Reluctant Athlete to Triathlete: Stephanie’s Triathlon Journey

Stephanie Godwin never thought she’d be a triathlete. She swam a bit in high school, but it wasn’t serious. “I did swim for three years in high school, but it wasn’t a great high school team,” Stephanie explains. “I mean, you didn’t have to try out. There were only ten of us. So I got my varsity letter freshman year for nothing.” After high school, Stephanie wasn’t really into sports. She liked swimming for fun, but that was about it. She definitely didn’t run. From reluctant athlete to triathlete, Stephanie’s journey into triathlon really tested her growth.

Never Liked to Run 

“I’ve never liked to run,” she admits. So how did Stephanie end up training for a triathlon? It all started with a strange question from her new coworker, Sacha. “We were getting to know each other. What’s your favorite dessert? What’s your favorite color?” Stephanie remembers. “And   then one day, she was switching with me on the lifeguard stand. And as we’re rotating, she’s like, if you did a triathlon relay, what leg would you do?”

A Weird Ice Breaker Question

Stephanie thought it was just a weird ice breaker question. She answered that she might be okay on the bike. She had no idea what she was getting herself into. “The next thing I know I’m on a bike, and we’re training for a triathlon race,” Stephanie says. “I thought that was an icebreaker question! I didn’t think we were actually gonna do triathlons.”

Training Was Tough

But somehow, Sacha had convinced Stephanie and another coworker, Mia Ramos, to train for a race. They picked an all-women’s event from the organization She Tris Triathlon. The event seemed beginner friendly. Training was tough for Stephanie. She surprised herself by actually enjoying parts of it – especially running.

The Bike Was Harder

“Here I actually enjoy running,” Stephanie says. “If I see a run on my schedule, I’m happy, because I don’t have to worry about the infrastructure that comes with swimming or biking. It’s just going outside and feet to the pavement. Run.” The bike was harder. Stephanie liked being out in nature, but all the technical stuff was confusing. “I recently just learned how to adjust the cables on my bike,” she admits. “I’m gonna be totally honest. Whenever I’m on a bike, I’m living on a prayer. I don’t know how to change a tube.”

Balancing Training with Work 

Balancing training with work wasn’t easy. Stephanie and her friends had long days as lifeguards and swim instructors. But they made it work, sometimes even sneaking in workouts during their shifts. “One of our assistant managers is super supportive,” Stephanie says. “If there’s one extra person there, he looks at us, and he’s like, go get your swim right now. I don’t care if you’re on the clock.”

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Trust the Process

As race day got closer, Stephanie was nervous. She wasn’t as fast as Sacha and Mia. But she was learning to be okay with that. “I’m one of those people. If I start something new and I’m not good at it immediately, I will drop it,” Stephanie explains. “But this is something where I’ve really kind of leaned into, trust the process, enjoy the process.”

Hooked on Triathlon

When race day finally came, it was better than Stephanie could have imagined. The She Tris event was fun and supportive. “It was awesome,” Stephanie says. “The energy is great and the support that they have for the athletes is great. It’s just such a well-run event.” Stephanie finished the race and even placed in her age group. She was thrilled – and hooked on triathlon.

Together 

Now, Stephanie is part of a group called the Tri Girls with Sacha and Mia. They train together, race together, and support each other. For someone who never thought she’d be an athlete, Stephanie has come a long way. It’s never too late to start something new. “It’s been mostly fun,” she says of her triathlon journey. “I think that it’s helping take me out of my perfectionist mindset.”

From reluctant beginner to enthusiastic triathlete, Stephanie has discovered a new side of herself. And with the Tri Girls by her side, she’s excited to see how far she can go. Stephanie’s journey from reluctant athlete to triathlete shows how far you can go not just alone, but together. 

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