PICTURED: Jessica Penaherrera-Kang (wearing #30 and competing at the Baruch Invitational in 2008)

Jessica Penaherrera-Kang is one of the more prominent names in Baruch Athletics when discussing the sports of women’s cross country and swimming.

As a freshman, she was a runner on the women’s cross country team that won their first-ever CUNYAC Championship in 2007. As a senior, she captained the women’s swimming team to their first-ever CUNYAC Championship in 2010.

For her efforts, she was consistently named a CUNYAC All-Star every year, and was later named a CUNYAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Honorable Mention before she graduated in 2010.

A native of Ecuador, Jessica is engaged and lives in New York City. She is currently employed at JP Morgan Chase as a project associate in their Office of the Chief Information Officer.

The following question & answer session was recently conducted by JP Morgan Chase’s internal communications group and posted in the company's intranet, whom allowed to be re-printed on the athletic website.

Behind the Screens: 2-Minute Q&A with Jessica Penaherrera-Kang

Jessica Penaherrera-Kang, a project associate in the Office of the Chief Information Officer, is a competitive triathlete. In the recent Aquaphor New York City Triathlon, Jessica placed first in her age group, with a time of 2:24:21. She also participated in this year’s St. Croix Half-Ironman and the JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge in Chicago.
 
Q. How did you become interested in triathlons?
 
A. I’ve always loved the water, and so my mother put me in swim lessons, where I began to compete. My swim coach introduced me to triathlons as preparation for swimming season, and shortly after my first race, I realized that triathlon was my true passion.
 
Q. How long have you been competing?
 
A. It’s been almost 11 years since my first triathlon! After preparing for years, I was able to compete at the national level in my native country, Ecuador, and now I represent my triathlon club Terrier Tri. Triathlon is part of who I am and something that I will continue to do as long as I have health.
 
Q. What’s most rewarding about triathlons?
 
A. I hope to progress by setting and achieving challenging but attainable goals. For some races this means crossing the finish line, regardless of my performance. It doesn’t matter to me whether I finish first or last because it’s the effort, commitment and dedication that I put into it that give me the sense of accomplishment. In triathlons, the results depend on you and only you.
 
Q. What’s most challenging?
 
A. The daily routine is the biggest challenge because of the trade-offs. Sleeping in or waking up at 5:00 a.m.? Going out with friends or going swimming? I simply don’t always have the flexibility to train because of work and personal commitments. Fortunately, I have a great support team. My fiancé has joined me in doing triathlons and my mom comes to most of my races.
 
Q. What does your training schedule look like?
 
A. Typical workouts before/after work include:
* Monday: Swim 3,000-4,500 meters (one of my favorite sets is 15x100 meters)
* Tuesday: Tempo run (50 minutes tempo, which could include hill repeats or intervals 5 minutes hard with 2 minutes rest)
* Wednesday: Bike intervals (90 minutes working on cadence or strength)
* Thursday: Brick workout (a combination of biking for 1 hour and running for 30 minutes "fast")
* Friday: Run with fiancé 5-8 miles at a comfortable pace
* Saturday: Long bike ride across the George Washington Bridge (40-100 miles, with a breakfast break in the middle of my ride)
* Sunday: Long easy run (10-15 miles; time to explore the city)
 
Q. What keeps you motivated?
 
A. My passion and love for the sport, and the support and encouragement from family and friends.
 
Q. Which races are next?
 
A. My next race is the USAT Sprint Nationals on August 19, where I may have the opportunity to qualify for the Age Group World Championships in 2013. In September I’ll be racing in the Lake George Triathlon and the Westchester Triathlon, and in November I’ll be running the New York City Marathon.
 
Q. What advice you would give to someone considering a triathlon or preparing for one?
 
A. If it’s your first triathlon, make sure to have fun! Usually, preparing with friends or family helps keep you committed and motivated. The hardest part is leaving the house!

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