I'm a Boston-based personal trainer and theater performer. Although I have dozens of OCRs, 5/10Ks, and half-marathons under my belt, the Columbia Threadneedle Boston Triathlon will be my first triathlon! I was recently diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma, which was both a frustration and a major relief. Knowing that, I can go forward with an efficient training plan instead of ineffectively fighting against it.
I’ve been a dancer since I was three years old, which is more of a sport than people tend to realize. I got into racing in 2014 when I saw how much fun my coworker had doing them. My goals for a while were strength-oriented (execute a proper pull-up, do a 1x bodyweight deadlift, etc), but now that I’m no longer intimidated by cardio, my goal is to run a sub-9min mile. My fastest mile ever was 11:30, so while sub-9 might not seem that impressive, for me it would be a major improvement. My major race for the last five years has been the Spartan Beast at Killington in September. It made me cry the first time I raced it, and each year it’s gotten better. It’s NEVER easy.
My biggest challenge is negative self-talk, which is extremely common amongst goal-oriented people. I find that I have a tendency to compare myself to others, and you know what they say - comparison is the thief of joy. I’ve gotten better at realizing that as long as I’m improving myself, it doesn’t matter what others are doing.
A fun fact about me is that I have my master’s degree in musical theater performance from The Boston Conservatory! You have a true musical theater nerd here, and when I’m distracted or daydreaming, sometimes I sing without noticing it. Another fun fact is that I know all the states in alphabetical order (thank you, Schoolhouse Rock).
I found Coach Gregg by pure luck. I did an internet search for a triathlon coach, and he was the closest one to my job. We talked that day, and it was very clear that I should work with him. He has experience dealing with athletes with EIA, and is a very prolific racer himself. My swimming has markedly improved in the short time we’ve been training, and I can’t wait to see how I improve in the future!