On her 38th birthday, Jeri Villarreal made a vow she'd agree to all challenges thrown her way. When a friend asked the daredevil to be her partner in triathlon training, as promised, she accepted.
Fast forward four years and the St. Louis native is slated to make herstory as the first Muslim woman to wear a hijab and 'full body covering' while participating in the Chicago Triathlon. The sport reportedly enforces a strict rule on body coverage, but Villarreal can pass thanks to her religion. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the race, which was held over the weekend, was also a first for her competing in the Olympic distance as she usually sprints.
“I was never athletic as a kid, so my former self would pass out if she knew I was doing triathlons,” Villarreal said. Now, the wife and mom of three considers her training time to be her "me time," according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The timing of the race is most appropriate as the trailblazer turns 42 on Monday.
“What better way to celebrate a birthday than to compete in a triathlon, right?” joked Villarreal.
She's blazing the trails for Muslim women to be proud of their hijabs and unashamed of the traditional full body coverage.
“[Muslim women] shy away from the sport because of discomfort, with the uniform or stares, or asking for a religious exemption,” she told the Chicago Tribune.
Despite folks continually asking "Are you hot?" Villarreal gracefully smiles and said she responds, "'Thank you for your interest in my personal comfort.' Because that makes them realize their question was inappropriate."
Unfortunately, with a lack of hijab representation in the athletic world, Villarreal, who converted to Islam at 17 years old, feels she has a responsibility to represent for her religion. “I try to be good about it because I don’t know if I’m the first Muslim they’ve met before,” she said.
Although she felt alone in her journey when she first started, Villarreal recently connected with other 'hijabi athletes' via Facebook.
Villarreal serves as a role model for her children. Her two youngest, Lola, 8, and Braulio, 10, began triathlon training in June, and both competed in the race this past Saturday, which Villarreal was elated to witness.
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