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BODY TALK: Six women on their most extraordinary attributes
Marie Claire, September
2006 by Kristina Grish, Photographed by Robert Maxwell
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Lidia Rekas (25), triathlete
I've been running for 13 years, cycling for three, and taught myself to swim a year-and-a-half ago. This is my second year as an amateur-age-group triathlete. I'm training for the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii this October -- a 140.6-mile race that I hope to finish in under 11 hours. It's the ultimate goal for every triathlete.
I don't value my legs for their physical appearance, but for how they function. I treat my body like a machine: I stretch to prevent injuries, eat organic foods, and get a lot of sleep. I recently competed in my first off-road triathon, and tripped on a root and fell on my knee. I'm still waiting to see how it will heal. With the Ironman coming up, it's heartbreaking to ice my leg instead of work it!
In triathlons, the bigger a person's quads are, the more you know she's done her homework. Strong thighs translate to speed, a better time, and the pride that comes from finishing a race. When I first started training, I had the legs of a person who lifts and goes to the gym, but I'm beyond that now - they're bigger than ever, and they're the source of my strength.
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