Member Spotlight: Jessica Deere
Jessica Deere (41) is a general surgeon at Kaiser and has been a member of the YMCA for two years. She tells us “This YMCA is great. All of the staff are awesome and keep an eye on me while I am training.” We recently discovered what Jessica is training for during her visits and we were truly amazed.
At the end of this month, Jessica will be flying to Hawaii to compete in her third Ultraman race!
Never heard of an Ultraman? Prepare to rethink what you know about physical and mental endurance. The Ultraman is a 3-day ultra-endurance triathlon that covers a total distance of 320 miles; A 6.2 mile open ocean swim, a 261.4 mile cross-country bike ride, and a 52.4 mile ultra-marathon run.
If the race itself isn’t impressive enough, consider that Jessica is one of only 40 athletes across the world who was invited to the World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, taking place November 24-26. This year will be her first time competing in the Ultraman World Championship.
If you’re wondering how she trains for a race consisting of that many miles, you’re not alone. Jessica told us she trains 25 hours per week to prepare for this race. She swims between 8,000 and 10,000 yards three times a week, bikes between two and eight hours three times a week, and runs three times a week for 20-30 miles. When we asked how she fits all of this in, she said “I manage my time and tell my coach what I have available and I get it done. I am motivated to see what my body can do and I have a desire to do it better.”
We share Jessica’s passion in striving to be better, and it is members like her who inspire us every day to give back to our community and help them to grow stronger in the mind, body and spirit.
With just under three weeks until her race, Jessica is on the final stretch of training for the big event. We know it will be an incredible experience for her and we can’t wait to hear about it. If you see Jessica around, join us in wishing her success at the Ultraman World Championship.
Good luck in Hawaii Jessica!