Moms Who Tri: Part 2

Debra, Krista, Bridget, and Brianne are all mothers who participate in triathlons. With children ranging in age from a few months to eight years old, these busy moms have many stories about finding joy in endurance sports while simultaneously tending to the next generation…and advice for others who would like to “Tri” it. We first followed their story in Part 1 of Moms Who Tri; here, we learn more tips about balancing athletic pursuits with parenting.

Moms Who Tri : Part 1

Being adept at juggling competing tasks and demands for attention are inherent in the job description for motherhood. So perhaps it's only natural that triathlon is a draw for mothers who are also athletes. In this two-part series, we hear more about the personal stories of Madison, Wisconsin-area Moms who Tri.

Madison Marathon Profile: Faye Reber

Meet Faye Reber of Madison, Wisconsin. By the time she toes the starting line for the Madison Marathon events, she will have lost about 100 pounds, a journey that has been life-changing. Faye is tackling the Conquer the Capital challenge, a combination of each of the Madison Marathon distances in 2016 (the Twilight 10K on May 28, the Half Marathon on May 29, and the Marathon on November 13). Her best advice? “Be stronger than your excuses.”

Madison Marathon Profile: Paul Gill and Abby Evans - Love on the Run

Paul Gill and Abby Evans met and got to know each other through running, so it is only fitting that when they run the Madison Half Marathon on May 29, 2016, it will be a week before their June 4 wedding. We caught up with them briefly to learn more about how running has influenced their lives together, and what the Madison Marathon events mean to them.

Madison Marathon Profile: Lisa Helmuth

The Madison Marathon is the perfect event for Lisa Diane Helmuth (50) of Middleton, WI—it combines running and Madison, two things that have been part of some of the happiest and some of the saddest times of Lisa’s life, including the loss of her son James at the age of 10 due to adrenal cancer. Lisa's family honors James' memory by raising funds for children in need to participate in academic and athletic opportunities. She finds solace in running. For Lisa, “there is nothing quite like the feeling of running in Madison”.

Madison Marathon Profile: Stephanie Sprague

After a serious car accident in May 2015, doctors told Stephanie Sprague (25) of Dubuque, Iowa that she’d be in the hospital for the next four months, and even then things were unlikely to be “normal” for her. Remarkably, Stephanie beat those odds - and will be pursuing her first Madison Marathon on November 8, 2015.

Madison Marathon Profile: Carolyn Moore

Carolyn Moore is a seasoned marathon runner. She is pursuing her first-ever Madison Marathon in November, 2015. And when she crosses the finish line on the Capitol Square, she won’t be alone—her running partner, a visually impaired athlete, will accompany her.

Madison Marathon Profile: Wayne Engelbrecht

Wayne Engelbrecht has volunteered at the Madison Marathon for the past decade - and also run in five different full Madison Marathons. His favorite volunteer spot? The information booth, answering questions from runners.

Madison Marathon Profile: Abbey Kaiser

Abbey Kaiser is a young runner from Madison who just happens to have Down syndrome. Last May, Abbey completed not only the Madison Marathon Twilight 10K alongside her mother, but also the Half Marathon the next day with myTEAM TRIUMPH. Abbey's FocalShare race photo was selected for display in Times Square as part of a showcase on behalf of the National Down Syndrome Society.

Water Stories: A Brief History of Lake Mendota Swim Crossings

Each year, athlete Darren Fortney leads a group of swimmers in a 6-mile swim traversing Lake Mendota as a fund-raising effort for Gilda’s Club, a cancer support and advocacy organization. As a history buff, he wanted to place the ultra-swim in historical context, so Focal Flame writer Robyn Perrin authored an essay about the "lake swimmers" of Lake Mendota.

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