Q&A with Sarah Reinertsen
GU ATHLETE: Sarah “Sas” Reinertsen
SPORT: Triathlon
BIRTHPLACE: Long Island, New York, 1975
CURRENT RESIDENCE: Mission Viejo, California
WEBSITE: www.AlwaysTri.com
Proudest athletic accomplishment?
Finishing the Hawaii Ironman in 2005 and competing on the CBS show the “Amazing Race”.
Superstitions for training or competition?
I’m not really superstitious – but I did visit a few of the hauaus in Hawaii and prayed to Madame Pele and the island gods before the 2005 Ironman. I also made sure no one in my family took any of the lava rocks off the island, as it is supposedly very bad luck.
What’s the most shocking thing a spectator has ever said to you while you were racing?
I feel lucky to get so much encouragement out on the course - from the spectators and the racers - but one time I had another racer ask me out on a date when he passed me on the run at Alcatraz. I have a boyfriend, so I said no, but he was cute so if I was single I may have said yes.
What characteristics do you most respect in your competitors?
I respect athletes who take the time to give back, volunteering their time and supporting non-profit causes and organizations.
If you could only do one of your three sports, would you choose swimming, biking or running?
I would have to say the bike. I am so in love with my Cannondale bike, and since cycling is the newest sport for me out of the three, I am honing my skills - learning to climb better, descend faster and ride stronger.
If you were not a pro athlete, what would you do professionally?
I’ve always thought that being a DJ would be a fun job. I love music and I love to dance, and I think it would be incredibly cool to travel the world discovering new music and sharing my tunes with dancers and clubbers in all corners of the globe.
When you were a kid, what did you dream of becoming when you grew up? As a kid I wanted to be a pediatric oncologist. Growing up with my disability I met many people who had lost their limbs from cancer, so I wanted to help heal them and fight cancer so they wouldn’t have to lose their limbs at all.
Song title that best fits your personality/spirit?
Move Along by the All-American Rejects.
How do you reward yourself when you reach a key goal?
It depends on the goal. But I do like my sweets, so a bowl of ice cream is a nice reward after a good race!
If you were a contestant on Survivor, what would be your one comfort item from home?
My iPod.
What’s the most creative way you’ve ever carried your GU?
I slip it in my jogbra. It’s sometimes easier to grab it from my cleavage than it is from my back pocket.
Personal causes you’re involved in?
I’m a spokesperson for the Challenged Athletes Foundation, a non-profit group that helps people with physical disabilities become athletes. Growing up with my disability I didn’t always have access to sports, and I didn’t really know that I could be an athlete. The CAF helps fund the adaptive equipment that disabled people need to participate, whether it’s a prosthetic running foot, a racing wheelchair, a handcycle, etc., which can be the biggest hurdle just to get to the starting line. The CAF also has many other programs and clinics to teach physically disabled people how to become athletic. I fly in early to a lot of my races so that I can teach clinics and get more disabled athletes out to the events.
Three things people don’t know about you?
I grew up in a very musical and artistic household and have played the violin since I was 7 years old. I have my master’s in journalism and worked for several years as a reporter and producer for a sports show on NBC before moving to California. I love to knit.
