After my final amateur and breakthrough season in 2006, I transitioned into full-time status as a professional athlete in San Francisco, CA.
History
I grew up in Portland, Oregon, the running capital of the nation and ran through high school with coach Tom Rothenberger. In 1996 he led our women’s team to our first ever cross-country state title for Jesuit High School. I continued my running at the Air Force Academy racing Division I cross-country and track. Four years of a military institution has it’s positives and negatives, but running for Mark Stanforth and the Falcons was definitely the highlight of my four years. My first assignment after graduation was at Edwards AFB, California (the Mojave desert), an Air Force test base. There wasn’t much to do out there so I continued my running and became an assistant, coaching at Desert High School with Brett Dobson. I had a breakthrough running year in 2004, two years after I graduated from Air Force. From there I started swimming and riding bikes. After winning my age group and placing 3rd overall at the LA Triathlon in 2004, I figured I’d give triathlon a shot.
I continued racing cross-country, track and triathlon on the Air Force teams and qualifying for the US Armed Forces teams. Racing in the Air Force provided me all my traveling opportunities and a chance to meet lots of new people in our Armed Forces as well as plenty of characters from different countries also serving their nations. Germany, France, London, Sweden, Houston Texas….(oh that’s not another country?).
Janda Rici-Munn broke me into the sport of triathlon and coached me through my first USAT Nationals race. In 2004 I was re-stationed at Los Angeles AFB where I swam with Diane Gallas, Bonnie
Adair and rode plenty of Palos Verdes loops. In 2005 I began working with Matt Dixon, and racing for Team QDot. I separated from the Air Force at the end of 2006 and made a huge decision moving to San Francisco to train full time and work with a new Performance Training Center, Endurance PTC. With the help of my coach, team manager and a lot of great friends and mentors, and the support of my husband Ben who stayed in LA to finish his Air Force commitment, I learned more in that 1 year then I have my entire athletic career. Finishing my 2007 rookie season I moved north to Washington to settle back down with my husband and look ahead to tackling a second year as a pro triathlete in 2008.
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Family: Parents, Bro, Sis – all in Portland.
Husband: Ben Brown – Ohio State Fan, previous AF Captain, Big Time Consultant
Biggest Weakness: Irish Whiskey
Non-Triathlon Hobby: Skiing & Mountains
Best Memory: Standing with my team on the stands taking first at the Oregon State Highschool State Cross Country Meet at Lane Community College
Favorite Pro: Suzy Hamilton since as long as I can remember
