Athletes, times three

COEUR d'ALENE — Completing the Coeur d'Alene Marathon, the Coeur d'Alene Crossing and the Coeur d'Fondo is quite a feat.

To compete in all three after being diagnosed with cancer takes even more courage and determination — perseverance that any athlete can respect.

That's why Jenn Besenti of Coeur d'Alene received an honorary medal Thursday evening for technically completing the 2015 Coeur d'Alene Iron Series. Her body and mind were prepared to compete in the Iron Series as well as Coeur d'Alene Ironman, but she was diagnosed with rectal cancer May 22. Even while going through chemotherapy, she completed the Marathon and the Crossing. She didn't get to compete in the Fondo because she was recovering from surgery, but she was still on her bike, racking up 110 miles the week before she was hospitalized for eight days.

"It stopped me from doing Ironman because I started chemo 10 days before," Besenti said. "I was ready."

But her cancer didn't stop her from pushing herself and keeping up with the other athletes. She said her friends, family, doctors and especially her triathlon family got her through the toughest days.

"I just love racing," she said. "I'm a single mom, too, so I feel like, a lot of times, single moms don't think they can do stuff. I've always wanted to inspire single moms, especially, to just get out there and whatever you want to do, you should be able to do it. Don't let circumstances stop you. Don't let money stop you. And now, don't let cancer stop you."

The Iron Series banquet, held in the Shore Room of The Coeur d'Alene Resort, honored Besenti and 41 other athletes who kept their bodies, minds and spirits in shape through the summer to finish each race and earn the title of "triathlete." Their training spanned at least through the 120 days from the Marathon in May through the Crossing in August to the Fondo in September.

"If you've ever ran 26.2 miles or swam 2.4 miles or biked 108 miles, they're all pretty good, pretty hefty goals to set for a person," said Craig Brosenne, one of the Iron Series co-organizers. "If you’re into fitness and you want to stay in shape, this is a good way to stretch it over the summer.”

Brian Cleary of Coeur d'Alene attended the banquet with his 8-year-old son, Lochlan, who is super proud of his dad. This was Cleary's second time completing the Iron Series, which is only in its second year. He also competed in Ironman 2015, completed the 2014 Coeur d'Alene Ironman and participated in several local and regional marathons while warming up for the summer competitions.

"(The Iron Series) is good, it just fits within your training regimen," he said. "If you plot it out on the calendar, it works pretty well."

He said it takes plenty of determination to get through the three races in the Series, but those who are contemplating it should go for it.

"I'm not the fastest in the bunch, and I'm not the youngest in the bunch; I just go at my own pace," he said. "By all means, do it. Just get out there and do it. It's a beautiful place to live. I love running out here — the bike ride around Lake Coeur d'Alene is amazing, you see everything, and the swim is awesome."

Iron Series co-organizer Isaac Mann said to finish the series takes a different kind of endurance, but provides great training for other marathons and races.

"Each of these distances is a marathon unto itself," Mann said. "If a person can't put in the quality and quantity of hours in order to train for a full Iron distance, they can train for one of the three and then hold it, hold that training level ... for people who have actually done Ironman but still want to keep the challenge alive in their lives, they can drop back into this."

Brosenne said as well as being three races that allow athletes to experience pieces of a triathlon, the Iron Series is great for the area because each race is a charitable event for local organizations — the North Idaho Centennial Trail Foundation, the North Idaho College Booster Club, Union Gospel Mission and the Coeur d'Alene Area Swim Team — so the funds stay in North Idaho.

"It's just a great for our community," Brosenne said.