The Official Student News Source of HSEHS

HSENews

The Official Student News Source of HSEHS

HSENews

The Official Student News Source of HSEHS

HSENews

SSN: Lucy Martin Spotlight

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The Perfect Combination

Senior Lucy Martin to compete in USA National Triathlon Championships

As the sun rises over the glistening water, competitors place their bikes on the racks. Swim caps are fitted, goggles are tightened and the timer begins. After moving swiftly through the open water, the participants dry off and put on their helmets to prepare to bike the longest trek of the race. The competition switches gears as the bikers change into running shoes and begin sprinting the last stretch.

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When senior Lucy Martin crossed the finish line on July 29, 2018 at the Indy Tri, the only thoughts that occupied her mind were those of accomplishment. What she did not know was she had won her age group and had qualified to compete in the USA National Championships in August of 2019.

She had only competed in one other triathlon before July.

“I actually did not even know that [the USA championships] was a thing until I got this email in November and it said, ‘you qualified from this competition because you won first in your age group’. It was kind of a triathlon bonus,” Martin said. “It was pretty exciting, and it just made me want to train harder and compete more.”

Martin followed in her dad’s footsteps and started running when she was eight years old. Years of cross country, track and competitive swimming would eventually introduce her to triathlons and marathons. She could now combine some of her favorite sports into just one event that allowed her to focus on endurance rather than sprinting.

At first, the sport was just something fun for Martin to occupy her time with and keep her in shape, but when she won the Indy Tri, she realized that the sport could provide her with more than just another hobby. Amid changes in difficulty of training after her qualification, Martin still loves the challenge the conditioning brings every day.

“Cross country has really taught me how to persevere and be determined in any sport because it is not easy. Sometimes you have really bad races and sometimes you have good races,” Martin said.

One of the reasons Martin wanted to pursue the sport was because of the challenges that it presented. By keeping her mind on her goals and possible future accomplishments, she is able to motivate herself through her long workouts each day. When she fractured her cuboid bone in her foot after running two marathons within a one-month timespan, her training was delayed for weeks, but it only made her want to push harder.

“I was very excited for her to join in such a sport that is growing so quickly in popularity and fit her so well,” Brian Martin said. “I know how hard she has worked. People only get to see the finished product, but she is always on the hunt for improvement.”

The time management skills and constant determination stemming from Martin’s athletic ventures have led her into seeking other passions as well outside of sports. In eighth grade, Martin acted in the junior high musical, which gave her yet another activity to keep her busy and motivated. To end her Senior year off strong, she was casted in the spring musical, Mamma Mia, in the ensemble, allowing her to continue her love for performing.

Cross country and track teammate, junior Katie Edwards, has seen Martin first hand training for races and has captured her work ethic as an example for her own conditioning.

“What’s most rewarding is seeing a teammate push herself to new limits, realizing that I can do the same,” Edwards said. “Having Lucy on the team is really cool and provides us all with an example of what we can accomplish if we put our mind to it.”

In a few months, Lucy Martin will be vying for a spot on the USA National Team and a chance to compete all over the world, leaving her to decide if she could have an even bigger future in triathlons than she once expected.

 

Story by Raegan Walsh

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