Originally Posted: March 19, 2021
Every fall term, the Dartmouth Triathlon Team holds a team meeting to introduce people to the club and to everyone that helps keep the team running (and swimming and biking). Although this year we'll have to settle for a virtual meeting due to COVID-19 precautions, we interviewed this year's three captains to get to know them a bit better: Colin Goodbred '21 (far right in picture below), Hannah Lang '21 (second from left), and Jackson Danis '21 (third from right).
Q: What is your name and year? What are your pronouns? Where are you from and what are you majoring/minoring in at Dartmouth?
Colin: I'm Colin (he/him/his), a '21 from Tennessee - definitely a multi-day bike ride from campus. I'm majoring in Quantitative Social Science, focusing on science policy with a minor in Philosophy.
Hannah: Hannah ‘21, she/her/hers. I’m from Grantham, NH (a 1.5 hour bike ride from campus!). I’m majoring in Quantitative Social Science with a focus on public health and I am minoring in Middle Eastern Studies (if I get my act together and finish the last class I need…)
Jackson: Jackson (he/him/his). I’m a ‘21 from Boylston, Massachusetts. I’m an engineering major, concentrating in Civil and Environmental disciplines, and I’m getting my BE so I’ll be around for two more years.
Q: When did you join the Dartmouth Triathlon Team, and how has being on the team been an impactful part of your Dartmouth experience?
Colin: I decided on a whim that I wanted to learn how to run and ended up joining Dartmouth Triathlon my sophomore fall. I had never considered myself an athletic person and majorly struggled to keep up early on, but the community was incredibly supportive and there was always someone willing to accompany me on really slow runs, teach me how to not tip over when clipping in on my bike, and offer tips on my horrific swimming form. Two years later, I consider being a triathlete a major part of my identity and can't imagine what I would do without the training and community I've found on the team!
Hannah: I joined the tri team freshman fall. Everyone was so nice and welcoming, and it was the first place I felt comfortable at Dartmouth. Since then, it has been a huge part of my Dartmouth experience. One thing that I love about the team is how many different things people are interested in. I can go on a run with someone on the team and hear all about their engineering project or an awesome hike they went on– or, I can pull out my math problem set at team dinner and get someone to help me.
Jackson: I actually joined the team before freshman year (kinda)! I was a cross country and track runner in high school, and I was looking for some way to continue doing endurance sports in college. When I went to Dimensions, the team had an open practice, so I went to check it out, and I ended up finding one of my favorite Dartmouth communities. Since then, the team has been the source of many of my closest friendships and has been a great way to stay healthy and have fun. We’re an academically-motivated group of people who love to work hard at practice and in class, and my teammates inspire me every day.
Q: Outside of being part of our outstanding captain roster this year, what other roles have you filled as Tri Team leaders in previous years?
Colin: My first role as an exec was primarily working with Hannah as a race planner. In addition, I've also been finance chair, practice leader, safety officer, and of course, a (hopefully) valuable team member!
Hannah: I’ve been on the exec board since freshman spring, so there are quite a few: secretary, equipment chair, race planner, practice leader, safety officer (and I’m probably missing some!) I also helped write our current mission statement and helped update the active member requirements.
Jackson: I’ve served as equipment chair, overseeing the acquisition of a lot of our team gear (13 bikes and over two dozen wetsuits, as well as a ton of other gear that team members can use for free!) and I also continue to serve as a practice leader and safety officer.
Q: Outside of practicing with the Tri Team, what else can we find you doing on campus?
Colin: I like to do a bit of everything. I enjoy dancing with the Dartmouth Dance Ensemble (I like to say I'm very fast for a dancer and very flexible for a triathlete). Academically, I have enjoyed being involved in research in engineering, psychology, and marine science, but I can't say I have done a very good job narrowing down my future career there. I have also been involved with OPAL, the Learning Fellows program, and the DOC.
Hannah: I spend a lot of time hanging out on the green and studying with fellow tri team member Emily Martinez on FFB (the first floor of the library). I’m involved with a lot of global health work at Dartmouth, and I also work as a UGA. A decent amount of my time at Dartmouth has actually been spent off campus, primarily in Morocco, Kuwait, and Kosovo (you’ll hear me talking about these experiences frequently!).
Jackson: In addition to training and competing with the Tri Team, I also compete with the Club Ski Team and teach ski lessons at the Skiway. If you come to a show at the Hop, you might see me working as a house manager, usher, or production assistant. I’m also a brother of Zeta Psi.
Q: What is your go-to piece of flair and why?
Colin: I feel like animal onesies are a cliché by now, but I have to go with my giraffe onesie. It's so comfortable and I literally sleep in it during chilly winter nights in Hanover. Definitely not suggested as a workout outfit though…
Hannah: A tie between my glitter knock off adidas and my glitter tutu. Perfect for the dance floor or intervals on the track, they are easy additions to any look.
Jackson: I have a cutoff flannel that has become my go-to piece of flair and the centerpiece of my halloween costume every year - a ‘Lumberjack(son).” It’s definitely got big redneck vibes, but it’s a surprisingly practical piece of clothing for exercising in, too!
Q: If you could only eat one carbohydrate for the rest of your life, which one would you pick and why?
Colin: Oh my goodness, this is a challenging question. I feel like I'd have to go with the classic pasta because there are so many varieties and different ways to dress it up and serve it.
Hannah: This question is honestly mean. With so many delicious carbohydrates, how can I limit myself to just one? I guess I’ll be boring and go with bread– peanut butter toast is an essential part of my diet.
Jackson: I’m personally a big bagel guy. Foco has surprisingly good bagels, and that’s usually my go to breakfast on campus. I also like how versatile they can be - both sweet and savory, and useful for any meal of the day.
Q: What is one piece of advice you would give to any aspiring triathlete?
Colin: You can absolutely do those things that you thought were only for a certain type of people. If you have a ridiculous goal, whether that is running your first 5k, getting a triathlon PR, or finishing an IronMan, we have an amazing group of coaches, students leaders, and teammates eager to work with you to make it happen!
Hannah: Hopping off of Colin’s answer- ANYONE can be a triathlete! Being a triathlete does not necessarily mean that you are a super fast or super talented athlete. As long as you are excited about improving and like to be active, triathlon is the sport for you! Also- get a pair of bike shorts. It’s a worthwhile investment, I promise.
Jackson: Train hard and eat well! If you’re any kind of athlete trying a sprint distance race for the first time, you’ll probably be surprised at how doable it is! However, going from training one sport to three is a big jump, so keeping your body well fed and well rested is important. The typical image you see of a triathlete in the media is that of a consummate ectomorph, but there is no ‘best’ body type for triathlon. Training hard may or may not change how you look, but it will make you fitter and faster, and eating plenty of good food will allow you to train the way you want to.
Q: What are you most excited about in the upcoming academic year?
Colin: I’m not quite sure what to expect this fall but I am very excited that I got off the waitlist for fall in-person residence and that I’ll now be able to welcome the '24s in person!
Hannah: This fall I’ll be living with some other ‘21s (including Jackson!) at a house in the Berkshires. I’m really excited to do lots of biking, running, trail running, and hiking there. Beyond that, I’m looking forward to the spring when I will (hopefully) finally get to meet some of our new team members in person!
Jackson: I’m really excited to be living with Hannah and several of our other friends this fall. I’m also looking forward to getting back to campus this winter for some Tri training and skiing!