BILLINGS — Swimming, biking and running are great sports, but imagine doing one right after the other. It’s a challenge that Billings Central High School junior Sarah Spini has not only accepted but is surpassing while juggling school and work.
With a grade point average of 4.0, Spini has his hands full.
“I’m taking AP language, AP chemistry, dual credit U.S. history, human anatomy, band and religion,” Spini said Wednesday at Lake Elmo State Park.
Good grades are nothing unusual for a 16-year-old, but combined with her hobby of participating in triathlons, this becomes an impressive balancing act.
Alina Hauter/MTN News
“I was 14 years old, in eighth grade, had done a little bit of cycling, had done a little bit of swimming, I like to run and I thought, why not combine all three things?” Spini said.
Since she has no one to train her, she spends many hours training alone.
“I go to the pool four times a week, I cycle and run on alternate days. You try to get in twice and do two things today,” Spini added.
She gets up at dawn almost every day to train, and it’s paid off.
“In my last two competitions, I won my age group and then the women’s overall,” Spini said. “This year, I was Montana’s state champion in the high school division.”
Spini family
In her last triathlon she even qualified for the national championships.
“I think she’s getting better as she gets older,” said Spini’s mentor Jen Robertus.
Having participated in triathlons for the past decade, Robertus knows that it is not an easy sport.
“Because it’s not always just one workout a day. It can be time consuming depending on how many races she wants to do and what distance she wants to run,” Robertus said.
Without the support of her sister and parents, Spini would not be able to do this.
Spini family
“We’re about two and a half years apart in age. And she’s my biggest cheerleader. She shows up and says, ‘Go on, Sarah,’ she’s just my best friend,” Spini said. “They inspire me every day. My mom has been a nurse for 30 years, my dad has been in the fire department for several years, and they’ve always instilled in me such a hard work ethic because hard work gets you further.”
With only a few weeks left until the next competition in Powell, she knows her hard work will pay off.
“I think with hard work and a good attitude you can achieve great things. So whatever happens, happens and I’m excited to see what the future holds,” Spini said.
