|
With a lot of encouragement and support from my parents and trust in God, I have developed into the athlete I am today. I first started developing my triathlon skills as an 8 year old competitive swimmer in Cincinnati where I grew up. After competing for high school cross country, swimming, and track teams, I ran cross country and track at Centre College in Kentucky. The summer before college I did my first triathlon, where my transition consisted of sitting on a stool and washing my feet in a soapy bucket followed by rinsing them in another bucket. Still working on my transitions 10 years later, this little race in Ohio sparked my desire to do them every summer there after. My athletic and academic achievements and civic contributions in college made me NCAA Kentucky Woman of the Year (2000) and the state's representative at the national ceremony. As a senior I was also awarded the Inman Briscoe award for the senior athlete having both the highest G.P.A. and the most varsity letters. Following college, I spent 2 years as an assistant coach for DePauw University's cross country and track programs in Indiana coaching both men and women to four conference championships and a national team debut for the men's XC team in 2001. As an English instructor in Grenoble, France, following coaching in Indiana, I had the opportunity to train with and race internationally for the Grenoble University Club. Since arriving in Boulder, I have coached three seasons for the Bolder Boulder Training Club. I am currently a member of and sponsored by the Fleet Feet Racing Team. In addition to running and racing the trails of Boulder, I have continued to fine tune my triathlon competitiveness. I placed consistently in the top 5 of my age group in local triathlons during the summers of '04, '05 and '06. I am currently finishing my degree at Boulder College of Massage Therapy and hope to provide bodywork for athletes in the near future. During the school year of '05/06 I was an assistant coach for Boulder High's girls and boys cross country and track teams. Coaching Philosophy Four words that I hope define your experience with me as a coach: challenging, fun, insightful, and memorable. I work cooperatively with runners looking for a more individually tailored program and new tri-athletes, particularly those needing help with swimming. After some careful assessments to determine my athlete's baseline fitness, I like to develop training programs using the model of periodization. I address each discipline of triathlon individually. I've learned through my own experiences in training that often making overall improvement is not about putting in equal time and effort for each discipline if one is obviously stronger. It is important to identify the athlete's individual weaknesses and to tackle those while continuing to strengthen and sharpen the other disciplines. My job as your coach is to work with you to develop an overall plan that will help you even out these disciplines over time. I think the key difference between a good athlete/coach relationship and a great relationship is one in which both coach and athlete are listening to each other. In order for both to be listening, both must be communicating. I expect my athletes to give me feedback on their athletic goals and weekly training plans as well as how these pieces are fitting in with their personal life. I don't see myself as formula writer, but rather cook who is preparing meals for customers with different dietary needs; a coach who hopes to help her athletes reach and surpass goals while maintaining a healthy balance in life. Mental preparation, on which I have given several lectures, is a key element that I focus on with my athletes. Each athlete is wired differently and identifying the motivation factor is something that intrigues me. I am a passionate individual who finds satisfaction in watching others capture the essence that drives them. I look forward to opportunities to share with others how one can improve the quality of one's life by passionately pursuing a goal while balancing other aspects of life fairly. Personal Bio
|
 
|