electrical bike Why one girl is swimming, biking and operating round Lake Tahoe
Andi Bertolina took a pleasant, stress-free 6-mile swim within the cool waters of Lake Tahoe to assist her prepare for her subsequent epic quest.
That was the primary leg of her journey, as Bertolina will try a “Tahoe Trifecta.” Beginning Sept. 10, she is going to swim 72 miles, bike 72 miles after which run 72 miles round Lake Tahoe over the subsequent couple weeks, concluding Sept. 23.
She is one in all a number of space athletes discovering new methods to launch six months of pent-up power, after almost each competitors this yr has been cancelled.
Endurance athletes are particularly artistic find new, difficult endeavors.
“As soon as races began getting cancelled due to COVID-19 this season, I began making up new and totally different operating objectives,” Bertolina, 26, stated. “It began by operating each single road within the metropolis limits of South Lake Tahoe.
“Then, I bought the thought to try to run all the way in which round Lake Tahoe in a single huge 72-mile push.”
The 2012 Wooster Excessive graduate informed her father, Chuck Bertolina, himself a triathlete, about her thought for a run and he recommended taking it even additional. He stated she ought to attempt to swim, bike and run 72 miles for every leg.
Andi Bertolina stated to her data nobody has tried such a feat earlier than, which provides to her motivation.
“We began trying round and it did not seem like anybody had carried out something that silly,” Chuck Bertolina stated. “I stated, ‘Properly, why not give this a attempt?’ She preferred the problem.”
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The Tahoe Trifecta
She’s going to swim six miles per day for 12 days, though she would possibly do two swim legs on some days.
The day after ending the 72 miles of swimming, she will hop on her bike and trip 72 miles across the lake. Then, the subsequent day, she is going to run the 72 miles round Lake Tahoe.
She’s going to begin and finish every leg at Regan Seaside in South Lake Tahoe and journey clockwise on every lap.
Bertolina began figuring out the main points of her endeavor about six months in the past and tried to maintain it quiet so long as attainable. Her father can be on a donated boat to assist provide her with meals throughout the swim portion, however arranging automobiles for the run and bike legs has been a problem.
Bertolina plans to complete the swim portion on Sept. 21, do the bike on Sept. 22 and the run on Sept. 23.
Watch:Andi Bertolina begins her Tahoe Trifecta
Psychological toughness
On Wednesday, she stated the psychological aspect of what she is trying had not fairly sunk in. She admits will probably be a tricky activity, however she is raring to offer it a shot.
“It is extra simply enjoyable for me. I imply, it is a huge deal and I am slightly bit stressed about it, like I’d be for any huge race or huge occasion,” she stated. “However, it is extra enjoyable and it is sort of good not having or not it’s an enormous race, or aggressive surroundings.”
Bertolina introduced her feat on Instagram and on Twitter and can present updates there.
“In case anyone needs to observe me, or comply with me, or assist out any level,” she stated, half laughing.
She took an uncommon monitor to prepare for the Tahoe Trifecta as she hiked within the Grand Tetons in Wyoming final week.
Bertolina drove again to Reno on Wednesday and took a take a look at for her superior EMT license later Wednesday night time. She is already an EMT and works at Heavenly Valley on the ski patrol.
She has a level from UNR in forest administration and ecology.
“I do know I am able to ending. It is simply going to be robust,” she stated. “However I feel that is one in all my robust fits, being mentally robust and understanding it isn’t going to be the funnest factor, in the midst of it, but when I preserve pushing by, will probably be superior.”
Earlier feats
Bertolina raced on the Falcons ski crew at Mount Rose and was on the ski and swim groups at Wooster.
She has accomplished a number of athletic challenges previously, though none fairly as daunting as what she has deliberate for this month.
Her earlier accomplishments embody the Alcatraz 1.5-mile swim (2011) and once more in 2012 and not using a wetsuit. She has carried out the Golden Gate Sharkfest 1,500-meter swim (2013) and the Oceanside Triathlon in 2015.
She ran the Carlsbad Marathon in 2018 and took second place within the Tahoe Metropolis 1.2-mile swim in 2018. In July 2018, she did the Trans-Tahoe Relay Swim, after which did the Skyline to Sea path run marathon in October 2018.
In the summertime and fall 2019, she ran the Tahoe Rim Path in 9 sections — the longest
stretch was 33 miles, with 5,000 toes of acquire.
Final July, she posted the fourth-fastest identified time path run on Mt. Whitney; in August, she posted the quickest identified time path run on Desolation 7 Summits Loop.
This summer season, she summited the tallest 22 peaks round Lake Tahoe.
Different notable achievements within the area
Final month, Kate Rye swam the size of Lake Tahoe, about 22 miles, in sooner or later. Final spring, David Greif accomplished an “Everest’ problem as he rode up and down Geiger Grade 14 occasions in sooner or later to approximate climbing Mt. Everest and its altitude.
Extra:Swimmer takes advantage of coronavirus shutdown to swim across Lake Tahoe, lengthwise
Extra:David Greif completed an ‘Everest’ on Geiger Grade last month
Jim Krajewski covers highschool and youth sports activities for the Reno Gazette Journal. Comply with him on Twitter @RGJPreps. Support his work by subscribing to RGJ.com right here.
