member spotlight
SHOUT OUT TO
Staff Member
LIZ SYLVES
While we were all watching the eclipse on August 21,
miles and a country away, Liz Sylves was competing in
her fifth World Championship Event.
I am a certified Exercise
Instructor at HAC.
Currently I teach a cycle class
and sub other classes like
GRIT and HIIT. I recently went
to Penticton, British Columbia
and competed in the Standard
Distance Duathlon Race World
Championships. I qualified
last year at Nationals in Bend,
Oregon. This was my fifth World
Championship Event.
I train and teach at HAC and
two other gyms for my races. I
am all about inspiring people to
get healthy and fit. I have three
autoimmune disorders: Lupus,
Ischemic Colitis, and Psoriasis,
and I used to be over 200
pounds. Teaching and this sport
have both changed and saved
my life, so I am highly motivated
and driven to help change other
people’s lives because I know
it works.
I am a full-time working mom
and coach. My husband, Nate,
and my mom, also members of
HAC, competed as well – they
did the sprint distance. My mom
is in the 65 – 69 age group and
won a silver medal for Team
USA. Nate placed 24th in the
40-44 age group. We were
all so proud to represent our
country and race on that level,
but to see her accomplish
that was an amazing,
inspiring moment. This was
the first time we all raced
a World Championships all
together. I have raced with
my mom before and I have
raced with Nate one other
time in Australia 2015.
In August’s event, I placed
17th, and the best part was I
got the third fastest bike split
in the world! I have never even
come close to that. My second
run was not pretty – I had an
ischemic colitis flare up so I
was not able to execute what I
trained for. I am very happy with
the race because I pushed 100%
door to door. I never stopped.
I train 90% inside on the spin
bike because I have little kids,
and that’s the best way I can
make it work. I just want
to thank the members
in every class I teach
for being the best
training partners a
girl could ask for.
They are part of my
success. I would not
be here without them!
Love my HAC
peeps!
STANDARD
DISTANCE
DUATHLON:
10k Run
40k Bike
5k Run
SPRINT
DISTANCE
DUATHLON:
5k Run
20k Bike
2.5k Run
We were all so proud
to represent our
country and race on
that level.
(Left) Liz during
her standard distance
duathlon. (Right) Liz’s
husband, Nate, and
her mother before
their races.
enhance magazine | NOVEMBER 2017
13