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| | | (SPECIAL/www.forsythherald.com)Aflac Iron Girl Triathlon contestant, Alli Brannon, hopes her participation makes a difference for friends with cancer and set an example for her children. The swimming, biking and running event takes place at Lake Lanier on Sunday, June 29. | |
June 23, 2008
www.northfulton.com
It's about more than having good times during the swim, bike and run portions of this month's Aflac Iron Girl Women's Triathlon -- it's about putting it all on the line for a good cause.
The event isn't just pure competition for Jennifer Duke, of Alpharetta, and Alli Brannon, of Cumming. Both women felt uniquely drawn to participating in the June 29 sprint triathlon for different reasons.
Brannon was inspired to race by the cancer diagnosis of several close friends. Her friend, Tracy, whose son is in his last year of chemotherapy for leukemia, asked her to help support research within the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults -- the charity supported by the triathlon. Joining Tracy in the race was a no-brainer for Brannon.
"This was a great way for [us] to celebrate his life and his fight and victory over the disease," said Brannon, who has never competed in a triathlon before. "[Trey] is actually our 'Team Hero' so our whole group of women is doing this for him, which has been really cool to be a part of."
Brannon uses her lunch hour to train for the event through running and swimming at a nearby gym and sometimes goes bike riding on week nights. She hopes her efforts to train and prepare for the event, both physically and mentally, are not lost on her children -- especially her daughter.
"Body appearance is such an obsessive focus for girls and women these days, I want to help my daughter develop a healthy perspective and opinion of 'being healthy and strong' versus just looking good," she said. "I decided this would be a great way for me to show her a consistent picture of what it does really look like to take care of yourself and make exercise a priority and day to day activity."
Her mission seems to have made an impact.
"My children and husband have been great," Brannon said. "[My daughter] brought home a book from school back in April on the Olympics and said 'Look Mom, it's a book about what you are training for this summer!' That made me feel awesome, she thinks I am on the level of Olympic training!"
For Duke, it was literally her job to help inspire people to join the race. She had just begun working for Aflac -- which has signed on to sponsor the nationwide event for the next three years – when she was recruited to help plan the Atlanta triathlon.
"I was promoting such a wonderful opportunity to hundreds of women and I thought how hypocritical of me, it was, to be such an advocate [even though] I was not participating myself. So, I signed my name [and registered]," she said.
A first time triathlon participant, Duke has been working out two or three times per week.
"Once a week I meet with my team members for a group swim lesson. Also, I have been going to the gym one or two times per week to work on strength training," she said. "I feel ready from all angles."
Her enthusiasm about the event is contagious and with it, she has recruited several women from her own office. The experience has led to friendships she feels only came about through working on the event.
"I have met many co-workers whom I would not have met otherwise," Duke said. "Many of my co-workers have become my friends."
The event will begin and end at Lake Lanier Islands Resort and include a one-third mile swim, an 18-mile bike ride and a three mile run. Many participants – who can obtain training tips and links to athletic clubs on the event website -- are excited by the prospect of competing amongst women only, according to organizers. They will need to check-in to the event on the day prior to the race and arrive at the race around 5 a.m. on the day of.
Registration is closed, but anyone can still participate by donating their financial support to fight cancer.
For more information, visit, www.irongirl.com/Events/Atlanta.
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