She had to du-it!

Dawn Hagaman wanted to race a duathlon — and she did!

Dawn Hagaman, 50, of Charlotte, recently checked off a big to-do item on her list: her first duathlon. Taking on the Tri Greenville Triathlon and

Duathlon, in Greenville, meant training runs and rides, new equipment, a modified diet and plenty more. Hagaman, who is an attorney and senior claim specialist with a medical malpractice insurance carrier, gave Healthy & Fit Magazine an interview about her experience. Here it is:

How long did you train for your first duathlon?

I signed up in early March (the race occurred June 5). Initially, I had just been running 5Ks every Sunday as part of a challenge a friend had asked me to join to kick off 2021. I gradually started running at least two to three days a week so that I wouldn’t die each Sunday. Another friend saw my accountability posts on social media, noticed how my times improved and asked me to team up with her to try our first duathlon together. I don’t think I started practicing the bike until April. I actually had an old granny bike that was way too heavy and had to make a purchase in order to totally commit to fulfilling my promise.

What was the worst and best part about training?

The worst part of training was training in sleet, hail, rain, etc. As you know, springtime in Michigan is like a box of chocolates. I have two “bests” from training: (1) seeing my run time and bike times improve with each practice, give or take a few; and, (2) while I did some of my training alone, I really enjoyed spending time with my friend outdoors doing something healthy and working towards a common goal.

How was the duathlon?

I did finish the duathlon crossing the finish line together with my partner, but our time was at the bottom of the duathlon finishers. We did pass a lot of triathlon folks (understandably, as that was a longer race and we had no idea where we were compared to those who started with us). We vowed to stay together as “the half-pint posse” (that was our team name), with no half-pint being left behind. My partner is an amazing biker. She decided that, to save on transition time, she would do what I was doing and wear the same shoes. In order for her to do so, she wanted to put toe clips on her bike. We did that the night before the race in the hotel parking lot. We did not, however, have the best tools. In fact, we had to use a flashlight as a hammer to pry her old pedals off, and I think we even used nail clippers. We managed to get the new clips on, but neglected to test them. I highly recommend packing tools and testing equipment before your maiden voyage! Sadly, once we started off on our bikes, her toe clip malfunctioned and came loose. We pulled to the side of the road and she pulled her repair kit from the pouch under her seat and pried the toe clips off, put them in the pocket of her shirt, and we continued on – losing a lot of time. Even though it killed our race time, the laughs, friendship, and adventure are memories I will never forget.

So are you going to try again?

I am a volunteer for the upcoming Grand Rapids Triathlon where my racing partner will be competing in her first ever triathlon. I plan to use that as a learning experience to see what I think about the swim. We’ve signed up for a couple of 5Ks, and I joined her race club this week. I hit the gym and the track just days after the race. I met (and continue to meet) so many inspirational people with amazing health journeys and life stories, and I can’t wait to do another race. I definitely will prepare differently, probably with a gnarly set of tools! I felt like I hydrated properly, and I had a lot of gas left in the tank at the end, so probably pushing myself harder, earlier on, will be something I want to try.

Are you normally an active person?

Dawn Hagaman

I used to be, but the career path I chose had me sitting at a desk and then, pre-COVID, sitting behind the wheel of a car for long periods of time. My meal choices were not healthy: drive through fast food or concession stand pizza so that I could get home faster and make it to see my kids play sports. I had a health scare with a sciatic nerve injury and I didn’t want to be on steroids and pain medications. I joined a local gym, started taking a functional movement class, and then worked with a personal trainer for about a year. When COVID hit, my gym closed, my trainer moved away, and my sister and workout partner was getting a lot of mandated call-back time on the front lines as a nurse. That’s when I decided I needed to start running. In addition, my son was home from college during the summer of 2020 and we started adding equipment to our home gym, a/k/a “The Hagaman Sweat Shop,” and I finally purchased a treadmill.

When you aren’t training for a run, what’s your typical workout like?

I like various training videos: cardio, arms, leg day, core (mostly weight training) that I can do alone in the home gym, and then switching it up with a bike or a run depending on the day and the weather. My neighbors all think I’m crazy running and biking around the corn fields near my house.

How is your diet?

Normally it’s pretty good. I’ve been doing daily protein shakes and pre- and post- workout drinks, and trying to get between 80-100 ounces of water in each day. I started logging my food in a journal in the fall, which helped keep me accountable. Protein intake has definitely increased, as well as veggies and fruits. I try to keep the sugar to a minimum but have had a cookie or piece of cake for birthdays and things like that.

How has fitness helped you with your lifestyle?

I have so much more energy, and while I may have muscle soreness, I’m used to it and it’s a good sore. I’ll take it over chronic pain any day. I am able to jump on a trampoline with my little cousins and run and play with them instead of sitting and watching them when I get a chance to babysit. I can help my dad around the farm when needed, and I feel better mentally when I exercise more.

What advice do you have for others?

You are not too old to start something new. Start slow and steady with consistency over time. Don’t be too concerned with the number on the scale, because cardiovascular health and good muscle tone mean more than being a size two. Oh, and make sure you keep an emergency tool kit on your bike or in your car, although improvising and creativity will provide great laughs and great memories.