The fighter Laurel Wassner
Laurel Wassner is currently getting ready for the 2010 St. Anthony's Triathlon and is hoping to be in the mix despite what appears to be a very tough field. But after battling Hodgkin’s Disease, other challenges seem less daunting. Recently she and her twin sister Rebeccah got some nice exposure in Oprah mag.
Slowtwitch: We are glad that you were able to find time for us after that feature in Oprah magazine.
Laurel: I'm just flattered to be recognized. My sister and I have been relatively under the radar in the triathlon media.
ST: How did that Oprah piece come about?
Laurel: The magazine was looking for ten up-and-coming women to include in their 10th anniversary issue and they found and selected us. They called us and asked if we would like to be included in the gallery.
ST: Was the photo shoot very involved? We figured that you as photographer should have an opinion.
Laurel: It was quite a change for me to be on the other side of the camera! I’m usually the one setting up the shoots and making sure everything goes smoothly, so it was nice to just show up to the studio, try on clothes and not have to worry about anything. The team at O Magazine produced an excellent shoot, and were as professional as they come. I was so excited when I heard that Christian Witkin was selected to shoot the gallery of portraits. As a photographer and photo editor, I have admired his work and have always wanted to work with him. As one of my colleagues, Jenny, said, it’s like having Richard Avedon take your portrait! On top of that, he actually shot on both black and white and color film, which is a rarity these days. All of the subjects were photographed in clothing by up-and-coming designers, which goes along with the theme of the piece, “Women on the Rise”. I wore a dress by Cushnie et Ochs and Bec had on one of Erin Wasson’s creations.
ST: Do you enjoy dressing up?
Laurel: Being an athlete keeps me in athletic gear most of the time. (Thanks to Nike, I will no longer be wearing clashing running clothes from 9th grade.) But, I do live in New York City, and do have some non-athlete friends, so I like to get out and enjoy the non-athlete life occasionally. Can't exactly wear a bike shorts to the theater or a photo opening! Also, I worked in magazines for 10 years, so it's hard not to pay attention to fashion. I love shoes but unfortunately I have very expensive taste so I don't own many pairs!
ST: Well, did you get to keep that Cushnie et Ochs dress?
Laurel: Alas, I did not keep the dress. I honestly didn't even ask. I know how annoying it can be when a model or celebrity takes the clothes from a photo shoot. They are usually samples that the designers need to use for other shoots. But, maybe Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs will hook me up for the next event or shoot. They are getting big time and were in the latest issue of Vogue.
ST: How have your preparations for St. Anthony’s been going?
Laurel: My training has been going really well. I was very fortunate this year to be able to spend a month in California and 6 weeks in Tucson. It was the first time I was able to escape the New York winter and it has made a huge difference in my training. I took 6 full weeks off of training to go to Germany to take care of my nephews in November/December, which was a great way to rest my body after the 2009 season. It was a bit difficult to get back into shape after that, but I had three intense weeks of training camp with my coach Cliff English and his group of elite athletes in Tucson. Training with my sister Bec, Sam McGlone, Amanda Lovato, Kim Loeffler and Terra Castro pushed me to a new level. These girls are tough and know how to work hard!
ST: Who will be the toughest competition at St. Anthony’s?
Laurel: St. Anthony’s is pretty much the all-star game of triathlon. Bec, Sarah Haskins, Mirinda Carfrae, Julie Dibens – I don’t think it gets tougher than that. I’m not sure who else is racing but I’m just hoping to get in the mix!
ST: What else is on your 2010 schedule?
Laurel: I will be doing the Rev3 Knoxville and Quassy races, the Columbia Triathlon, the Life Time Series (Philly, New York, Minneapolis, Chicago, and Dallas), and the Half Full Triathlon which is a new half iron distance race being put on by the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults which is an organization I represent. I’d also like to try to fit in a few longer races.
ST: What kind of longer races do you have in mind?
Laurel: Last year I did two 70.3s just for fun without doing any long training (I didn't start riding over three hours until this year and I had never really run a half marathon) and did alright. (5th at Muskoka, 6th at Eagleman). I will be doing Rev3 Quassy this year and the Half Full Triathlon, both half iron distance. Unfortunately, as it stands right now, I'd have to pay $750 just to enter one 70.3, since that's probably all I can fit into my schedule! Also, in a few years, I'd like to try an Ironman.
ST: You just turned Pro in 2008 and had a good 2009 season. Can you talk about it?
Laurel: I am very happy with my 2009 season. The highlight for me was getting 3rd at the Columbia Triathlon in front of my friends and family in Maryland. The field was stacked and no one (especially me) expected me to make the podium. It was a breakthrough and set the stage for a lot of improvement throughout the season. I was also very happy with placing 6th in Chicago and 5th at the Muskoka 70.3.
ST: But we know that beating cancer is your biggest triumph.
Laurel: I am extremely lucky that I not only survived, but now compete as a professional athlete after having Hodgkin’s Disease. So many others are not as fortunate. My sister and I will never forget this and feel very strongly about raising awareness and educating other young adults about the resources available to them. We teamed up with the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, an organization that provides support and resources for young adults and their families affected by cancer. Through our work with the UCF we have been able to reach out and inspire countless other young people going through similar situations and who are passionate about making a difference.
ST: How are you partnering with the Ulman Cancer Fund?
Laurel: When I decided to race as a pro, Bec and I felt very strongly about finding a way to race on behalf of the other 70,000 young adult cancer fighters and survivors to give them hope and show them what is possible after cancer. We found that the UCF's mission meshed exactly with what we hoped to do through our racing: enhance lives by supporting, educating, and connecting young adults, and their loved ones, affected by cancer.
We may not be able to raise a ton of money right now, but we will do what we can to get the word out about the programs and services of the UCF. Just one connection could change someone's life.
I contacted Brock Yetso, the executive director, and he immediately understood and welcomed us into the organization. Since then they have become our biggest fans and supporters. We are donating a portion of our prize money to start a scholarship for a young adult and we also speak about the UCF and its programs to various groups. I recently went to DC to talk to the student athletes at George Washington University where I went to school. We have also helped coach and motivate the members of their triathlon training program called TEAM FIGHT that raises funds and awareness for the organization. Also, Brian Satola, the assistant director, is organizing a half iron distance triathlon called Half Full that will debut on October 3, 2010 in Columbia, MD. The race will be the first of it's kind in that all of the entry fees will go directly to the organization. For more info check out: www.halffulltri.org.
ST: Your background is swimming and you swam for GWU. Did your sister inspire you to race triathlons?
Laurel: Triathlon was actually my idea in the first place! I wanted to race as a pro after college, but didn’t get the chance. Meanwhile, Bec was becoming an elite marathon runner. While she was improving her running she realized she was also still a good swimmer, so she bought a bike and tried triathlon. I saw her have immediate success and become one of the top triathletes in the country. When I went to see her compete at the ITU World Championships in Lausanne in 2006 I realized how much I wanted to get back to competing. When we got home from Europe I asked Bec to help me start training. She gave me her old bike, I got bike shoes for my birthday and I got back in the pool after almost 10 years. That fall I won a local race in New Jersey and then in 2007 I started with my first season of triathlon. Once I got a bit stronger and started working a little less, we started training together.
ST: Is there much smack talking happening with you and Bec?
Laurel: We are definitely both very competitive and push each other everyday. I think Bec is just happy that I became a triathlete so we can travel to races together, strategize and inspire each other in training and races. I tend to get a little upset when Bec beats me in the pool – I’m the one who did all those long hard swim practices in college! But at the same time, I am happy to see her improve and swim fast. Same thing goes for the rare occasion when I can beat or even just stay with her on the bike and run.
ST: What kind of training volume do you currently have?
Laurel: I started working with Cliff English in December 09. He has been coaching my sister for a few years and I have seen her respond well and enjoy his coaching and workouts. Also, since Bec and I train together almost everyday, it made sense for us to be on a similar training program. I’m really lucky to have such a great coach and things are going very well.
When I’m in New York, my typical day starts with a 5k swim at Chelsea Piers. This is a huge sports complex located on the Hudson River. The pool is on the end of the pier and is one of the nicest in the city. We also take an excellent pilates mat class twice a week there, which is something I really miss when I’m out of town! I also really like to do my hard treadmill workouts at Chelsea Piers, the space is so big that you don’t feel like you are running inside. Plus, there is always something to look at and I have the encouragement of so many other athletes and gym members. Riding in the city is a bit more of a challenge. I will often start from Strictly Bicycles, a bike shop in New Jersey and ride to Nyack, Rockland Park, or Bear Mountain.
When it is warm, Bec and I do the majority of our training in New Paltz, NY, which is about an hour and a half from the city. There is a big athletic community there—New Paltz is renowned for rock climbing on the Shawangunk Ridge, and there are miles and miles of maintained carriage roads for running all over the ridge. The riding terrain is diverse and challenge and we have some great training mates with ‘Gunks Masters swimming team and I get pushed on the bike by local triathlete Justin Harris and Bec’s husband John.
My days vary, but I almost always start with a swim, with 3-4 rides and 4-5 runs including a tempo run, track or treadmill workout.
ST: How are things going for you in terms of sponsorship?
Laurel: I am fortunate to have the incredible support of my family and friends. They are really the ones who make this possible. Bec and I are also very excited to be representing Nike/LIVESTRONG this year. As you may know, 100% of the profits from this collection go to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. It means so much to us to wear clothing that not only looks and feels great, but is making a difference. The brand has a connection with such a large audience and people stop me all the time (on the street, on the subway, at races) to ask about the gear and share their stories. It's very inspiring and rewarding to us and is a constant reminder of why we are doing what we're doing — racing to win, but also to raise awareness and inspire others affected by cancer.
We are so grateful to the other companies helping us in this cause: Cervelo (we ride P3 tt bikes and S2 road bikes), GU, TYR, ISM Saddles, Rudy Project, 1st Endurance and HED.
ST: Do you follow any other sports?
Laurel: I love sports and will watch any kind of competition. I got this from my dad who is a huge New York sports fan and taught me to read the sports page first, including all of the box scores! I follow whatever is in season – baseball, basketball, football, and after working at a golf magazine for three years, PGA golf.
ST: Anything we should know about your food likes and dislikes?
Laurel: I almost always have oatmeal for breakfast, peanut butter on a bagel for lunch and I’m lucky that Bec is an excellent cook and makes healthy, interesting dishes with fresh ingredients for dinner. Athlete food. Of course, when I’m in NYC, there is no shortage of quality restaurants. I love going to RBC for coffee, and Pastis, Pho Sure, or Westville in the West Village after a hard morning of training at Chelsea Piers. I also love sushi.
ST: Your music taste?
Laurel: My music tastes are very diverse, ranging from classical to punk, to Broadway. I have certain things that make me run fast, things that I listen to on the plane, things that I listen to on the subway, etc – Mozart violin concertos, Bruce Springsteen, Dead show podcasts, Rent, Hairspray, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, A Chorus Line.
ST: What was the last book you read?
Laurel: I recently read Lunch in Paris by Elizabeth Bard. I’m reading the Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell and Passion on the Vine by Sergio Esposito right now.
ST: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Laurel: Hope to continue training, competing, winning and make a raising awareness for young adults with cancer.
ST: Is there anything else we should know about you?
Laurel: Bec and I also have two other sisters. Aliza is the oldest and is a manager of Broadway shows most recently as the Company Manager of Hairspray. Sarah is the youngest and is a writer and editor of New York Competitor magazine, and also a fast runner!
Related links
– the site of the Wassner twins
– the Ulman Cancer Center
