FEATURES
Mimosas, Nutella & Comaraderie...
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Thursday, 22 March 2018 23:10
The third of four YWCA Indoor Triathlons went down on March 18, and did so with a record turnout. Eighty athletes--the race's enrollment ceiling--crossed the finish line, three more than in February, and eighteen more than the series opener on January 22.
We reached out to several of the finishers, seeking the one, or ones, who appeared to be having the most fun. We're going to share what we learned about FRANCIE STEICH (photo - 3rd from right), starting with the fact that she is a total HOOT!
Francie placed 2nd overall—women, starting with superstar NICOLE CUENO, whose time was ridonkulous, much faster than the men's course best, rocked the overall Top 3 places—in the long event, clearly demonstrating she has a great aptitude for the sport, though she is a novice, having only done two outdoor tris over the past decade-and-a-half.
Here is some of the fun stuff that Francie shared with us via email:
The YWCA indoor tri was amazing! I did it with six of my amazing co-workers - many of whom had never done a tri before. They were such an inspiration. I was happy with 2nd place in the long course, especially because the woman who beat me was five years my senior and finished four minutes faster than me - that gave me a lot to be excited about in the next five years of my athletic career. To top it all off, my colleagues and I celebrated with mimosas and brunch when it was done. I can't wait for the outdoor YWCA tri this summer--I'll be bringing my two daughters to witness all the amazing women in action! ...
But wait, there's more. Here's some stuff about her athletic history:
I ran competitively in high school and college (Macalester College in St. Paul). After college I struggled with injuries from running so I found my way into biking and swimming. Running is still where I'm most comfortable. I'm getting better at the cycling (though the indoor cycling on a stationary bike with no resistance felt a little odd...). And I really need to work on the swimming! Overall, I'm just excited to ramp back up to some more racing now that I'm done having babies and get my body all to myself!
All of us in the pic work at Wilder Research (part of the Wilder Foundation in St. Paul). My buddy Kerry (#54) is the one who talked me into the summer tri last year. They are an amazing group of women, and we're working on recruiting some more of our colleagues to do the summer tri this year.
Francie also shared these fun facts: She loves Nutella (Who doesn't?) and wine, and was Heather Lendway's freshman year roommate at Macalester.
We love stories like Francie's, and thank her for sharing.
The final race in the Y's indoor series is on April 8. The event is sold out, but you can still spectate or volunteer.
Here is the link to the results for the March 18 YWCA Indoor Triathlon. LINK
