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Lori Cassling is Swimming, Cycling and Running…and You Can Do It Too
Omaha Family’s parent spotlight for July 2011
Parent Spotlight: Lori Cassling by: Leah Parodi
I have to admit that when my editor asked me to interview a 53 year young woman who was participating in triathlons, I laughed out loud as that is the last thing my 45 year old body had the ability to do. But after meeting Lori Cassling, I am starting to think otherwise as her enthusiasm and passion for triathlons, and fitness in general, is totally contagious.
Lori is a wife and mother to three children, two in college and a junior in high school. She has spent the last 20 or so years working hard as a stay-at-home mom and volunteering in all aspects of her children’s lives. That left little time for doing the things she really enjoyed; running, swimming and biking, but she was determined to find a way to fit them into her busy schedule. “When the kids were little I used to put them in a jogging stroller,” she says. “And I had an early version of a Burley bike wagon; it was a great kid holder.” Lori also worked in a run when her children had a sports practice. “When the kids were at soccer I’d go out and run or take the younger kids and put them in the stroller and take off. After a while it just got to be a habit.”
Lori’s husband, an avid swimmer, got her into swimming. “I met my husband at a pool swimming laps and we are still swimming together.” Lori and her husband became involved with a Master’s swim program. “We would swim together at 6:00 am,” she laughs. “But we got to be around a lot of people training for triathlons and my husband and I started to run and bike together, they gave us a goal.”
Lori tried a couple of sprint distance triathlons before she met Todd Samland, the head coach for the UNO swim and dive team and once coach for the Maverick’ Masters swim program for adults. “Todd put together a women’s triathlon, a fundraiser for the UNO Swim and Dive team,” she says. Held atWherspannLake, Chalco Hills Recreation area in late August, the UNO triathlon covers a 100 yard swim, participant’s choice of a 2, 4 or 6 mile bike ride and a choice of a ¼, ½ or mile walk or run. Todd convinced Lori to try his triathlon. “It is a very non-competitive, very doable triathlon. I would call it more of a sprint distance; it’s perfect for anyone who has never done this before.”
Lori was hooked and has been participating in the triathlon, now going on its 19th year and called the Methodist/UNO Women’s Triathlon. “It’s just the best,” she says. “There are girl’s grade school soccer teams, women and girls of all ages, mothers and daughters.” According to Lori, there are over 300 participants that go out in heats so that people are not running over each other. Adding that the event is well organized, staffed for safety (especially in the water) and perfect for all ages and abilities.
“I have seen some amazing things at that triathlon,” says Lori. “There was a mom and daughter, the daughter was about 30 years old and over-weight. When the daughter finished her mom could not have hugged her enough, it was beautiful to watch.”
Now that Lori’s children are older and she more time for herself, she has realized that exercise and training takes on a different meaning. “The older I have gotten, the more important it becomes,” she says. “A lot happens when you age and exercise levels and ability can decrease.” But Lori says that exercise; even in its most simplest form is great for the body, mind and sprit no matter your age or fitness level. “If you get involved with a group that you like and swim, walk, whatever, it can truly motivate you, be an inspiration.”
“It’s been kind of interesting,” says Lori. “I have two kids off to college and one graduating soon. My role has changed significantly; my role in high school is almost done. I am moving on to the next step.”
Lori laughs at the thought of being an inspiration to other women, me included. “In high school I couldn’t swim, I was afraid of water,” she smiles. “In P.E. I was flunking but my mom told my teacher that I couldn’t flunk because I didn’t drown in class!” Lori says that inspiration for her comes from the camaraderie of the other tri-athletes. She also draws from quotes from authors like John Bingham who wrote: The miracle isn’t that I finished, the miracle is that I had the courage to start.
Lori urges all women, in whatever stage of exercise, to take pride in your accomplishments and paraphrases a quote by Kara Goucher, a young Olympic runner: “A lot of people think that they look slow or fat or sweaty. Don’t let any of that stop you, among runners you are golden!”
Lori recalls a race in which a first time racer, a woman 40+ in age, was moving very slow during the entire length of the race. Her husband and son met her at the finish line and hugged her as she finished. “It was so beautiful to see her husband and teenage son glowing, so proud of her. The truth is that she worked harder than I did, to me that was so much cooler because she was so determined.”
Lori admits that at first, she was not much of a runner. But she was determined to make her goal of running her first half marathon before she turned 51. “I did it when I was still 50,” she smiles. “I did well, I surprised myself.”
“It’s so do-able,” says Lori about triathlons, and goals in general. “Sometimes you can’t focus on what you can’t do but what you can do. If you can’t run you can walk. Just get out and focus on what you want to do. Open up your mind to the fact that you can do it.”
For more information about the UNO triathlon contact Todd Samland at his email address: tsamland@mail.unomaha.edu. And as always, check with your doctor before beginning any rigorous training.
In the end Lori has inspired me to at least look into the possibility of thinking about an attempt at a triathlon. Who knows, I may just find out like so many others that Lori speaks of, that I can do anything that I set my mind to.
By Rich
