Stevenson Grad to Represent USA in Israel Triathlon

When Ari Epstein travels to Israel to compete in a triathlon this summer, he won’t only represent the United States. The Long Grove resident said he’ll also represent his community, where he got his start in athletics.

Epstein, 24, said swimming is his strong suit, but his times, combined with his cycling and running abilities collectively earned him a spot on Team USA in the 19th World Maccabiah Games, an international competition for Jewish athletes.

Epstein joined Stevenson High School’s swim team as a sophomore, simply looking for a way to stay in shape a year after determining that football wasn’t the best fit for him.

“I was really happy to be a swimmer at Stevenson. That was a really big part of this,” he said.

He planned to continue swimming in college, but shoulder problems led him to try cycling instead. Soon after, he began combining the two sports. He added running to the mix, developing the stamina to complete 11 triathlons over the last five years.

Until recently, Epstein had only competed in sprint triathlons, which include 800-meter swims, 20-kilometer bike races and 5-kilometer runs. He had to increase the distance of each race to qualify for the Israel competition.

“I had never raced an Olympic distance before,” he said. “To do an international distance would be multiplying those distances by two.”

The thought of running a 10K — 6.2 miles — was daunting for Epstein, who had never run more than 5.5 miles. He had about six weeks to train before competing for a spot on the U.S. team. “It ended up being the longest I’d ever run in that race,” Epstein said.

In November, he learned that he had qualified to compete in Israel. He said he’ll wear his Team USA attire with pride. 

“It’s very special to know that those three letters are on the front of your uniform. It’s a very, very humbling thing," he said.

But, he added, he’ll also be representing his community, where he got his start in athletics as a soccer player with the Buffalo Grove Park District and baseball player and umpire with the Buffalo Grove Recreation Association.

Epstein attended District 96 schools and in 2007 graduated from Stevenson, where in addition to swimming he played a season of football and baseball, ran track, competed with the water polo team and played the snare drum in the marching band.

If it sounds as though Epstein doesn’t do anything halfway, that’s the same path he’s following to Israel. In addition to competing in the triathlon, he’s also eligible to compete in the MaccabiMan, which will score him on a half-marathon run, 5K open-water swim and 30K cycling trial in addition to the Olympic-distance triathlon.

Competitors are required to raise funds to help cover the athletes’ travel and accommodations in Israel. Epstein’s goal is to raise $5,000.

He said he hopes his efforts will give him a platform to promote wellness and fitness within the local Jewish community. “I decided to make this less about me going there and doing a few races and more about being in tune to your wellness and fitness and making lifestyle decisions that will help prevent diabetes and obesity,” he said.

“Having your health is important. It shouldn’t have to be seen as sacrilegious, you’re worshipping the body, which tends to be the view of religious Jews,” he said. “I want to start a dialogue among religious and secular Jews about what fitness means. We can raise the notion of, ‘Hey, maybe we shouldn’t have so much food on Shabbat’ or ‘Maybe we should take a walk instead of a nap after Shabbat,’” he said.

He details his plans on his website, where supporters can contribute toward his fundraising goal.

Epstein graduated in 2011 from the University of Chicago, where he majored in history and minored in biology. He plans to begin medical school in 2014. 

“I’m more of an egghead and a nerd than I am an athlete,” said Epstein, who has delayed starting medical school until next year to allow him time to train for the triathlon. He also fits two part-time jobs into his schedule, which includes training for two to five hours each day.

Although fitness is a big part of his life, he said he doesn’t consider it a full-time effort as much as a chosen lifestyle.

“There’s some point during the swim or during the bike ride when you forget this is a means to an end … you get to the point where there’s nowhere else you’d rather be,” he said.