This month our featured athlete is Stacey Bernetskie! Alongside her impressive track achievements, Stacey has proudly served our country in the military and is currently pursuing her dream of becoming a physical therapist. Keep reading to learn more about this impressive and inspiring woman.
Age: 36
Occupation: Student/ Veteran
How long have you been swimming, cycling, running, and/or doing triathlons?
2 years
What aspects of triathlon do you enjoy most?
I love the running part because I've always been a runner since high school track which I continued into college track. I ran for Millersville University, PA. I was a sprinter, hurdler, and long jumper; I also ran in the relays. I am new very new to triathlons, but overall, I enjoy the challenge.
What has been your favorite training or racing event, and why?
My favorite race was the 2021 Dallas Half Marathon. This is when I had one solid year training with Coach Mark, and he helped me with a new PR.
What is your favorite post-workout or race meal?
My race meal is steak, mashed potatoes, and some veggies. I also felt pasta was too heavy for me so I tried steak for one of my races, and I was hooked. I feel my performance is better when I have protein the day before a half or full marathon.
What is one recent accomplishment you are proud of?
This is a good question. I feel I have a lot of life goals going on right now. I left the Active Duty military when my contract was up to pursue a Doctorate in Physical Therapy at Tufts University of School of Medicine. This program is an accelerated hybrid program where I fly to Phoenix, AZ for two weeks, two times a semester. My main goal is to graduate and return to the active duty military as an officer/ physical therapist. My second goal is to remain active and compete in short triathlons, 5Ks, and 10Ks when my schedule allows me.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
When I grow up I want to return to active duty military, preferably the Army. I want to become an Officer/ Physical Therapist and take care of the active duty military/ veterans.
I am so grateful I joined Paragon Training because it makes me accountable, and it helps me to get away from studying and my computer.
I also enjoy the Tuesday Run Groups because my husband was deployed, and having people around me that love to run like I do just gave me something to look forward to each week. My ongoing goal is to master swimming, so I can master my fear of open water swimming. I eventually want to compete in a longer triathlon like an Olympic triathlon or maybe a Half Iron. Overall, my goal right now is to graduate and still maintain a healthy lifestyle. My long term goal is to run in the Boston Marathon.
What is something no one knows about you?
One thing that no one knows about me is during my senior year in college, I conducted shark research at Shoals Marine Laboratory in New Hampshire.
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