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First Triathlon: Danskin 2007
Tri Gear I Can't Live Without: my Cervelo
Best Tri Advice Received: hammering up the hill doesn't win the race.
Favorite Race: Beaver Lake
If I Won the Lottery: I'd go to a week long training camp!.
Personal Mantra: it's the journey more than the destination
Favorite LUNA Bar Flavor: S'More!
I am a mom who found the sport of triathlons after having 3 girls.
I have always enjoyed sports and was happy to find triathlons as a way to get back in shape after having my kids. I have a background in downhill skiing. I realized I missed the competition. Triathlons have been a great way to keep me motivated to stay in shape.
I have two kids in preschool and one in Kindergarten. I look forward to the Luna gatherings as a way to get active and 'reset'. I find that the workouts give me more energy to be a better Mom. I also think that working out with other women and finding training partners is the best way to stay motivated and have fun.
I am excited to begin my 3rd season of triathlons. I am thrilled to begin my 1st season with the Luna Chix tri team. I look forward to meeting and training with a lot of new people.
My races/events planned this season.....
June - Tour de Blast Bike ride - Mt. St. Helens
July - ChelanMan half ironman
............Seafair 8K
Aug. - Beaver Lake Tri
Sept. - TBD
Oct. - Portland Marathon (1st Marathon)
First Triathlon: Issaquah Sprint Tri 2006
Tri Gear I Can't Live Without: Wetsuit (although I have done two races without one!)
Best Tri Advice Received: If you aren't a strong swimmer, start at the back.
Favorite Race: Issaquah Sprint Tri
If I Won the Lottery: I'd spend the winter somewhere warm and sunny.
Personal Mantra: Just keep swimming.
Favorite LUNA Bar Flavor: Lemon Zest
I used to ride my bike a lot in high school. I remember waking up in the morning, calling my riding buddy and saying "let's ride to Pennsylvania today." Granted we were in Ohio right on the border, but we were 15 and it was a really big deal!
Eventually life got in the way and my bike sat untouched for many years. Luckily I had a great opportunity to go to Costa Rica for a few months. Since I didn't have a car there, I had to ride my bike - how else would I get to the beach to go surfing!
That trip wound up being life changing. When I got home, I was healthy, fit and had a new outlook on life. I started racing mountain bikes and having a ton of fun. I took a few years off to have my two kids, but started doing triathlons as a way to get fit again and stay active with my family. Many workouts are family oriented, having evolved from both kids being pushed or pulled in the trailer or stroller to now that they are older, them on their own bikes while we run. All family workouts involve a trip to the park!
This is my 3rd season with the LUNA Chix and my 2nd season focusing on XTERRA off road triathlons. I also enjoy road triathlons, running, mountain biking and all of that good stuff and in my *spare* time I work at a computer game company.
I am really excited to be part of the LUNA Chix program because I love to meet up with other women to share training and racing experiences, learn from each other and support the Breast Cancer Fund. And of course, LUNA is a totally awesome!
  
First Triathlon: 2003 Danskin Triathlon
Tri Gear I Can't Live Without: My cheap green wrist watch. It's nothing fancy at all but it's easy to use and has reliably kept track of my splits for the last 6 years.
Best Tri Advice Received: I have a soccer/lacrosse background where sprinting is key so when I got into triathlons my pacing was terrible. I did more of a sprint and walk for my first several races. My non-runner husband demonstrated the various paces of running in the middle of our living room and explained that I could slow down instead of stopping to walk. I ran the entire run for the first time in the next race and his advice (and the image of his cute little demo) have been with me during races ever since.
Favorite Race: Lake Padden Triathlon
If I Won the Lottery: I would play outside every day!
Personal Mantra: "Don't give up. Keep going. Do it for all of those people out there who can't."
Favorite Luna Bar Flavor: Caramel Nut Brownie
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I remember my dad referring to me as a dolphin because I would have lived in the water if he would have let me and he could never get me out of the pool. I also remember my first organized bike ride on my new ten speed. I joined a group ride that went from my elementary school at the time to a nearby high school. It was tough and I was pedaling so hard and so fast but couldn't keep up with everyone. I didn't give up though and when I finally made it I learned that I had been in the wrong gear. Little did I know that was just the start of learning how to use my gear appropriately.
As I got older, I learned to drive, the bike disappeared, and I didn't spend as much time in the water but in 2003 a friend convinced me to participate in the Danskin Triathlon. I thought she was crazy but I followed along anyway and she encouraged me every step of the way. I remember being so excited about the little milestones like my first open water swim, my first mile on the treadmill, and riding my borrowed bike for 4 miles! They had all seemed so daunting but once I got over my fears there was no turning back and after the first race, I was hooked! I have since participated in more than 20 Sprint and Olympic distance triathlons and I successfully completed my first Half Ironman in 2008. I love encouraging other women to give it a try as my friend did for me and have loved seeing many of my friends who didn't think they could do it cross that finish line for the first time.
Though this is my first season with Luna Chix Tri Team I was a member of the Cycling Team for the last two years and believe so strongly in everything that the Luna Chix program represents. Everyone needs a safe place to start and a great support team along the way. The Luna Chix have definitely been that for me over the last 5 years and I am just so excited to help more women reach their triathlon training goals while also raising money and awareness for the Breast Cancer Fund. So whether you are aiming toward your first or your 51st, I am looking forward to working out with you this season!
First Triathlon: Devil's Challenge Triathlon, 2006
Tri Gear I Can't Live Without: "Iron-crack," a mixture of 3 different electrolyte/protein drinks for long workouts
Best Tri Advice Received: On race day, expect the unexpected; the ultimate goal will always be to finish.
Favorite Race: Ironman Wisconsin
If I won the Lottery: I'd travel to as many different countries as possible!
Personal Mantra: "Courage, compassion, commitment"
Favorite LUNA Bar Flavor: Chocolate Peppermint Stick
I began triathlons three years ago while in chiropractic school in Iowa because there wasn't much to do there besides run along the Mississippi river and bike in the cornfields. I immediately was inspired by how incredibly diverse, motivated, and positive the triathlon community was. After completing my first sprint triathlon in 2006 I was hooked, and it became more than a sport, it became a lifestyle. Since then I have completed a few marathons, many sprint and Olympic distance tri's, and in 2008 finished my first Ironman in my hometown of Madison, WI. I will be racing again in the Wisconsin Ironman in September 2010
I love the physical challenges of triathlon. More than that however, I love the camaraderie and lifelong friendships that begin with the many hours of swimming, biking, and running with people who all get equal fulfillment helping each other achieve their goals and dreams. That is what initially drew me to the LUNA Chix program, along with the fact that they pride themselves on raising money for such a worthy charity, the Breast Cancer Fund.
I am thrilled to not only be in my first year with Team LUNA Chix, but also my first year training in the Pacific Northwest. I am a Midwestern transplant that relocated to the Seattle area for my position as a sports chiropractor at NW Sports Rehab. I can't wait to represent LUNA, support other women triathletes in any way possible, and learn how to become a better well-rounded female athlete, inside and out.
First Triathlon: Danskin 2008
Tri Gear I Can't Live Without: Brooks Ariel shoes and Body Glide. Body Glide everywhere.
Best Tri Advice Received: "You can totally do it," from a friend who had just finished the Danskin in 2007.
Favorite Race: Titanium Man Triathlon
If I Won the Lottery: Start a triathlon training camp for kids.
Personal Mantra: My old standy is "I am strong, I am fast, I stay focused on my task." The great thing about mantras is that you don't even have to believe that they are true in order for them to help you perform better!
Favorite LUNA Bar Flavor: Lemon Zest
This will be my third season doing triathlons and my first season as a Team LUNA Chix ambassador. I absolutely love doing triathlons! I've never been happier or healthier. I feel very fortunate to be doing something I love, and working towards my goals with old and new friends!
LUNA is awesome for creating this program, and the women of Team LUNA Chix make it a welcoming and accessible sport for all women. I am so excited to represent LUNA, and I hope to help make this another fun season of workouts!
First Triathlon: Issaquah Sprint Tri 2009
Tri Gear I can't live without: Padded bike shorts!
Best Tri Advice Received: Never do something new on race day.
Favorite Race: Chelanman Triathlon
If I won the lottery: I would work part time teaching, workout a ton and learn to be an amazing cook for my husband!
Personal Mantra: This isn't worth doing if you aren't having fun.
Favorite Luna Product: Watermelon Moons
I started swimming when I was 8 and fell in love with the sport. I swam at college but stopped after my junior year. I took up running and going to the gym for classes to keep in shape. After about 2 years of doing that I got bored and convinced myself to get back into the water... and of course I fell in love with swimming again.
After spending a year running and swimming I wanted to do more. My husband encouraged me to get a bike since our friends all like to do bike rides through Monroe on the weekend. For my birthday I received an amazing bike (that I love!) and I began riding. Now that I had a bike, and I could run and swim I thought I might as well try a triathlon. After doing the Issaquah sprint tri I was hooked. It became addicting and I looked forward to pushing myself and seeing what I could achieve.
I had an amazing summer of triathlons and fun runs, and knew this was the new sport for me! :-) I competed in two Olympic triathlons and I qualified for the 2009 and 2010 age group nationals but I think I am going to pass because they are in Alabama and race temps are usually in the 90's! My goals for the upcoming years are to compete in Olympic distances throughout Washington, go to age group nationals and complete the 1/2 Ironman in Canada (2011)!
I am really excited to be a part of the LUNA Chix program because I love to work-out and meet new women who share the same goals. I look forward to learning new things about how to be a better triathlete, encouraging other women in their adventures, and raising money to support the Breast Cancer Fund!
Races this season:
- Masters Swimming Nationals
- CDA Half Marathon
- Issaquah (sprint)
- Chelanman (Olympic Distance)
First Triathlon: Danskin 1999
Tri Gear I Can't Live Without: Chamois cream
Best Tri Advice Received: Pace your race. Be patient, don't start out too fast or you will fade at the end.
Favorite Race: Whisky Dick
If I Won the Lottery: I would would train in Hawaii fall, winter and spring, when the weather is crappy here.
Personal Mantra: While running in races I repeat, 'I can do this, I am strong, I can do this, I am strong'. I also play the B-52's song 'Rock Lobster' in my head to help me keep my turnover quick.
Favorite LUNA Bar Flavor: Vanilla Almond
This is my 11th season doing triathlons. I started with Danskin in 1999 and have not stopped since then! I love that triathlons are you racing against yourself - getting faster and having fun! This year I'm working on the mental aspect of racing. And trying to cope with turning 40. And to stop eating so much chocolate.
I've been involved as the team leader of the LUNA Chix since it started 6 years ago. I love being a part of the program because of the fantastic and inspirational women I've met! I'm happy helping women in their quest for success - answering questions on training for a first tri, gaining comfort in the open water, learning bike mechanics, or just getting out there! The Breast Cancer Fund connection means a lot to me too, as my mom's a breast cancer survivor.
I learned a valuable lesson several years ago when my boyfriend and I were riding in Hawaii. After having ridden 55 miles (of which 16 were climbing) and gaining 4500 feet of elevation, I grew tired of him telling me "We're almost at the top'" only to NOT be at the top (this happened several times). To make matters worse, there is a company that will bus you to the top, and then drop you off so you can ride all the way down. So I was suffering climbing up, I had to endure people screaming with glee as they flew down the hill, not needing to move their pedals at all. Having had enough punishment, I pulled over to the side of the road and cried. Finally composing myself and getting back on my bike, I rode another two minutes and there was the summit. The moral is: NEVER GIVE UP!!!!
When I'm not running, biking and swimming I'm sleeping, eating, working, gardening, and taking care of my three(!) pugs Henry, Oliver and Tugger.
First Triathlon: Federal Escape Sprint 2007
Tri Gear I Can't Live Without: Wetsuit, Garmin, Chamois Butter, Body Glide
Best Tri Advice Received: Appreciate and enjoy the journey. Race day is the icing on the cake!
Favorite Race: Beaver Lake Triathlon
If I Won the Lottery: I'd find a way to train and race in warm, sunny locations year-round. With the best equipment, trainers, and nutritionists, of course.
Personal Mantra: "I'm faster than I look!"
Favorite LUNA Bar Flavor: Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bar
2010 is my second year as a member of the Seattle LUNA Chix, and my fourth season doing triathlons. After almost 20 years of being sedentary, my sister dared me to sign up for Danskin with her in 2007, and I haven't looked back. Through the sport of triathlon, I have regained my joy for physical activity that I once had, and my zest for life has returned along with it. I have become capable of setting and achieving goals that 4 years ago seemed crazy. I am in better shape now than I have ever been, and have completed numerous triathlons, running races and bike events. Last year I set a goal to complete a half-ironman, and successfully finished the Grand Columbian 70.3 in 7 hours this past September. It was great crossing the finish line to see so many friends there cheering me on. I also set a PR in almost every event and distance last year, which has set the bar high for this year! I love seeing how far I can push myself.
I remember when I was at my very first triathlon (sprint distance), and I saw the athletes out there doing the Olympic-distance swim....I told my friend "there is no way I could ever do that distance, it is insane" . . . I also felt that way when I was running my first 5k and saw people finishing the half marathon. It's funny the difference a few years makes--now I have no problem doing an Olympic distance tri just for fun, and have been known to go run a half marathon with just a day's notice......who knows what's next??
I happened upon the Seattle LUNA Chix Triathlon team during my first season and attended a few workouts, and went to even more of them the next season. I am so excited to be able to be on the team again this year and to help spread the word about triathlon and the Breast Cancer Fund to women of all ages, shapes, sizes and experiences. Being an over-40, far-from-skinny, stay-at-home mother of two young children gives me hope that I can encourage other women to take a chance on this crazy and addictive sport and find their own successes no matter what the barriers may be. This year's LUNA Chix are amazing women--I hope that many local women will come to the workouts and get to know us all--we are friendly, fun and looking to help others enjoy the triathlon lifestyle as much as we do!
A big inspiration for me is my dad, who was very competitive in multi-sports in the 1980s until becoming a quadriplegic via a ski racing accident. When I am doing a workout that is super challenging or trying to talk myself out of working out, I tell myself that he would do anything to be out here doing this right now, and that keeps me motivated. I also do this to set an example for my children about having fun and living a healthy, active life. I am motivated constantly as I see what my body and mind are capable of doing, what goals I can set AND reach, and how I can continually change both physically and mentally. It's highly satisfying when friends and family tell me I am their inspiration for starting a healthy habit or trying something new. I also enjoy proving that people of all ages and body types can do this sport and succeed at it.
My favorite local places to train: Trail running on Tiger Mountain, Soaring Eagle Park or Redmond Watershed, swimming in Beaver Lake, and cycling just about anywhere as long as it is with my friends.
First Triathlon: Cascade's Edge
Tri Gear I Can't Live Without: I'm addicted to my Garmin 305
Best Tri Advice Received: : It WILL hurt
Favorite Race: Grand Columbian (HIM), Beaver Lake (sprint)
If I Won the Lottery: Sunshine, family, and a stress free life
Personal Mantra: "You can do it!"
Favorite Luna Bar Flavor: Nutz over Chocolate (Yum!)
I got into triathlons while going through emotional turmoil during a bad relationship/breakup in graduate school. I thought that the world was coming to an end when a friend convinced me to sign up for a triathlon-- Cascade's Edge Olympic (yeah, jump in with both feet!), in 2004. I thought he was crazy, as the only bike that I owned (besides my pink cruiser with streamers) is a $50 mountain bike that I got off of Craigslist. That little bike got me through Cascade's Edge, and was the beginning of what has been a change in lifestyle and attitude toward health and fitness. I've since completed 3 half-ironmans, and a couple handfuls of sprint and olympic distance races.
I learned about the Luna Chix in 2005, and started going to the Chix workouts. I've met a lot of great woman through the Luna Chix, and I am delighted to be a member of the team. I'm looking forward to planning fun workouts and introducing women to the sport in a happy, fun, and friendly environment.
Outside of keeping healthy and training for triathlons, I work for AMEC Earth & Environmental as an environmental consultant-- delineating wetlands, identifying environmental permits needed for developments, and planning environmental restoration/mitigation sites.
First Triathlon: 2002 Reebok Women's Sprint Triathlon in Naperville, IL
Tri Gear I Can't Live Without: Body Glide
Best Tri Advice Received: Get your legs ready for the run by increase your cadence on the bike a few minutes before transitioning to the run
Favorite Race: Beaver Lake Triathlon in Sammamish, WA
If I Won the Lottery: Buy an around-the-world airplane ticket and take off for a year-long adventure to see all those places I haven't seen yet in this big world
Personal Mantra: Always think positive
Favorite LUNA Bar Flavor: The new and improved Lemon Zest
I started triathlon seven years ago as a way to challenge myself and diversify my activities - up until that point, I had mostly been a runner and only a casual cyclist and I thought triathlon would be a new and exciting challenge. Since my introduction to the triathlon scene in Chicago, I have done almost 20 triathlons and countless number of running races all over the world, including Ride the Rockies in Colorado, the Vancouver Half-marathon, the Medoc Marathon in France (ok, only the first half of the race - my dad did the second half), the Nike Women's Half-marathon in San Francisco, and the Bike Against the Odds ride in Oakland, CA.
The triathlon community is truly special and I enjoy meeting and hanging out with other fellow triathletes at weekly workouts or various events. The biggest challenge I face every year is fitting in work, travel and training into my calendar so I can actually participate in some events and not be the very last person across the finish line (luckily, with wave starts at triathlons, that's usually unlikely to happen). When I am at home, I especially like training runs and rides around Magnolia and Discovery Park, and riding up Lake Washington Blvd through Madrona/Leschi where all the cool cyclists seem to be.
This is my fifth year with the Luna Chix program - initially, being on the team was another way for me to build my Seattle network as I had moved to the area only a few months before then, but now, even though I feel pretty settled, I would never think of doing anything but being a Luna Chix team member. I love the fact that every week we meet excited and eager women who can't wait to learn more about the sport and are looking to us for guidance - it's always such a treat when someone says "thank you" after an especially challenging open-water swim or hilly bike ride. I love the camaraderie among the team and all of the women who come to our workouts. I love seeing last year's beginners out-swim/ride/run the Chix at this year's workouts - it proves that we were good at knowledge transfer...and perhaps that we need to train a bit harder. And, I love that we support such a great cause such as the Breast Cancer Fund and I am hopeful that BCF will continue making strides in its fight to eliminate the environmental causes of breast cancer.
First Triathlon: Issaquah 2005
Tri Gear I Can't Live Without: My bike!
Best Tri Advice Received: Nothing new on race day.
Favorite Race: Issaquah
If I Won the Lottery: I wouldn't know where to begin.
Personal Mantra: I'm doing this for fun...
Favorite LUNA Bar Flavor: Peanut Butter LUNA Protein
2010 is my fifth year as a member of the LUNA Chix Seattle Triathlon Team, and my first year as coleader of the team! I have been doing triathlons for six years. My favorite sport is swimming, though triathlons have helped me become much more enthusiastic and confident about biking and running. A woman on my Master's swimming team convinced me to try my first triathlon...and after doing the first one, I was hooked.
I love the Luna Chix ambassador program because it allows me to meet other women who are involved in the sport or looking to train for their first race. The partnership with the Breast Cancer Fund is important to me, because I strongly believe in supporting an organization dedicated to finding the environmental causes of cancer.
My personal race goal for this year is to compete in the Victoria Half Ironman in the end of June, and then have fun for the rest of the summer, participating in shorter distance races such as the US Women's Triathlon Series race in Federal Way (July 11).
We wouldn't do triathlons if we didn't find them fun...but there is always a funny story here and there. During my very first triathlon (Issaquah Sprint Tri), I got a flat tire halfway through the bike course. I had no idea how to change a tire (though I have learned since!), and was not about to give up on the race, so I rode at a snail's pace on the flat tire...6 miles! Other cyclists kept flying by and telling me I had a flat...as if I didn't know. I got back to the transition area, ditched my bike in disgust, and completed the race!
When I'm not swimming, biking, and running, I spend my time working as a fisheries biologist, enjoying time outside hiking, skiing, or camping, and spending time with friends and family.
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