Although her idea that "Triathlon is for everyone!" may be a little over the top, training for the grueling competitions certainly motivates 'Ewa Beach triathlete Rebecca Lowe and her husband, Mike.

Their tough training schedule keeps them super-fit and enables them to splurge on their fave, Ben & Jerry's, whenever they feel like it.

Working out and competing together inspires them to stay on track and tackle one competition after another.

Name: Rebecca Lowe.

Age: 31.

Profession: Mathematics department chairwoman and teacher, Kapolei High School.

Height: 5-feet-2.

Weight: 120 pounds.

Workout habits: "My wonderful husband and coach, Mike, creates our training schedule based on our goal race's distance. We have focused more on the half Ironman distances (swim 1.2 miles, bike 56 miles, run 13.1 miles). Generally, it includes about 20 hours of exercise per week in which we swim and run three times a week and bike four times a week. This includes two or three 'brick' workouts which entail doing two events (bike then run) back to back."

When and why I started working out: "I grew up playing sports. In high school, I played lacrosse and field hockey. In college, I played lacrosse and got into marathon running. After college, I was an aerobics and spin instructor for many years. For the past three years, my focus has been triathlons. Needless to say, it wasn't hard to get started because I have never really stopped working out."

Why I work out: "Exercise is a means of stress relief for me. It keeps me mentally sane. The physical benefits are just a bonus."

My good foods/bad foods: "If my husband didn't do all the cooking I would eat cheese, tortilla chips and ice cream for every meal. He keeps me balanced nutritionally. We primarily eat pasta, bread, fish and vegetables and reward ourselves with Ben & Jerry's."

My biggest motivator: "I love to set a goal and reach for it. It seems like such a waste to just work out to work out. The final competition is my reward!"

Biggest roadblock to fitness: "I find it so much easier to stay motivated when I have a workout partner. I always have the hardest time getting a quality workout when I am alone. No matter, I always feel more energetic and positive after it is over."

What saves my sanity: "Wine! Just joking. My husband and our four-legged kids, Kalane, Bear Rottweiler and Snack Attack the cat, keep me grounded. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family, even if the majority of them can't talk."

Recent accomplishments: "At the Mountaineerman Half Triathlon in June, I placed in the top 10 amateurs and second in my age group. At the '05 Tinman, I placed 15th overall women and second in my age group. I am a proud finisher of two Ironman distance races, New Zealand Ironman and the Chesapeake Ultraman, and countless triathlon, swimming and running events."

My next challenge: "The Las Vegas Half Triathlon in September."

Advice for those in the same boat: "Triathlon is for everyone! And we live in the most beautiful place to train. I haven't been in a gym in years. Go swim in the Ko 'Olina lagoons, run or walk the 'Aiea Loop, bike the North Shore! The first step is to set a goal by actually signing up for a race. I started with the Na Wahine, which I did on a mountain bike. Then start training. There are so many resources out there that will make the training part easy. There are training groups like Team Jet and TryFitness, books on triathlons like Triathlon 101, and tons of resources on the Internet. When race day comes, remember to have fun and do your best."