This month we’d like to introduce you to Tina Shewchuk.
I remember as a child I was interested in triathlons, but didn’t know much about them. I can’t remember what sparked the interest again, but a few years back I wanted to learn more and volunteered at the Subaru Milton Tri. I was amazed at how many people from different walks of life came out to this sport and what stood out the most was how supportive the group was to each other.
I always loved to swim and bike: hated running though but I had been running for over 6 years now. I knew I could not handle a full tri but I discovered the greatest invention since slice bread: a try a tri. That I could do. I was running out of the Runner’s Mark in Port Credit at the time and the store owners brought in David Jenkins and Lorene Hatelt to do an intro to triathlon clinic. Perfect timing! Great experience and that’s how I was introduced to FMCT. Dave invited the clinic members to join in for the open water swims at Professor’s Lake.
Did my first “try a tri” that year: Women’s only at Kelso. What a great experience – loved it. Continued training but then life & injuries got in the way. My mom took ill and passed away the following year which through things for a loop for me. Then I got a bad case of plantar fasciitis that hindered my running abilities. That got better then I broke my shoulder skiing early spring which sidelined me once again. Over came that injury only to completely tear my ACL in the fall last year.
I am still involved in the sport as I was lucky enough to take an official’s course through Triathlon Ontario back in 2014. Truth be told, I took the course to learn more about the sport and not to become an official but things happened and I have been officiating a few races a year ever since. Took my Level 2 last year. The official’s main purpose is to make sure the race is safe & fair to all athletes. I liked that concept. We are not powered crazed people wanting to flash our “DQ” cards all the time.
Now at 46, I do hope to get back into racing. Just started running again last month – so we shall see. The one good thing about this sport is that is accommodates so many people. You can do a swim-bike race, you can do a relay, you can do a duathlon and new this year is the Stroke & Stride series – no bike required. Not many sports allow for that type of flexibility.
Outside of this, I train with Jade year-round through her training sessions at the Train Station. Her fall/winter session for FMCT members has been great and made me a stronger person. I’ve progressed from not being able to do one regular push up to doing 20 with 15lb plate on my back. My winter passion is skiing and that has improved tremendously over the years as a result. I ski at least once a week in the winter with my ski club with an almost annual trip to Europe in January and year end trip to Banff in the spring. Being in the mountains in the fresh, crisp air is both breath taking and exhilarating at the same time. Makes the winter pass by SO quickly and is a good prep for spring training for triathlons again. And the cycle continues.