PHYSICAL FITNESS HISTORY: SALLIE IRELAND

I taught myself to ride a bike in kindergarten and declared before my school in first grade that I wanted to become a professional swimmer for a career. I learned to swim before this and swam laps as an older child at camp and when I could at a local country club. I usually walked over a mile round trip to and from school from about fourth through eighth grade. My favorite after school activity was riding my BMX bike long distances and up steep streets in my neighborhood. I ran in two school marathons and participated in track, soccer, softball, volleyball, and skating before high school. I still remember the joy I felt while running those marathons. I raced my BMX bike competitively in sixth grade. In high school I ran the mile and 2-mile and particpated in basketball. My mother was ill during my high school years, and she could not provide me with a pool or bike. I began training more seriously in swimming, biking, and running after graduating from high school in 1990. I bought a GIANT® Acapulco bicycle (road/off road) in 1990, and also tried tennis, skating, speed skating, and diving in college, but I began dreaming about being a triathlete in 1993. I swam and ran in Dallas, Texas in 1995 with the guidance of university professors. I still remember the joy of swimming in an olympic length pool. Later in 1995 and 1996 I rode my bike to and from work each day when I worked as a strength trainer at a gym in Houston and also trained in running. While in the military for a short time, I could see my training paying off while I was a top runner during physical training. After leaving the military, I trained some but discovered a new knee pain. Then I swam for a short time. From 1998 to 2004, my physical fitness activities were mostly trail hiking, some jogging and GIANT® Rincon mountain bike riding, and walking. After the birth of my twins in 2005, I walked until God called me to do more. In 2007, I bought a new road bike and began training for triathlon.

Sallie Ireland