Jessica Brummer, special events coordinator in the UNMC public affairs department, has always been an athlete.
Growing up she played sports including volleyball, basketball and soccer. Brummer has continued her active lifestyle as an adult. She’s about the closest thing we have to a gym rat up here in public affairs. But recently she’s found an activity that not only allows her to stay in shape, but also stokes the competitive fire that she had playing sports when she was younger.
Brummer has begun competing in duathlons — a race that features bicycling and running. This past spring she participated in her first race — the Papillion Days Duathlon.
Brummer finished first among women in her age group, third among all women and 43rd overall. Pretty good for a rookie.
Below, Brummer gives us some insight about what she enjoys about the sport, how she trains and how others can get started.
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Public affairs’ Jessica Brummer rounds a curve on her bike during the Papillion Days Duathlon. Brummer took first place among women in her age group during the event, which was her first time competing in a duathlon. |
I originally wanted to do a triathlon but I am not very good at swimming. I have always been a runner and thought adding the bike would be fun and a new challenge.
How did you train for this past duatholon?
I found a training schedule online that others said worked for them. It was all about endurance and was measured in time rather than distance. Some days were just running, some were just biking, others were combinations. It got very long toward the end. (Click here to see the training schedule Brummer used to prepare for her first duathlon.)
Do you plan to participate in another duatholon?
I think I will, but the training took a lot of time and I need to find the time to do it again.
Is there anything else you want to share about your experience training for and competing in duatholons?
It was fun to be competitive again. I have always been an athlete and into sports, but it had been a while since I had done something competitive. I would tell people that it is important to remember it is all about personal goals. Everyone is different and you shouldn’t compare yourself to others. I had a personal goal for myself that worked for me and my skill level. It is about being the best you can be and feeling good about the hard work you put into it. There were all types of ages and fitness levels that participated. I was really surprised how encouraging everyone was. There was a real sense of everyone wanting everyone to succeed and that made it even more fun.
Brummer said those wanting to learn more about duathlons and training for such events should check out the following Web resources:
- www.beginnertriathlete.com;
- www.racingunderground.com;
- www.duathlon.com; and
- www.teamnebraska.org , which has list of races in the area.
So what about you? Do you participate in any kind of sport or activity that helps you stay in shape and attain a greater sense of wellness. We’d love to hear about it. Send us a note to today@unmc.edu and we may do a story about it in an upcoming Wellness Wednesday.