Alexis Rich (Science) began competing in triathlons in 2012 where she realized that she had a passion for pushing her limits in a competitive atmosphere.
“My first race was not big at all. It was a sprint triathlon, so probably like an 800 meter swim, a 10 or 15 mile bike and then a 5K run,” Rich said.
Rich started her running career in 1996, when she was in college. She ran her first mini marathon the year she graduated. Rich had only felt the urge to run competitively until her life changed in 2009.
“I was a runner forever, and then when I got pregnant in 2009, and after I got to be of a certain size, I couldn’t run or ride a bike anymore, so that’s when I learned to swim,” Rich said.
Rich had a hard time bouncing back into marathons and ended up deciding to try a triathlon in 2012. She had worked hard on training her swim skills and was already a decent runner and biker, so it seemed like an obvious switch. She likes all the phases, but really thrives in the biking section of the races.
“I’m definitely a better cyclist than most. That’s the discipline that I can do pretty well. I’m an average runner, and I am what’s called an A to B swimmer, which means that I just get to the end without drowning,” Rich said.
On Aug. 17, Rich participated in a 70.3 Ironman. This is a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike and a half marathon. This is the second year in a row that she has competed in this event, and she had high expectations for herself.
“This is the second time on this course. I think the hardest part about this race wasn’t necessarily any leg of it. It was the pressure of knowing that I had trained to do better,” Rich said.
It is said that you can’t win a triathlon in the swim section, but you can certainly lose it. Last year she swam it in 50 minutes, but this year she swam it in 43 minutes, a new personal record (PR). This fantastic swim time set her up for a good finish, and she knew she could push for an overall PR.
“I remember getting out of the water and it was then that I realized that I had a good swim time and I had a really fast bike ahead of me. It was at that point in time that I knew I could go for it,” Rich said.
Rich has competed in seven triathlons this year alone. She is a guide for a blind woman, and they competed in one triathlon together this year. She hit the podium in six out of those seven races and is aiming to hit the podium even more throughout the rest of this year. Her brutal 4 a.m. workouts and lack of off days placed her in the top ranks of her age group.
“This year I did a lot more exercise for fun. If my friends wanted to walk, then I did that or water walk in the pool or something that wasn’t just a crazy workout,” Rich said.
Rich is pushing her limits day after day, and last year she even biked across Indiana in one day. It took nine hours and was 160 miles. While it was difficult, she thrives when she puts herself to the test. Rich is currently the state runner-up in her age group for Olympic triathlon and is setting her gaze on first place for this upcoming season.
“A new thing for me this year is that I never raced for competition. Even against myself, I normally just try to finish and I don’t worry about the time, but this year I’m more focused on time,” Rich said.
When Rich first started competing in these races, all women were racing in two groups: under and over 40. The new rules aimed at being more inclusive to women are a big deal to her. Now she shows up to these events and feels as though she is equal with all of the other competitors. Her advice to younger people is to just sign up for one and see what it’s about. There are very few racers under the age of 18 competing.
“I ride with a black cycling club, named Major Taylor Louisville. I’m starting to create a team with my cycling ladies. So, I’m walking the walk and talking the talk and making sure that everybody’s given a shot for this sport and feels like they’re welcome to do it,” Rich said.
