Meet REAL Hannah,

Like many people, she was feeling aimless in the midst of Covid. She has been active her whole life and has taken on a more competitive view on sports as an adult. Foot pain developed from running led to surgery in August 2019. Despite being strong, healthy and following all the guidelines for recovery, it took over a year to be able to run again. This is where her triathlon journey began.

“When I realized that I might not be able to compete in half marathons (or finally do a full one), I began to think about my options. I was born on a bike, so that has always been an enjoyable activity for me. Being outside amidst the chaos of Covid wasn’t enough – I felt like I needed a goal to work toward. One day on a bike ride, I thought about triathlon! 

Immediately I was worried about my swimming ability, I felt like the shorter distance run would be ok for me (a 10K would be perfect!) and I certainly knew I could handle the bike leg. I began to doubt myself on the swim. 

That’s when I decided I had to face this challenge. 

I was connected with Adina, and that’s where my journey really took off. I took her Find YOUR Finish Course in January and learned all about the sport and how to get started with my training. I gained confidence as a swimmer and was able to take it day by day. 

Team B*REAL has been an amazing support system. The group rides and advice from the community have been some of my greatest sources of joy along this journey. Watching others conquer their own milestones and hurdles has been inspiring. I love that we are all from different walks of life, locations, abilities, ages, goals. 

Triathlon can be intimidating. You aren’t just doing one sport, you’re doing 3! Which means 3 times the amount of gear, knowledge, and background you need. Team B*REAL has badasses with such a collective and impressive amount of experience and support to offer. From a ‘silly’ question about what RPE means (rate of perceived exhaustion in case you’re wondering) to what kind of wetsuit to buy…you can ask anything!”

Hannah earned a podium finish at her very first triathlon this summer, coming in 3rd place overall for the Olympic distance at Sunken Island Tri in Lakeville, MA. She pushed beyond the doubts of her swim ability, spent extra time at the pool and was relentless on applying the form tips I shared with her. In the end she said “I can’t believe the difference maker was my swim – I finished 10-15 minutes faster than others in my age group.” 

Start your triathlon journey or go for the podium at your next race with Team B*REAL. Learn the basics now with TRI Something New or add your name to the waitlist for the next cycle of Find YOUR Finish