Athlete for good: how to exercise and help children?

I’m sitting on a Sochi – Moscow airplane the day after the opening of the IRONSTAR 2019 triathlon season. On the plane, a good half of the passengers are competitors. They are given head-to-toe finisher jerseys, triathlon goggles and expensive watches. Immediately after arrival, giant bike cases stand out in the luggage at the check-in counters. Everything is carefully and lovingly packed. After all, triathlon gear costs good money, and some bikes can rival the cost of a not-so-cheap car.

In the afternoon I managed to meet the winner of IRONSTAR 113 among women Daria Chunaryova. And I am still impressed. Dasha is a slender, green-eyed owner of a luxurious blonde braid. I have met Dasha before, but it is very difficult to perceive such physical capabilities behind the embodied femininity. Triathlon is one of the most challenging sports. Especially for amateurs. It requires colossal physical preparation, concentration, hours of almost daily training in three sports at the same time, and what to hide – certain financial investments.

Daria Chunaryova finished first, having completed her 113 kilometers in 5 hours 3 minutes 57 seconds, leaving her nearest pursuer 8 minutes behind. It’s hard to believe, but for Daria this is the first triathlon victory.

– How long have you been in triathlon? How did you come to this sport?

– I am an active person, but I have never practiced sports professionally. I didn’t go to a sports school. However, I always participated in some competitions from my class, did orienteering. I joined triathlon in ’14. At first I just ran in parks with Nike, and then I learned about triathlon from my friends. I picked a start and started. At first without a coach, on a mountain bike (laughs). And so until the 18th year I did one start a year. In the 18th year I realized that it would be more productive to train with a coach and in a team than alone. I learned about the coach Eugene Rulevsky, about Rullez Team.

– That’s when I changed my mountain bike for a road bike?

– I changed my bike to the simplest road bike when I realized that everyone overtakes me first of all because of the equipment, back in 2016/17. My first three starts were on a mountain bike, and then I did everything on a road bike, the simplest one. That’s how I joined the team. In the team I started to train 6 times a week, and if you also go to the camp, the results are completely different.

– Have you already been camping this year?

– Yes, in March we went to Cyprus. It was the first start of the season – Ayia Napa. I had a quite successful start there too, I took the third place in the group (meaning age group). And just two weeks ago we returned from Kyrgyzstan.

– This is the first time I’ve heard about amateur training camps in Kyrgyzstan!

– There is a real running party there, our “national teams”, Dima Safronov, for example, train there. Very good, working atmosphere.

– How do you manage to combine such sports involvement with work? What do you do?

– I do insurance. I work for myself. Of course, my income is not very stable, there is no fixed salary. But I can plan my own time and train when I need to.

– At the awarding ceremony you went to the podium with the flag “Athlete for Good” of the “Love Syndrome” Foundation. What does it mean to you?

– I found out about the foundation and its sports projects about three years ago. I was looking for a start where I could go skiing and saw a charity ski race. If I have a choice, I choose a start that has a good goal. I started to participate in the events, and already as part of the Rullez team we participated in Cycling vo blago (Cycling vo blago is a project of the Love Syndrome Foundation). And on the eve of this start, Zhenya became an “Athlete for Good” and announced fundraising by our team this season IRONSTAR (note: Evgeny Rulevsky opened fundraising for the first Moscow open mini-football competition among teams of people with Down syndrome, which will be held in November 2019 in Moscow).

– Are you in favor of this initiative by Zhenya?

– I am always “in favor.” We should do something for other people. If we can help in some way, do something, it should be done. Because if I am indifferent, if I pass by, if it doesn’t concern my family, we will live in a terrible, cruel world where nobody cares. I am glad that our team does not pursue only sporting goals – places, seconds, and there is something more behind it all.

– Your team became the first Athlete for Good team this season at IRONSTAR starts.

– Zhenya Rulevsky is a man who can inspire people to do good deeds for one person and for many. Now our team has an added charity mission.

– What is your next start?

– The next start is IRONMAN 70.3 Otepää on June 15.

– What other IRONSTAR starts are you planning to take part in this season?

– I am planning Zavidovo, Kazan, maybe in Crocus in Moscow. I think these are some of the best organizers now. On the one hand, it’s a home start, you know everyone, but the level is getting higher and higher every year. The guys are really growing.

– Was your victory expected for you?

– I still do not know all the strong athletes in amateur triathlon. And the decision to participate in Sochi was made just a week before. I didn’t have time to see who exactly would take part, so I didn’t know exactly what my chances were. I realized that everything was real, because it was only the beginning of the season, and I already had one half and 2 training camps. The plan was that I do everything at 90-95 percent and if there is an opportunity, we win. Having a good breakaway on the bike gave me the opportunity to not put too much out on the run. And because it’s the sixth half, you already know your body well, you know how to distribute so that you don’t overwork yourself, where you can be patient.

– You were the race leader for the first time! How was the experience? You are constantly accompanied, filmed for live broadcast.

– For me, it was unusual. What do I do? I’m used to riding alone. They’re driving and filming. I have to eat, and they’re all looking at me! (laughing together) But after the 40th kilometer I decided – well, okay, look. And on the run, there was a girl on a bicycle in front. Rode next to the camera. And the girl on the bike was saying to everyone: “Get out of the leader’s path!”

– Dasha, tell me, what is your dream?

– What I dream about… in the sports field from dreams/goals this season to get to the World Championships 70.3 in Nice. Also have a dream of making it to Norseman and getting a black jersey. Applied in 2018, didn’t get it, will apply again.

– And in non-sports, if it’s no secret?

– Nothing super large-scale, not even a dream anymore, but calm desires: to be able to help my parents, to visit Niagara Falls, to have a dog, to be and do something that will leave a mark, if not in history, then at least in people’s hearts.

We are parting with Dasha, but not for a long time. Soon I will see Dasha in Zavidovo. I will follow the results of the start in Estonia. And, who knows, maybe I will dare to swim, roll, run somewhere too.