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UNMC student Jennifer Bailey runs in the marathon portion of Ironman Wisconsin on Sept. 10. Bailey finished 13th out of 130 women in her age group during the race, which was held in Madison, Wis. Photo provided by Jennifer Bailey |
On that day, Bailey, who is working on her Ph.D. in UNMC’s cancer research program, swam 2.4 miles, biked 112 miles and ran 26.2 more to finish 13th in her age group at the Ford Ironman Wisconsin Triathlon.
It took Bailey 12 hours, 27 minutes and 22 seconds to finish the race, which was held on a cold, rainy day in Madison, Wis.
“It was a challenge. It was a moment in time that took my breath away,” Bailey said of her motivation to compete in the grueling contest. “The finish line was worth all the pain.”
Her husband, Todd Lundberg, mother, Diane, sister, Jocelyn, a third year medical student at UNMC and her father, Steven Bailey, M.D., (a 1976 UNMC graduate) greeted her at the finish line.
The Omaha-native joined about 130 others in her 25- to 29-year-old age group and more than 2,400 other competitors during the international event. Bailey finished 687th overall.
To prepare for the race, Bailey spent between 15 and 20 hours training weekly for nine months. She did some of her most intense training on weekends, during which bicycle rides of 80 to 100 miles were common as were runs lasting longer than two and a half hours.
Every morning at 6 a.m. she would log miles at a local pool.
She trained with several people, including her husband, who also competed in the triathlon with a 10 hour and 50 minute finish.
Another training partner was Tony Hollingsworth, Ph.D., her adviser and a professor in the Eppley Institute at UNMC.
Dr. Hollingsworth would often join Bailey during her bike training.
“I don’t do these things competitively,” Dr. Hollingsworth joked. “But I love exercise and I’m happy to encourage competitive athletes.”
Bailey’s dedication and endurance were inspiring, Dr. Hollingsworth said, and such attributes will serve her well as she pursues a career in research.
“This training is consistent with what it takes to become a world-class scientist,” Dr. Hollingsworth said. “Research takes patience, endurance, fortitude and the ability to strive for long term goals. It’s not like painting a room, where you paint it in a day and you’re done.”
Bailey has competed in other triathlons but the Ironman Wisconsin, which is part of a series of races leading up to the main World Championship Ironman event held annually in Kona, Hawaii, was the longest event she had participated in.
Even two weeks after the race Bailey said she was still recovering from its rigors.
She hasn’t decided when she will compete in another Ironman race.
But no matter what she does, professionally or athletically, Dr. Hollingsworth said, it’s likely Bailey will be successful.
“She’s an excellent student and obviously an excellent athlete,” Dr. Hollingsworth said. “She’s really diligent and persistent in everything that she does.”