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 to 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, I
learned more in that 1 year then I have my entire athletic career.
Finishing my 2007 rookie season I moved back to my root in the
Northwest for a second year as a pro triathlete
in 2008. After an unforseen but overdue knee surgery this
February I have changed my focus to rehabbing my knee back to 100
percent, re-focusing my priorities and getting excited for another
attempt at a second professional year in 2009.
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Family: Parents, Bro, Sis – all in Portland.
Aunts & Uncle - in Seattle.
Biggest Weakness: Irish Whiskey
Non-Triathlon Hobby: Skiing, Mountains &
Bonnairs
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
