Derek and Samantha Bird, of Burke, stand uncharacteristically still after completing the Naylor’s Beach Triathlon. Photo courtesy Samantha Bird
Finishing more than 10 seconds ahead of her closest competitor, Burke resident Samantha Bird was the overall champion at the Iron Girl all-female sprint triathlon held in Ellicott City, Md. on Aug. 17. Her time of 1:26:46.91 beat out roughly 1,700 other athletes; all of them competed to benefit the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.
“It’s always an honor to win,” said Bird. “You never know who’s going to show up. There’s definitely a lot of fast people in the area so you never take a win for granted.”
Bird, an intelligence consultant for the military, has lived in Burke for four years with her husband and twin 5-year-old girls. She’s competed in triathlons periodically since high school, but focused on swimming during a career on the varsity team at West Point.
Though Iron Girl was a sprint distance -- .62-mile swim, 16-mile bike, 3.4-mile run -- Bird is a decorated veteran of longer races. Earlier in 2014 she captured victories in the Naylor’s Beach Triathlon and Culpeper Triathlon -- both “international” distances: 1500-meter swim, 24-mile bike, 10K run. She’s also completed three Ironman triathlons. “Those were all pre-kids,” said Bird.
To prepare and maintain competition-level fitness, Bird trains between eight and 10 hours per week during the summer. Her husband is also into triathlon and ultra-endurance races, so they take turns watching the children while the other one trains. Unless they get a sitter.
“I think it’s a great example for my kids,” Bird said. “I think it inspires them to get outside and exercise. They want to do a race, so next year we’ll look for a mini.”
With or without her husband, Bird enjoys the camaraderie of training partners. She works out with Ignite Endurance, a Washington, D.C.-based triathlon team, as well as Team Red, White, and Blue, a nonprofit organization aimed at helping veterans reintegrate into society through athletics.
“I just enjoy participating and meeting unique people through training and racing,” Bird said. “It’s a supportive and outgoing community.”