Tri-al Phase Complete

January, 2013….My dad and I are finishing up the final leg of our trip to Colorado Springs…and I suddenly start bawling in the car.  I know, optimistic start, right?  I promise it gets better from here!  Deciding to move to Colorado for training was the second biggest decision of my life.  My first major life decision was choosing to go to Syracuse University.  That was one decision I never regretted!  I was hoping I would soon be two for two in life decisions. 

Dad dropping me off in January

For some reason, my decision to move to the Olympic Training Center felt scarier.  So many questions went through my mind as we got closer and closer.  How would I handle a 24 hour drive from my family?  Should I be pursuing a teaching job instead of chasing my dream?  So many unknowns!  What would the training be like?  Could I handle it?  Who would coach us?  Would I meet the expectations they had for me?  Would I like my training partners?  Would they like me?  With so many unanswered questions, I felt out of my element.  I am a planner and I like to know what to expect.  Hmm…what was I getting myself into?

Fast forward 11 months and here we are in December!  Looking back, my emotional breakdown on my way to the OTC now seems ludicrous.  I mean honestly, one of the OTC mottos is “amazing awaits.”  

USAT in Tiszy!

What’s so intimidating about that?  This year I have been living my self-named “fake life.”  How could my life this year be real?  It has been a year filled with more experiences and opportunities than I could have imagined!  I have had countless opportunities, both large and small, to move out of my comfort zone.  I participated in my first (and second and third….) draft legal races.  I raced in two WTS level races.  I traveled to Europe to train and to race.  Now for the biggest steps out of my comfort zone!  I tried brussel sprouts and mastered parallel parking!   These experiences have helped me learn and grow.  I have become more confident and have learned to embrace the unknowns.

Cruising around Santa Cruz

So, what’s next? I finished off a great season with a fantastic two week break in Santa Cruz with Tommy Zaferes. Then in November I packed up all my belongings in Colorado Springs and we drove to Arizona to begin my next adventure….and this time there were no tears.   I am training with a group of triathletes in Phoenix.  The group includes some of my OTC training partners and some new additions. It turns out all those fears about training partners were also ridiculous; these people have become like siblings to me!  Although I have no idea how long we will be here or where I will be next, I am enjoying  another  awesome opportunity that my second biggest life decision has given me.  So far the weather has been superb and the training venue is amazing.  In addition, we work with top notch coaches and have access to incredible resources.  When I think about the ideal situation for success, this is where I want to be and every day I wake up happy to be both living my dreams as well as achieving my goals. Looking forward to keeping you all posted on my new adventures in 2014!

Top 10 Moments of 2013:

1. Throwing away half my clothes upon arrival to Phoenix under the guidance of mates—Hoarding lifestyle has been left behind
2. Doing the San Diego Super Sprint and then the sprint relay with Joe Maloy
3. Discovering the movie Pitch Perfect and the soundtrack
4. Competing in my first WTS race in San Diego
5. Racing the Columbia Triathlon with my dad and family there to support
6. The 1500 time trial and getting my best time (even though Chelsea outkicked me)
7. Winning my first World Cup in Palamos
8. Maine Rev3 with Off the Front Multisport and Team Psycho
9. Watching the Mixed Team Relay in Hamburg
10. The entire Tiszy experience

Not Top 10:

1. The bitter cold weather at times
2. Coming back to altitude after breaks
3. Spending the night in the Houston Airport before Cozumel (though I did have good company)
4. Running up Goldcamp with Jacob, Chelsea and Kyla in the snow
5. The temperature of the hotel room with Chelsea in Tiszy…especially before figuring out the air conditioning
6. Woodmen long run with Chelsea where the wall was hit hard and I had her go on without me
7. Dragging my bike box (that was missing 2 out of 4 of its wheels) from the ferry to the bus after Cozumel
8. Kosmins at the track with Bobby –rain, wind, cold, sprinting, waiting, freezing, sprinting
9. 4^th of July ride out East with Chelsea Burns and Alex Willis –flying out on the workout only to hit the wind and bonk on the way back
10. Crashing and having the fork of my bike impale me

Click on people's names to find out more about the people I train with and enjoy being around!