Kelly is an Inspiration

Last week I wrote a post about Tricia, a blogger who I find inspirational. I'm excited about this next blogger profile, of my friend Kelly from My Life As A Trimommy.

I met Kelly at the library. Our youngest children were both babies at the time, and it turned out that we lived in the same neighborhood. Kelly is a mom of two boys, a wife, a flutist who teaches at a nearby college, and is also a Triathlete. I love to read Kelly's blog, she does so much with her life, that you can't help but get inspired to go out for a run, or to eat healthy. Plus she makes fantastic homemade bread. Kelly was happy to answer the questions I had for her, so read on!

What made you decide to become a Triathlete?

I don't think I ever decided. A good friend of mine encouraged me to try a triathlon a couple years after my first son was born. I trained all summer and at the end of the race the decision was made for me. I have been a triathlete ever since, and I love it!!

What kind of training plan do you follow, how did it come about?

This season I am training with a coach--Mary Eggers of Train-This Multisport. She plans all of my workouts for me once I send her my schedule for the week. My job is to just do them!! I love this because I am really busy, and it is just one less thing I have to worry about. Before this season I used online training plans from beginnertriathlete.com, which worked really well for me. They got me through my first sprint, my first olympic, and my first half-iron distance triathlons with great success.

What do you like best about the sport?

The best thing about triathlon is the community. At any given race you can race with professionals, elites, and age-groupers young and old, fast and not-so-fast, and everyone is cheering each other on and smiling and having a great time! I feel an instant connection to anyone who is a triathlete because I feel like they must be at least as crazy as me!

Of the three, swimming, biking, running, do you have a favorite?

During races my favorite discipline is swimming. I love swimming in open water, it feels so great to just glide through the water. For training, my favorite is running because it is so elemental--just me and my shoes (and my Garmin and my ipod...but I digress) out there in the beauty of God's world (unless I'm on a treadmill) running and running and running. It really makes me feel calm and powerful.

You're a musician, wife and mother, how do you balance everything along with your training and racing?

Well, I have an amazing husband who really supports me in everything I do. I definitely could not do it without him. I have also learned that balance is elusive, for me anyway. Usually if I'm doing one or two things really well, I feel like I am failing in another area, and if you can find any mother who doesn't feel this way, introduce me to her so I can figure out her secret!! So, my balance is slowly coming to me by realizing that it's okay to not be perfect, it's okay for my house to be messy (all the time), it's okay to miss a workout, it's okay to sometimes not want to be around my kids (honesty...right here), and it's definitely okay to eat chocolate every day.

What is Team Trakkers?

Team Trakkers is my main sponsor for the 2010 season. TrakkersGPS is a real time GPS tracking device that can be used for racing and training. My family that can't come to every race I'm in can watch me online in real time while I'm killing it in the swim, bike, run!! It tracks my speed, heart rate, pace, location and more. It's way cool!!

Do you have an off season? What keeps you motivated throughout the year?

I took some time off of running in the fall due to a foot injury, although I still swam and biked. I took two or three weeks last year where I didn't do anything I didn't want to, and didn't plan any workouts. If I felt like running, I did. If I felt like swimming, I did. If I felt like doing nothing, I did nothing. Honestly, I'm not sure what keeps me motivated most...knowing what races I have coming up or my skinny jeans.

What is some of your favorite gear, are you loyal to a certain brand? Do all triathletes name their bikes?

I love the clearance rack at Target...seriously, who can beat a sports bra for $8.97 that's cute to boot?? One of my sponsors this year through Team Trakkers is Saucony, and I am totally loving my new Xodus trail shoes. They are water-resistant which has been great with all of the snow we've been getting. I'm looking forward to getting them muddy!! I'm also a big fan of running skirts...that's pretty much all I wear for running when it's warm outside.

I'm not sure if all triathletes name their bikes, but when I got my first of my beautiful yellow Cervelo tri-bike, I just knew her name was Buttercup.

You do some barefoot running as a part of your rehab from a foot injury, how has that worked for you?

Barefoot running has totally changed the way I run. I am now a forefoot striker which is much better for my foot mechanically speaking. The hardest thing about the transition has been my super-tight calves and achilles. I have had to be really on top of stretching since I've switched. Lately, I try to get at least one short (30-40 min) run a week in my Vibrams on the treadmill.

What is your food philosophy?

I try to eat real food and avoid processed foods as much as possible. If it's fake I don't want it in my body. I try not to eat very much sugar at all. I have a little daily nutrition challenge I try to meet: 4 veggies a day, 3 fruits a day, no splurging or overeating, and lots of water. If I can I try to make it instead of pulling it out of a box. I also really try to treat what I eat as fuel for my training. I don't want to spend all this time training, then throw it down the drain by eating terrible foods.

What foods do you always have on hand, take us through a typical day of eating for you.

I like to start the day with either oatmeal w/ fruit and egg whites or a green smoothie which is frozen fruit, plain greek yogurt and raw spinach. I love sneaking veggies into breakfast, so a lot of times I'll put sweet potatoes in my oats, or add a bit of avocado into my smoothie. I almost always have coffee with cream too. For lunch I'll have a salad, eggs, or leftovers. For dinner I usually try to make some kind of lean meat or fish and lots of vegetables. For snacks I turn to celery, carrots, or apples with nut butter (I make my own in my food processor) or greek yogurt or Larabars.

What are your future goals?

My goal, as always, is to continue trying to reach my full potential as a mother, wife, flutist and triathlete. I definitely see myself competing in an Ironman at some point in the next few years, and I am looking forward to becoming a USAT certified triathlon coach in May.

and finally:

salty or sweet? sweet

George Clooney or Brad Pitt? Brad Pitt

Early Bird or Night Owl? Night Owl

Boxers or Briefs? I actually like boxer briefs...am I allowed to say that?

Vampires or Werewolves? Vampires

Dogs or Cats? Dogs

and finally....

Reality Television, yes, or no? Let's just say I have watched every season of Survivor

Thanks Kelly, I think you rock!