1. Who are you?/Age/Occupation

Gina Dyson, 32, Operations Manager

4. Favorite Athlete:

Shannon Miller, gymnastics, she embodies focus, strength and integrity; and Leah O'Brien-Amico, 3 time Olympic Gold Medalist in Softball and high school friend

5. Favorite Quote:

Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels

6. Favorite Sport:

Georgetown Hoya Basketball Rules. I also love watching gymnastics

7. Favorite Healthy Food:

Give me extra virgin olive oil, great bread, roasted red peppers and grilled eggplant and leave me be

Favorite indulgence:

Cupcakes, specifically, Cake Love cupcakes in Washington DC...they have no equal

8. Are you training for your first triathlon? If not, which ones have you done?

First Triathlon--Reebok Women's Triathlon, San Diego, 2004 (with a beach cruiser)

Since then I have completed five sprints, two Olympic distances and this year, my first half Ironman, Barbs All Women's Half Ironman in Santa Rosa, CA

9. What inspires you to do triathlons?

With each triathlon, I grow to love my body more and more. This is big considering I have always been ashamed of my body and fought for decades with compulsive overeating that controlled my entire life.

10. WHO inspires you?

My cousins and fellow TriDivas Jean and Jane Diaz inspire me by their adoration of life, family & sport. My cousin Patti Wickes inspires me to believe and trust in myself and my abilities.

11. What is your biggest challenge/fear?

For the past 20 years, I struggled with low self-esteem, an eating disorder and the ingrained belief that I was not capable of any real athletic activity. I always assumed triathlons were only reserved for “real athletes”, those high school stand-outs that were beyond fit and talented. Over the past two years, I have slowly overcome the self-esteem issues, have conquered the compulsive overeating that held me hostage and have grown to LOVE my body; it’s been an amazing journey of hope and healing. I continue to work through all of my challenges everyday.

12. Any advice for future TriDivas?

It’s all about preparation and training. No need to fear any race if you have prepared properly. With the Divas, you have the opportunity to practice the “scary” things (open water swimming, transitions, flat tires, etc.) so that there are no unknowns on race day.

13. What do you enjoy most about training with the TriDivas?

Training with a coach who has been there is invaluable. I trust Coach Kelly and with her help, I have been injury free and have reached all of my goals over the past two years. It is an inspiration to train with women of all ages, shapes and sizes and to watch them reach their goals. And lastly, I look forward to waking up at 7am on weekends just knowing that my cousins Jean and Jane will be there with me. They have made me a better athlete.

14. What are your future goals?

In 2007: A full Aquabike (2.4 Mile Swim, 112 Mile Bike) and in 2008: complete an Ironman. A future goal would also be to get my cousins to train for an ironman with me, but I don’t think that’s going to happen….

15. Anything else you would like to add?

In high school, I use to figure out ways to get out of that mandatory lap around the track during PE. It killed me to run that lap because I believed that I couldn’t run. We tell ourselves things that overtime become truths “I’m too slow, I’m too fat, I’m not an athlete, I don’t have that talent”. The mind is so powerful. Remember, we don’t have to believe everything we think. With goal setting, and positive self talk, we can accomplish anything. If that chubby girl who binged on Hostess and wouldn’t run can complete a half Ironman, anyone can.