A group of women will convene on Sunday for the TriKaua‘i Triathlon in Po‘ipu, with their mentor and motivator, Stacy Ricciardi. She and a handful of women train on a year-round basis for athletic events across the state, including the
A group of women will convene on Sunday for the TriKaua‘i Triathlon in Po‘ipu, with their mentor and motivator, Stacy Ricciardi.
She and a handful of women train on a year-round basis for athletic events across the state, including the Lanikai Triathlon on O‘ahu, the Hanalei swim and Paradise bike ride on Kaua’i and more.
Their training schedule consists of bike rides and runs on the weekends, along with cardiovascular workouts and swims at Lydgate in the morning three times a week.
The group did a 35-mile bike ride from Kapa’a to Kilauea on a rainy Sunday morning earlier this month, riding along the bike path, the highway and the hills of Moloa‘a.
On this morning the group of women, donned in pink camouflage tank tops, strapped on their helmets and smiled at the thought of breakfast in Kilauea town.
To train for cycling events, the women have attended bike safety classes and learned how to change a flat tire. Most of them have also invested in new equipment.
“All of us have upgraded to road bikes, we started out on cruiser bikes,” Ricciardi said, adding that they are now “clipping in” to their pedals as well.
Ricciardi takes on the role of the “sweeper” during the bike rides, staying in the back to make sure everyone is accounted for and safe.
She also gives a safety talk before the ride, reminding her cohorts to always carry identification on them, and stay with at least one other person while on the road.
Swim training takes place weekly at Lydgate Beach where the women simulate conditions of an actual race, in addition to swimming laps.
“We all get shoulder to shoulder, and swim on top of each other,” Ricciardi said.
Brian Curll, organizer of the TriKaua‘i Triathlon, said this event will be a “staggered start” by age division of the participants, and he encourages people to use whatever they want to feel comfortable, such as a snorkel mask or stand-up paddle board.
Many events are not as accommodating however, and Ricciardi wants her teammates to be prepared.
“I’m really practical in my approach,” she said. She’s also encouraging to those who need to overcome weak areas in a sport category.
“I didn’t know how to swim until I joined this team,” said Josie Pablo, a fellow training member. “Stacy swam with me and coached me one on one.”
“Sportsmanship is very important to me,” Ricciardi said.
She and her teammates carry with them a sense of camaraderie with them at every event, along with knowing they are supporting the people who organize these events and the organizations and charities the events help, as most are fundraisers.
The TriKaua‘i Triathlon this weekend is a fundraiser hosted by the Pu‘uwai Canoe Club which benefits the Kapa’a High School Warriors, the KIF program and the Boys & Girls Club.
In addition to participating in most events, Ricciardi and her teammates volunteer others, such as operating the first aid or water stations. Ricciardi led the warmup for the Kaua’i Marathon last summer.
Curll said the TriKaua‘i event is something to participate in if “you are setting standards for yourself,” explaining that it’s an opportunity for people to experience athletic competition.
“We want to make it as fun and easy as possible,” Curll added, encouraging participants to simultaneously push their physical and mental limits while enjoying themselves and having fun with those around them, a balance Ricciardi and her comrades have achieved.
For more information about the TriKaua‘i Triathlon, visit www.TriKauai.com.
