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Contents
Lee
DiPietro
By
Randy Mayes
The
region's top female masters runner, professional triathlete Lee DiPietro, very
rarely finds time to compete in local races. That may change since there is not
an elite masters category in the triathlon. “There is more opportunity in road
racing and it is more fun to go head-to-head with women my age," says
DiPietro. “The girls I race with in triathlons are all much younger and most
without kids and families. Triathalons can breed a very selfish lifestyle. It
takes so much time to train for three sports at such a high level.”
Living
in Ruxton, MD with a husband also named Lee and sons Tim and Cryder, she also
works part time at Troy Jacobson’s Triathlon Academy in Lutherville, MD and
with her own fitness and coaching business. Rather than feeling stressed with
the responsibilities of a family, DiPietro says, “I am lucky to have a family
to keep me balanced and not get totally wrapped up in training all the time.”
Born
in Beverly, MA, she played lacrosse, basketball, and field hockey at the
Garrison Forest School in Garrison, MD, and was a lacrosse player at Boston
University. After college, while working in interior design and home renovation
businesses, she concentrated on tennis. “My sister got me into running when
she asked me to run the last ten miles of the Boston Marathon with her. After
that experience, I jumped right into the running world and ran my first race,
the NYC Marathon, the following fall.” She then competed successfully in
numerous local road races.
During
pregnancy and when at home raising her children, the stationary bike became a
temporary fitness program. Her mother is one of nine children, who were all
competitive athletes throughout their college years. “When an uncle went to
Bermuda to compete in a triathlon, he suggested I try one. It sounded like fun,
so I trained for it and won the whole amateur division.” She eventually won
the national championship in her division and turned pro in 1995.
When
in training for triathlon competitions, DiPietro has already put in an early
morning swim before heading home to send her sons off to school. Soon after she
is out for an hour run, working with clients in her fitness business, or the
Triathlon Academy. Then it is off for another hour run before spending the
evening with her family. On the weekends, she occasionally will include a
three-and one-half hour run at 7:30 pace. Her training no longer includes a
weight program, but usually three-hundred sit-ups per day.
In
1997, she placed sixth overall with the second fastest marathon (3:09:31) at the
Hawaii Ironman World Championships. The event also includes a 2.4 mile swim and
a 112 mile bike ride. In 1996, she placed eleventh and in 1998 fifteenth.
DiPietro
qualified for the 2000 Olympic Marathon Trials with a 2:47:11 at the 1999
Chicago Marathon, placing second in the masters category and 33rd
overall in the women’s division. Last year also included a female masters
course record at the Hampton-POMOCO Half-Marathon with 1:19:40. She also ran
17:12 at the Ferndale-Linthicum 5K and 35:44 at the Beach to Beacon 10K.
After competing in the Boston Marathon and Ironman Canada in August, where she placed third last year, DiPietro will continue cross-training, and see what she can do with masters running over the next few years.
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