entered mostly involve marathons and half-marathons. I have been serving as a run guide for my teammate Philip, who is blind. Over the past two years we have done roughly five races together, and countless training runs. We are currently training for a half marathon in September, and our first marathon together in December. When we run together, we simply hold onto the ends of a shoe string. He is an excellent runner, and I don’t have to do much other than give him cues about pavement, hills, dips, curbs, etc. We always find a lot to talk about during the runs, and the time passes really quickly.”
C. Rose: “That’s amazing! I just have one last question for you. Who’s your greatest inspiration?”
S. Conway: “My greatest inspiration is my mom and dad. It wasn’t until I became an adult and began to have to make sacrifices in order to have the life that I wanted, that I finally understood how many sacrifices they made for me over the years so that I could have the best life possible. I think about that a lot when I race. I guess in some small, personal way, my racing is a thank you to my parents. Thank you because they gave me the tools and opportunities in life that have helped me be successful. I don’t want to waste that. So I do these races as a way to push myself, to set out to accomplish something I never thought I could….to say thanks mom and dad, I couldn’t have gotten here without you.”
C. Rose: “Susan, thank you so much for your time. You’ve really given us all a glimpse into what having a passion for sports means to women and girls. I wish you every continued success.”
S. Conway: “Thank you.”
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