Jackie Faye Completes Six Ironmans On Six Continents

Women have been breaking records every now and then. One such exceptional woman is Jackie Faye. The military journalist has become the first woman to complete six Ironman triathlons on six different continents. She achieved this feat in just a year.

Jackie is from South Carolina and is currently based in Kabul, Afghanistan. She started her challenge on June 11, 2017 in Australia.

After that, Jackie travelled to Europe, Asia, South America, and South Africa and completed four races. Her journey ended in the US and she completed her challenge on June 10, 2018. She completed her challenge in Boulder, Colorado, crossing North America off her list, setting a world record.

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She said, “I knew I wanted to do something special for the last race so I decided I was going to run the last 1.68 miles of the 26.2-mile race in a weighted bulletproof vest to honor the 168 US servicewomen who've lost their lives serving our country in Iraq and Afghanistan."

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"I think there's a lot of pressure on young women in society today."

She asserted that she wants to inspire other young women.  Shortly before doing the sixth Ironman, Jackie created an organization called She Can Tri to empower women in male-dominated fields.

Jackie is a graduate of Columbia Journalism School in NYC. She also gives spin classes for military members and embassy staff. She said, “I love my job, but I am one of a few women who chose this profession because it's stereotypically reserved for males."

Jackie was also a part of a running group that enables Afghan women to run on the base.

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She finds her motivation in an Afghan woman who completed a marathon in Afghanistan in 2015. Considering it as her motivation, she said, "It's stories like these that served as a reminder that women must keep pushing societal restraints if they want to be seen as equal—and it drove me to do my part by completing the Ironman challenge."

No women had ever achieved this feat. However, it was Jackie’s determination which helped her in achieving goals and setting a world record for her accomplishment. She wants to inspire more young women.

Jackie said, "Just because no other woman is doing it, doesn't mean you can't. If there's any takeaway from my personal journey, I hope it's that."

Picture Credit: Ironman.com

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