Coach / Athlete

Biography

Stefani Jackenthal runs Jackenthal Custom Coaching, an endurance and general athletic training program based on the theory that every athlete has unique needs and desires. Jackenthal surgically crafts training schedules built on an athlete’s history, short term and long term goals and lifestyle; weaving them together with performance-enhancing nutrition. Her clients have thrived; winning races, gaining speed, strength, muscle structure and confidence.

As an All-American triathlete, adventure racer and former pro bicycle racer, Jackenthal’s personal experience with top-flight coaches and competition has served her well. Her decade as a fitness-adventure journalist allows her access to leading fitness experts, keeping her in touch with cutting-edge athletic advancements that she melds into custom coaching programs and applies to her own training.

Jackenthal, a sub-three hour marathoner, won the 2006 Big Sur Trail Marathon and the 2005 Augrabies Kalahair Extreme Marathon, a 6-day, 150-mile running race across the Kalahari Desert in South Africa. In January 2006, she finished 2nd in The Coastal Challenge, 150-mile, 7-day running race along the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica - she also won the inaugural 2001 NYC-Triathlon and 2001 & 2002 Survival of the Shawangunks. Stefani and her team won the coed division of 2003 Team RAAM – Race Across America, a 2,922-mile bike race from San Diego, CA to Atlantic City, NJ. In 2000, she qualified at the Lake Placid Ironman for a slot in Kona and finished the grueling Hawaii Ironman that October. Jackenthal has raced and reported from around the world – Nepal, Borneo, China, Tibet, Ecuador and more. While racing the Raid Gauloises adventure race in Ecuador, she summited El Cotapaxi (19,600-ft) and this fall 2004, will summit Lhapki Ri (23,000 ft) in Tibet. The ascent is part of a project called Climbing Blind. She is guiding a 17-year old blind Tibetan teenager up to the peak of Lhapk Ri and will do a first-person report on the experience for “Weekend Edition Saturday,” airing on NPR.

Stefani reports for print, radio, and TV. Her stories have been featured worldwide in Women's Health, Runner's World, Shape, Fitness, and Prevention magazine, among others. She lives in New York City.

Stefani Jackenthal runs Jackenthal Custom Coaching, an endurance and general athletic training program based on the theory that every athlete has unique needs and desires. Jackenthal surgically crafts training schedules built on an athlete’s history, short term and long term goals and lifestyle; weaving them together with performance-enhancing nutrition. Her clients have thrived; winning races, gaining speed, strength, muscle structure and confidence.

As an All-American triathlete, adventure racer and former pro bicycle racer, Jackenthal’s personal experience with top-flight coaches and competition has served her well. Her decade as a fitness-adventure journalist allows her access to leading fitness experts, keeping her in touch with cutting-edge athletic advancements that she melds into custom coaching programs and applies to her own training.

Jackenthal, a sub-three hour marathoner, won the 2006 Big Sur Trail Marathon and the 2005 Augrabies Kalahair Extreme Marathon, a 6-day, 150-mile running race across the Kalahari Desert in South Africa. In January 2006, she finished 2nd in The Coastal Challenge, 150-mile, 7-day running race along the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica - she also won the inaugural 2001 NYC-Triathlon and 2001 & 2002 Survival of the Shawangunks. Stefani and her team won the coed division of 2003 Team RAAM – Race Across America, a 2,922-mile bike race from San Diego, CA to Atlantic City, NJ. In 2000, she qualified at the Lake Placid Ironman for a slot in Kona and finished the grueling Hawaii Ironman that October. Jackenthal has raced and reported from around the world – Nepal, Borneo, China, Tibet, Ecuador and more. While racing the Raid Gauloises adventure race in Ecuador, she summited El Cotapaxi (19,600-ft) and this fall 2004, will summit Lhapki Ri (23,000 ft) in Tibet. The ascent is part of a project called Climbing Blind. She is guiding a 17-year old blind Tibetan teenager up to the peak of Lhapk Ri and will do a first-person report on the experience for “Weekend Edition Saturday,” airing on NPR.

Stefani reports for print, radio, and TV. Her stories have been featured worldwide in Women's Health, Runner's World, Shape, Fitness, and Prevention magazine, among others. She lives in New York City.

Stefani Jackenthal runs Jackenthal Custom Coaching, an endurance and general athletic training program based on the theory that every athlete has unique needs and desires. Jackenthal surgically crafts training schedules built on an athlete’s history, short term and long term goals and lifestyle; weaving them together with performance-enhancing nutrition. Her clients have thrived; winning races, gaining speed, strength, muscle structure and confidence.

As an All-American triathlete, adventure racer and former pro bicycle racer, Jackenthal’s personal experience with top-flight coaches and competition has served her well. Her decade as a fitness-adventure journalist allows her access to leading fitness experts, keeping her in touch with cutting-edge athletic advancements that she melds into custom coaching programs and applies to her own training.

Jackenthal, a sub-three hour marathoner, won the 2006 Big Sur Trail Marathon and the 2005 Augrabies Kalahair Extreme Marathon, a 6-day, 150-mile running race across the Kalahari Desert in South Africa. In January 2006, she finished 2nd in The Coastal Challenge, 150-mile, 7-day running race along the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica - she also won the inaugural 2001 NYC-Triathlon and 2001 & 2002 Survival of the Shawangunks. Stefani and her team won the coed division of 2003 Team RAAM – Race Across America, a 2,922-mile bike race from San Diego, CA to Atlantic City, NJ. In 2000, she qualified at the Lake Placid Ironman for a slot in Kona and finished the grueling Hawaii Ironman that October. Jackenthal has raced and reported from around the world – Nepal, Borneo, China, Tibet, Ecuador and more. While racing the Raid Gauloises adventure race in Ecuador, she summited El Cotapaxi (19,600-ft) and this fall 2004, will summit Lhapki Ri (23,000 ft) in Tibet. The ascent is part of a project called Climbing Blind. She is guiding a 17-year old blind Tibetan teenager up to the peak of Lhapk Ri and will do a first-person report on the experience for “Weekend Edition Saturday,” airing on NPR.

Stefani reports for print, radio, and TV. Her stories have been featured worldwide in Women's Health, Runner's World, Shape, Fitness, and Prevention magazine, among others. She lives in New York City.

Another Testimonial

After a modestly successful and fun first year of bike racing in 2004, I wanted to step up my game.  I began working with Stefani in November.  Because of our commitment to each other, 2005 has been an amazing second season.  I've seen enormous improvements in strength, endurance, power, and race intelligence.  I upgraded to cat 3 early in the season and I now have enough points to upgrade to cat 2.  I have also been invited to join an elite-level women's cycling team.  Stefani is a fantastic coach. She's intelligent, patient, experienced, and enthusiastic.  Because of her guidance and unwavering attention, I am enjoying enormous success in this sport.  I feel healthy, strong, and motivated.  Thank you Stefani.

Emma Nelson, personal trainer & soon-to-be-pro-cyclist, GetFitNYC

Wonder Women

How’s this for a novel personal ad: White Jewish female, 5 feet, 6.5 inches, 115 pounds, former professional cyclist, rises at 5 a.m. to swim, bike and/or run. Trains 16 to 18 hours a week, enjoys sushi, gourmet coffee (black with sugar), yoga, weight training, low-fat frozen yogurt, fine wine and running across the Grand Canyon. Seeking like-minded athlete willing to climb 20,000-foot mountains, swim leech-infested rivers and rappel sheer granite cliffs. No drugs or meat eaters please. Meet Stefani Jackenthal, all-around athlete extraordinaire.

http://www.metrosportsny.com/story.cfm?story_id=5491&departmentID=20&publicationID=20

A Testimonial

When I came to Stefani for coaching, I told her that I’d never pushed myself to my athletic potential and that at 41, it was time to see what I had – and where I could go. She asked, “How hard are you willing to work?”  I gulped, “to the max.” And, wow, what a max season it was!

I started the 2004 season in March as a new Category 4 and won my first race; Grant’s Tomb. After a bunch of top 3 finishes, I ended the season as a Category 2 and on a kickin’ new team. Look out 2005!

Ellen Moses, 41 year old Bicycle Racer, NYC: Started 2004 season as a Category 4 and ended as a Category 2.

Biography

Stefani Jackenthal runs Jackenthal Custom Coaching, an endurance and general athletic training program based on the theory that every athlete has unique needs and desires. Jackenthal surgically crafts training schedules built on an athlete’s history, short term and long term goals and lifestyle; weaving them together with performance-enhancing nutrition. Her clients have thrived; winning races, gaining speed, strength, muscle structure and confidence.

As an All-American triathlete, adventure racer and former pro bicycle racer, Jackenthal’s personal experience with top-flight coaches and competition has served her well. Her decade as a fitness-adventure journalist allows her access to leading fitness experts, keeping her in touch with cutting-edge athletic advancements that she melds into custom coaching programs and applies to her own training.

Jackenthal, a sub-three hour marathoner, won the inaugural 2001 NYC-Triathlon and 2001 & 2002 Survival of the Shawangunks. She and her team won the coed division of 2003 Team RAAM – Race Across America, a 2,922-mile bike race from San Diego, CA to Atlantic City, NJ. In 2000, she qualified at the Lake Placid Ironman for a slot in Kona and finished the grueling Hawaii Ironman that October. Jackenthal has raced and reported from around the world – Nepal, Borneo, China, Tibet, Ecuador and more. While racing the Raid Gauloises adventure race in Ecuador, she summited El Cotapaxi (19,600-ft) and this fall 2004, will summit Lhapki Ri (23,000 ft) in Tibet. The ascent is part of a project called Climbing Blind. She is guiding a 17-year old blind Tibetan teenager up to the peak of Lhapk Ri and will do a first-person report on the experience for “Weekend Edition Saturday,” airing on NPR.

Stefani Jackenthal writes for magazines worldwide such as Fitness, Prevention, Better Health and Living, among others. She lives in New York City.

Let's Run the Tape

A German TV network uses a marathoner to win the anti-convention footage race
by Ta-Nehisi Coates
August 31st, 2004

Appeared in The Village Voice

http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0435/coates.php

On Sunday morning in Manhattan, a producer for the German network ZDF turned to Stefani Jackenthal, handed her a DVCPRO tape, and said, "Go." Jackenthal once completed a 10-day adventure race that mixed trail running with mountain biking and kayaking. She has taught blind kids in Tibet to rock climb. She has run the New York City Marathon in just under three hours, and last year completed it while filming three other runners for a German reality show. But when Jackenthal set off at 11:23 a.m., it wasn't to contend with rapids and rocks, but to ensure that ZDF's footage of the anti-Republican march made it on the air.

Jackenthal was hired by the network because of the logistics involved in getting material from ZDF's reporters down in Chelsea through the march and back to the broadcast base near Madison Square Garden. The march was expected to reach them around noon, but the ZDF crew had to have footage ready by 12:50 p.m. in order to make the German evening news. "I originally called a bike messenger," says Renee Silverman, who was working as a freelance producer. "They said, 'I don't know if a bike is going to be so useful. I'd call a runner.' "

It was a novel idea to Silverman, who'd never heard of using a fleet-footed carrier. But she thought of Jackenthal, whom she'd worked with on the reality show about the NYC Marathon. So on Tuesday Silverman called her with a unique proposition: racing through the maze of protesters, cops, and media to deliver footage before ZDF's deadline. "Renee called me this week, saying they were covering the convention," says Jackenthal. "I called her back, she explained, and we were cracking up. So she hired me to literally run the tape."

For the job, Jackenthal came prepared with a pair of Brooks running shoes, shorts, and a top, along with a North Face backpack equipped with a waist strap to secure her precious cargo. Unsure of how many runs she'd make, Jackenthal also brought some Power Bars and water. The crew assembled at Union Square, and Jackenthal used her journalist's eye to help them find interviews. With enough footage assembled, Silverman handed Jackenthal the goods, and the race was on.

"I looked down at my watch, and the crew was giving me all sorts of crap, like how long is it going to take," says Jackenthal. "I didn't know if it was going to be tear gas or what. When I left, my goal was to make it under 10 minutes. But I was hoping for eight."

Despite being unusually clothed for a media type, she made it past cops at the checkpoints. "It was just more of the same sort of lunacy. They just shook their heads and laughed," says Jackenthal. "They were really confused at what I was doing. But New Yorkers are very hard to shock. So they were like, 'Yeah, go ahead. Whatever.' "

Jackenthal arrived in exactly eight minutes—including the 45 seconds she lost after getting some bad directions.

It turned out to be her only run of the day—ZDF's film crew got hamstrung by technical difficulties. Still, Jackenthal says that she had a ball, and that running through garrisons of Bushwhackers and New York's Finest ranks right up there with teaching blind Tibetans to rock climb. "This was such a New York thing; I absolutely loved it," says Silverman. "I love that I had a dual purpose. I was part of the media and protest thing in New York, but I also had to be the jackrabbit."