Who's Doing the TRY and Why

Carla Fausnaugh
Being the mother of eight-year-old Collin, five-year-old Ellie, and one-year-old Caden and staying involved with their lives keeps Carla Fausnaugh busy enough. Add her commitment to her church work at Free Methodist and her job as a teacher of Adult Basic Education (GED) at Vincennes University and she was feeling quite busy. She thinks doing the SIS Women's TRYathlon will help her slow down a little. And she is doing something for herself. It will be her first athletic event. "I've never done anything like this before" Fausnaugh reports, "Not even in high school."  She adds, "I'm turning 34 and wanting to feel better about myself. I'm also realizing that nobody else can do that for me but me. So I'm setting out to do it." Fausnaugh thinks that the TRY will help show her and other women that they can try anything at least once and feel good about that accomplishment. She expects that it should give every one who does it a sense of empowerment.   

Cendy Joslin
Last year, Cendy Joslin heard about the SIS Women's TRYathlon at a gathering where she was encouraged (well, she might even say pretty much talked into) doing the TRY. Then she decided to challenge herself. She wanted to see if she could do it—and she did.She remembers people along the race segments encouraging the racers as they went. "Actually," she recalls, "There was encouragement everywhere—during the training, before, during and after the race" Joslin says, "Swimming was my biggest challenge.  But I found out that you're never too old to learn." She went at her own pace. But when she saw other women doing it, she thought, "If they can do it, I can do it." This year, she wants to see if she can better her race time. But she says the best part of the TRY isn't really the physical effort.  She thinks, "It's making new friends, taking bike rides together, supporting each other." She sees that it also gives women a reason to get to the gym to work out. Now, our Knox County Treasurer, Cendy Joslin, is encouraging others to try the TRY.

Sara Bilskie
For Sara Bilskie, the SIS Women's TRYathlon is giving her the incentive to improve her health. She reports she was inconsistent with exercise and her cholesterol level was high. So she basically worked out to bring it down and to get in shape. Bilskie says, "When I exercise, I eat less. Now, I eat lots of fruits and vegetables and I also cut out red meats."  She is delighted to report that her overall cholesterol level went from 274 down to 180. This is Bilskie's first time to do the TRY. A friend encouraged her to try it or she might never have thought of it. She also appreciates the classes that help her set aside the time to exercise regularly. She thinks the consistency of a training schedule has helped her immensely. Bilskie admits that swimming is her weak point, but she's working on it and thinks she will be ready to go in June.  If not, she figures she'll join a team.