Q&A - Competition

How did you get started?

As a kid, land sports and anything to do with coordination, were not my thing, but put me in the water and I felt right at home.  I swam recreationally from age six until starting college.  In college I decided to give running a shot, and soon after, got hooked.  I love the concept of being able to throw on running shoes anywhere and go explore trails.  At age nineteen, I joined the Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, Triathlon Team, which provided an invaluable base for competing in triathlons and fun times.  I quickly learned that to successfully do a triathlon I better learn how to ride a bike with ‘skinny tires.’  I started on my dad’s old steel bike, with pedal cages and mountain bike bull horns on the handle bars, and quickly grew to love riding. 

Why are you hooked to endurance sports?

Since childhood, I have always been ‘that’ person that wants to keep going, whether on a long hike, in the pool doing workout sets, or out on that century long bike ride.  I enjoy pushing my body to its max capacity while also being mindful of pacing – a fun, but challenging balance.  Crazy endurance activities have always been my thing, so the sport of triathlon has been a perfect fit.  There is something about pushing your body to the max that brings people together. 

What’s your day job?

I recently graduated from Cal Poly in Civil Engineering (emphasis in water resources).  I decided to stay in the lovely town of San Luis Obispo, located on the central coast of California, where rainy days are rarely an excuse to miss a workout.  I currently work for the California Water Quality Control Board.  Although the work-training balancing act is challenging, I value my time management skills and love keeping busy.  To supplement my job, I also participate in the local Engineers Without Borders Chapter.

What else besides work and training?

Experimenting in the kitchen, enjoying good food, sarcastic jokes, a good laugh, playing in the mountains, and hanging out with family and friends.  

What are you planning for next season?

I plan to give my body a break from very long stuff, and focus on Olympic and Half Ironman distances.  Also, I recently competed in some road cycling races and really enjoyed the tactics.  I hope to race more in 2009 and upgrade categories.

What is one of your recent accomplishments?

This past June I completed my first Ironman and a mere three weeks afterwards I did a Death Ride in the Sierras (130 miles with 15,000 feet elevation gain) with my father and it felt like Ironman all over again.