CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Women of different backgrounds and abilities are taking part in a North Carolina training program that aims to help them complete their first triathlon. Programs are available across the Carolinas.

What You Need To Know

  •  Tri It for Life is training athletes to complete their first triathlon

  •  The South Charlotte Chapter of the mentoring organization is training 57 athletes this year

  •  Nancy Koch, a breast cancer survivor, is one of those athletes pushing her boundaries

  •  The athletes will compete in the triathlon on June 22

Tri It for Life, a mentoring organization with chapters across the Carolinas, prepares participants to cross the finish line after 12 weeks of training.

Some have never swam before. Others are facing invisible challenges. 

Nancy Koch is one of the 57 athletes swimming 200 yards, biking eight miles and running two miles this month. 

“I think it’s going to feel amazing. It’s something i never thought myself doing,” Koch said. 

“I know my husband will be waiting for me," she said. "He’s always been my biggest cheerleader and always been there to support me.”

This is not the first challenge Koch said she’s faced.

Koch survived brain surgery, and then later beat breast cancer. 

“Once I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I think I ended up with a total of five surgeries by the time it was all said and done. But each time, i just did my best to just move forward,” Koch said.“Once I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I think I ended up with a total of five surgeries by the time it was all said and done. But each time, i just did my best to just move forward,” Koch said.

Koch said some friends who are mentors encouraged her to join. She explained that her health issues made it difficult to maintain her balance, and she has limited ability to turn her head to one side. 

“You just kind of adapt to all the different ways that the new me is now and with Tri It for Life, they really are good about showing you that they’ll meet you at your own pace,” Koch said. 

Every year, mentors who previously completed the program volunteer their time to prepare the next group of athletes for their first triathlon. 

“It’s so much fun to see people do something that they didn’t think that they could do, to push themselves to their limits and do something for themselves because as women we take so much time, taking care of work and women and everybody else. We don’t always do the things to take care of ourselves,” South Charlotte Chapter of Tri It for Life President Renee Jones explained. 

Athletes have been training to run, swim and bike on separate days throughout the week. The program’s first mock triathlon, held June 1st, included only program participants.

On June 22, they will compete in the “She Tris Triathlon”, which is also open to other women outside of the program.