BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Just as credit unions do more than just provide financial services, Jackie Ryan does more than just design software for credit unions.
A software engineer for credit union-owned technology provider EPL, Ryan is also the 2006 Regional Age Group Champion in the Xterra USA off-road triathlon circuit and is ranked fourth in the nation in the 45 to 49 age group.
That put her in position to go to the Xterra World Championship race, where Ryan again took fourth in her age group.
The Credit Union Journal asked Ryan what it takes to achieve this level of success in the grueling world of off-road triathlon, and what her award-winning performance there brings to her performance at EPL.
CUJ: How long have you been competing in triathlons?
Ryan: Nineteen years! I started with road triathlons and only switched to off-road events 2 years ago.
CUJ: How did you get your start?
Ryan: I had a running injury and had to take 6 weeks off. I was begging my doctor to allow me to do some form of exercise, so he suggested swimming. Funny thing is that even though I did not swim as a kid, I turned out to be a pretty good at it. I had some friends who were doing triathlons and they said that most racers found the swim to be the biggest challenge. Since I was feeling pretty comfortable in the water, I decided to get a bike and give it a "tri."
CUJ: What inspired you to do this?
Ryan: Rather than inspired, I just got hooked on it. I still remember my first triathlon to this day. It was a very short race and seemed to be the toughest thing I had ever done. I remember coming home, lying on the sofa and thinking "this is just too hard, I don't think I'll ever do another." But, before that week was over I was looking at a race schedule to see what the next one would be. I think it was the sense of accomplishment that hooked me. That feeling of knowing that even though something is hard, you can keep pushing to achieve it.
CUJ: What distances do you typically compete in and why?
Ryan: Generally, I compete in what is termed "mid-distance" racing-events that last somewhere around two to 2.5 hours. I like these distances because the longer swim gives me a slight advantage over my age group competition. I am not a very fast runner and just feel that a little more distance on the swim and bike maybe wears down those fast runners. The USA and World Championship races I competed in this year were around 4 to 4.5 hour events for me.
CUJ: Approximately how much time do you spend training each week?
Ryan: Right now I'm taking a much needed break from training for the rest of this year. I will start back with my regular training schedule in January. That means about 12 to 15 hours a week split between weight training, swimming, biking and running. It may seem like a lot of time, but training is also a social outlet for me. It's a great way to spend time with friends.
CUJ: How do you balance your work life, family life and training/competing?
Ryan: I get a tremendous amount of support from EPL and my co-workers. I have worked for EPL for over 25 years and have a pretty flexible work day, usually 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. I am definitely a morning person and like getting to the office at that time of day. The flexible hours provide me with good training time in the afternoons and I'm usually done by 6 p.m. It also helps that I am a single girl and not juggling this with family and kids.
CUJ: The training and the competitions themselves are extremely rigorous-what keeps you going? When things get tough, what motivates you to continue?
Ryan: The training does get tough. Sometimes downright monotonous. But I love knowing that what I'm doing is keeping me healthy and strong. I feel very fortunate to have these opportunities to do and see things that others aren't able to. When I'm doing the Championship races, I'm usually smiling the whole way. The race courses, even though very tough, can oftentimes be beautiful. It feels like a gift to me to be able to participate. I hope to enjoy that gift as long as I can.
CUJ: What are some lessons from training and competing that you can apply to your job? What are some lessons from your job that you can apply to your training competitions?
Ryan: That is a great question. They seem so similar to me in that both software development and race preparation both require an ability to break things down into smaller components so as not to overwhelm yourself. You dedicate yourself to achieving the smaller goals to get to the final result. Both are rather detail oriented and require perseverance. Whether I'm completing a desired software enhancement or finishing a race, I have a really good feeling of accomplishment.
