Col. Jeffery Bateman, 100th Mission Support Group commander, awards Staff Sgt. Trasy Rincan a first-place medal for the first half-marathon at RAF Mildenhall. (Charlie Reed / S&S)
After winning RAF Mildenhall’s first half-marathon Friday, Staff Sgt. Trasy Rincan is ready for the upcoming Air Force Marathon. Rincan, 21, is one of only 18 runners chosen to run the marathon from U.S. Air Forces in Europe and the only athlete representing Mildenhall. She will be running the half-marathon at the event Sept. 20 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Rincan is with Mildenhall’s 100th Support Squadron.
You got selected for the Air Force Marathon. How does that work?
You submit an application, and they ask for your times and the awards you’ve won and races you’ve competed in all the way back to high school. I was hesitant about submitting my application at first because I didn’t want to get shut down. But I figured why not go for it. And then I got it. I was so excited I called back to make sure they had the right person.
So are you constantly training then?
Yeah, but it fluctuates. But I’m doing a training program now, which is a combination of sprints and long runs. I love to run. I like to be an all-around athlete. I strive to be good at all sports. I like swimming, lifting weights and teaching my aerobics and spinning classes. I like doing runs for charity, too. So yeah, I’m always training.
Is it different training for the Air Force Marathon?
It is different. It’s just more intense, basically. At times, I want to give up, but I know I have to stay determined and tenacious. That’s the attitude you have to have when you want something in life. When you keep your goals in mind, it’s all worth it in the end. Plus, I’m competitive and I want to do my best in anything I do. ... I’m really looking forward to the camaraderie of running with my fellow airmen.
So, you’re working on your master’s degree, teaching fitness classes, training for marathons, working and you’re also vice president for the Airmen Committed to Excellence Council. Do you ever take a break?
I’ve always been like this. I’m really hyper. I think I get it from my dad and my brother, too. They’ve always pushed me to give 110 percent. They are my role models and help me stay motivated.
What’s your perfect lazy day? -
I usually try to stay busy. Like I said, I’m high-strung and always on the go. But I guess the perfect lazy day for me is doing laundry, reading, studying and just relaxing.
Any tricks of the trade you can share?
This GPS [for runners.] It’s amazing. It charts your pace so you know how you’re progressing. It costs like $200, but it’s great. I don’t know what I’d do without it. … I also like helping people with fitness and nutrition. I tell them it’s not a fad or a diet but a lifestyle and it’ll take some time, but they’ll fall into it.
