Lieutenant to battle the odds at AF triathlon

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Tania Reid
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
MacDill AFB, Fla. --  An officer at MacDill will trade-in combat boots for running shoes when she competes in the Armed Forces Triathlon Championships to be held at the Ventura County Naval Base Station, Point Mugu, Calif. May 30. 

Second Lt. Erin O'Connor, 6th Aerospace Medicine Squadron bioenvironmental engineer, was selected along with 17 of her teammates from around the country to represent the Air Force in the annual triathlon. 

The championships feature Sailors, Soldiers, Marines and Airmen stationed around the world participating in a 1,500 meter swim, followed by a 24.8 mile bike ride and then ending with a 6.2 mile run course. 

"It's an Olympic distance, draft legal race, meaning that on the biking portion drafting is allowed, which is different from every other triathlon in the states," said Lieutenant O'Connor. 

She added that this changes the entire dynamics of the race. This is where the team is most important, to keep each other competitively in the race. 

"The teams will travel out to California for a few days before the race to have opening ceremonies and time to familiarize themselves with the course," said Lieutenant O'Connor. "The top six men and women go on to represent the United States Military at the World's Triathlon Championships, which was cancelled this year." 

She not only competes in national triathlons but also local events in Tampa and St. Petersburg, Fla. 

"My last triathlon was St. Anthony's in St Petersburg, Florida on April 26, before that was the Gasparilla half marathon on March 1," said Lieutenant O'Connor. "I placed second in my age group and twenty third overall for the females." 

Like every determined athlete, she trains all year. Her workout schedule consists of training every day, often times 2 or 3 times a day. 

"I take a day off every other week or so, whenever I feel like my body needs some rest but I usually ride 200 miles a week, swim 4 or 5 miles, run about 20 miles and lift weights twice," she said."I get a lot of bike mileage in by riding to work, which is a 40 mile round trip from St. Petersburg." 

Lieutenant O'Connor admits she is stronger in some events than others causing her to refocus her energy. 

"I am naturally a swimmer; I started swimming before I started walking. I'm not a runner so, I have spent a lot more time working on the run in the past three years," she added. "I joined the cross country team my senior year of college, now it's finally starting to pay off." 

Additionally, she trains with other triathletes at the base for open water swims in the bay or workouts in the pool. 

"To improve through the tough workouts, training partners are key," she added. "On easy runs I bring my puppy along; he's in training to be a little endurance dog." 

Lieutenant O'Connor's supporters range from her family (her sister is also a member on the AF team) to her chain of command at the hospital. 

"Her competitiveness in the triathlons mirrors her work ethics at the bioenvironmental shop," said Lt. Col. Paul Gourley, 6th Aerospace Medicine Squadron commander. "She does well in both areas. At any moment when she is not at the office she is training for the championships." 

Colonel Gourley said Lieutenant O'Connor exemplifies the Air Force core value excellence in all we do'. She made the Air Force triathlon team and continues to strive to be the best in all she does. 

"My goal is to always improve and to push my own limits; to be faster and stronger than he last race and to learn for the next one. I'm in this for life," said Lieutenant O'Connor. "I want to be one of those runners that when they're older you see them and think, 'Dude, I hope I can still walk when I'm her age'."