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racing Archives - Britt Fit

Meet the Athlete: Lolo

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Lauren Davis and I have been bonding over coffee, tea, cake, cookies, ice cream, and running, for about 8 years now.  In college, I started calling her Lolo for reasons that I cannot remember, or maybe for no reason–again, I cannot remember.  Lolo is creative, quiet (sometimes), SUPER FAST (all the time), thoughtful, loyal, and extremely hard-working.  She follows her passions (running, marketing, friending/girl-friending, eating good food, pairing good food with good beer, being a Bruin, puppy-mommying) without restraint, and is never afraid to explore a new hobby (triathlon, website creation, traveling, cooking, baking, photography, computer coding).  Those are some of my favorite things about Lolo.  Did I mention that she designed this website? And did I mention that she is a very fast runner?  Here’s her side of the story:

Current place of residence: Austin, TX
Hometown/place of birth: Corona del Mar, CA
Day job: Marketing Coordinator
Favorite sports or hobbies (besides running): swimming, biking, hiking, and playing tug of war with my dog
Current (2015/2016) run/race goal: 5k/10k PR
Best race distance: 5k & 10k
Dream race: Stockholm Marathon

Race mantra: I usually have a song lyric in my head that makes me feel strong and focused

When/how/why did you start running/endurance sports? I started running in middle school when I was no longer having fun playing soccer. I joined the middle school track team and realized I was pretty good at it!

Hardest race and/or workout you’ve ever completed: Collegiate Triathlon Nationals – it was cold, windy and I was incredibly under-trained. It was horrible!

Most memorable training and/or race moment(s):

1) Breaking 18 minutes in the 5k

2) Breaking the tape for the first time…

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If you had to switch sports, what would you switch to, and why? Triathlon, if I had more time to train. Most likely swimming – I love how swimming makes every muscle hurt, but the good kind of hurt.

Words of wisdom to someone considering training for their first foot race: Consistency! Run every day, even if it’s just for 15 minutes.

Something you’ve learned about yourself through running/endurance sport: My ability to deal with stress is much higher than I think.

Pre-race ritual or superstition? I don’t have any superstitions, but I make sure I eat lots of clean protein (fish/steak/pork) and carbs (white/brown rice) the days before.

Training/racing “secrets”/tips? If it hurts, take a day off. I’ve avoided many injuries by just taking a day off when something feels off or I haven’t gotten enough recovery.

Training/racing pet peeve? The person who uses you the whole race, but doesn’t try to pass you.

Why do you keep running? Running allows me to discover what I’m capable of, in a way that nothing else in life does. Running challenges me to push myself through pain and setbacks, and this carries over into every aspect of my life. I’m a better person because I run.

What does “Fuel” mean to you? Giving my body what it craves to get the work done. Sometimes that’s a salad packed with brown rice, beans, and veggies. Other times that’s a burger, fries, and cold beer!

What does being “Fit” mean to you? The feeling that your body is firing on all cylinders and you’re unstoppable! It’s not a number of a scale or a specific pant size.

Pick one:

Trail or track? Track
Solo or group training? I prefer to do quality workouts with a group. But solo run allow you to focus on your body and push yourself.
Chocolate or cheese? Chocolate
Watch on your left wrist or right? Left
Morning or evening workout? Morning
Hat or visor? Hat
Cheerios or Wheaties? I haven’t eaten either in years! I’m an oatmeal gal.
Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate? Coffee

Want to join the Lolo fan club?  You can follow her on Twitter @lauren_edavis

Meet the Athlete: John #1

By | Coaching, Fitness, Fuel, Meet the Athlete, Triathlon | 3 Comments

Meet John #1, Ironman triathlete, husband,  and newly-appointed grandfather. He pretty much does it all.  Why #1? Because John #2!

Current place of residence:  Camarillo, CA

Hometown/place of birth: Sun Valley, CA / Hollywood, CA

Day job: Architect

Favorite sports or hobbies (besides triathlon): I love to ski.

2015 triathlon/race goal: To complete two 140.6 distance events this year. IM Switzerland in July and IM Arizona in November.

Best triathlon race leg (swim, bike, run, T1, T2, beer garden): Definitely the bike. Definitely not T1.

Dream race: My parents were both from Switzerland.  I’m really looking forward to competing there this year.

Race mantra: Just keep moving.  A good friend once told me that every step I take during the race is one I don’t have to take again.  I think about that a lot.

When/how/why did you start triathlon?:  A good running friend of June’s (wife) asked me to help her with her cycling.  I said sure, what are you doing?  She said she signed up for an Ironman.  I seriously asked her if she knew what that was.  She had never participated in a tri.  I signed up for my first sprint tri with her a couple months later.  I was hooked.

Hardest race you’ve ever completed: IM Arizona, because of the distance and training commitment.  The run during the Rhode Island 70.3 with the crazy steep hills, 90 degree heat and 90% humidity was also not fun.

Most memorable race moment: I was starting the second lap of the Oceanside run in 2011 and an athlete who had finished the event high fived me and encouraged me on.  I then realized it was Andy Potts who had won the event.  That really stuck with me.

Words of wisdom to someone considering training for their first triathlon/endurance event: Baby steps.  Don’t overcommit to a race that is too hard or too long.  Build slowly and you will enjoy the experiences much more.

Something you’ve learned about yourself through triathlon/endurance sport: You can accomplish a lot if you dedicate yourself and put in the work.  You can do more than you thought possible.

Pre-race ritual or superstition: June says I wait to the last minute to pack.  Not a good thing.

Training/racing “secrets”: Coffee

Training/racing pet peeve(s): Slower riders who ride to the left of the road.  People who claw at you during the swim.

Why do you keep Tri-ing?: My training partners.  I love to associate with the people who “Get it”.

What does “Fuel” mean to you?: Coffee

What does being “Fit” mean to you?: Feeling strong. Looking forward to the next workout.  Wanting to do more.

Pick one:

Open water or pool?  Open water
Trail or track?  Trail
Solo or group training?  Group
Chocolate or cheese?  I’m Swiss, do I really have to choose?
Watch on your left wrist or right?  Left
Morning or evening workout?  Morning.  I never would have said that before doing tris.
Hat or visor?  I use both.
Swim cap or no cap?  Pool, no cap…Open water, cap.
Cheerios or Wheaties?  Wheaties
Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate?  Coffee, coffee, coffee.

Want to see yourself featured in a future edition of M.T.A.? All BrittFit Athletes are eligible. You could be next!

Meet the Athlete: PRO Edition

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It’s an honor to highlight Canadian professional cyclist, Shoshauna Routley, on the blog this morning. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Shoshauna during her stay in Ventura this winter, and she kindly agreed to share some tidbits with us. Enjoy!

Hometown: I grew up in Texas, then moved to Canada when I was 6.
Ethnic Background: My mom’s Philippino and my dad’s Canadian. Now that’s multicultural.
Cycling Team: BMW p/b Happy Tooth
Specialty: Tactician/ sprinter

Favorite accomplishment in cycling: Signing with BMW p/b Happy Tooth

Favorite non-cycling accomplishment:

I’ve had over a dozen different jobs: service clerk at Safeway, modeling, selling Purdy’s chocolates, greens keeping at a golf club, landscaping, serving at restaurants, and working as an “educator” at Lululemon. Somewhere mixed in with work, I received a degree in Horticulture and I have currently been picking away at a Kenisiology degree. I also have many other interests. After high school, I auditioned for a band and was chosen as a singer. And a few years back, I started a little homemade jewelry business, which was put on consignment at a cute boutique shop. I am happy with all of the different perspectives I have gained. I have picked away at accomplishing this valuable thing called “life experience”.

Non-cycling related hobbies:

At the moment, cycling takes up most of my time. In the Fall I take a full-time course load at Uni (University), and over the past year and a half I planned a wedding, got married, bought an old farm and have been renoing (renovating) this old farm/house during every spare moment. This includes planting a crop, fixing the roof, kitchen, bathroom, floors and windows. As athletes and with parental supervision and help, we were able to do everything ourselves and in a very short time period.

What brings you (and hubby, Will Routley) to California this “winter”?

This will be our 4th winter in California, not consecutively. The first time we came to California was when he (Will) raced for Jelly Belly. We stayed in Santa Cruz California for 2 winter seasons and discovered the wonders of California! Sunshine, amazing riding, great food, and perpetual beach sunsets. This year is our first year spending some time in Southern California and it’s amazing here too. I could move here in a heartbeat. I love the weather, the riding and being so close to the beach. It doesn’t matter how tired I am, I wake up and see that beautiful clear blue sky and I’m rebooted mentally. Some would call that “solar powered”.

Do you have an athletic background in sports other than cycling?

I actually don’t have an endurance background. I was a competitive gymnast from ages 7 to 12. In high school, I played team sports: a bit of volleyball, basketball and softball. I loved everything about sports, but my parents weren’t as supportive, so I never pursued sport despite having the drive and the talent.

How long ago did you take up cycling?

I got into cycling as an adult. I started riding a borrowed road bike from an old high school crush-turned-best friend (Marsh). I would go out with him and his sister maybe 5 times a year and I enjoyed it. He always thought I could be a fast biker and maybe that subconsciously sparked my interest, because consciously, I had been trained to believe that normal people couldn’t be professional athletes.

When did you first dream of becoming a professional cyclist, and why?

Eventually, Marsh invited me for dinner to meet one of his teammates. Little did I know that it was actually close to 7 of his team mates, Will Routley being one of them. I was being set up with a different rider, but Will snuck in there and called me the next day to go for coffee. Two years later, he bought me a road bike and we toured around Australia for the winter. After putting in quite a few miles down under, I returned home and decided to give the racing thing a go. Like a moth to the flame, I couldn’t resist. For the first 2 years it was a hobby. I worked, raced, and had fun, but to get better I needed to commit. So, over the past 5 years, I went in whole hog and wound up here.

1267218_10201852095764819_1436238536_oShoshauna and husband, Will Routley

What are your goals for 2015?

I really hope to get some bigger results personally but I also hope to get a team result at every race. I think there will be a lot of different strengths between our team’s riders and if we work together, and race tactically, we will be the “little team that could”. You don’t have to have the strongest women on a team to win, but you do need them to be dedicated to the overall result, ego aside.

Other long-term aspirations?

When I finish racing, I will finish my degree in Kinesiology and either continue into a teaching program or start my own coaching business and work with youth in the sport.

Top 3 favorite things about being a professional athlete:

  1. The healthy lifestyle. I am so much more educated and interested in the food that I eat and the chemicals that I’m exposed to or trying to avoid.
  2. The traveling is such a thrill. I love seeing new places and getting to know an area. Riding your bike exposes an area and all of its quirks. It allows you to take in the area and relish in the moment. You’re free, and it’s beautiful.
  3. Making gains on the bike, and pushing your body a little more than you did the last time.

Least favorite things about being a professional athlete:

Rejection, not achieving a goal, and overcoming an injury. These three things happen a lot in this sport and they can be really stressful to deal with. At the end of the season, waiting to hear back from teams is a very stressful period for most roadies (road cyclists).

Favorite thing about being married to another professional cyclist:

We help motivate one another and are each others’ biggest fans and supporters. We both understand the challenges that come with cycling and are more apt at dealing and overcoming them together.

Favorite place(s) so far you’ve visited for training/racing, and why:

We have lived in Australia, Southern and Northern California, Carcassonne, France, Belgium and Girona, Spain. I enjoyed living in all of these places and they all offered something a little different from the next.

Southern France was beautiful; we lived outside of what we would consider a giant castle. In Spain there are these wonderful markets with some of the best produce. In Belgium, the chocolate was amazing and I probably had a bit too much of it while I was there. Europe is amazing because the culture is significantly different from North America. They just do things a little differently from country to country and it’s so great to experience those differences. Europe also has so much history which shapes it’s exterior; old buildings, small cobbled streets and traditions passed down from family to family.

I also love California– the whole state. It feels like home now. We’ve logged a lot of miles on our car coming back and forth to California. And we’ve covered virtually the entire state, either on our bikes or in our car. There are unique little pockets from the local farmers with a free bird feel in Sebatopol, to Santa Cruz where hippies rule the roost, and now to Ventura, a place abound with lemons and avocado farms and sun-worshiping surfers. So far, I seem to be in favor of the world.

What advice would you give to an aspiring professional athlete?

Nothing worthwhile comes easy. If you want to be successful at something, it takes time and patience. If you want to do something, and you believe you have the ability, don’t hold back. Don’t let your insecurities or other peoples’ worry detract from your effort. It’s so easy to fall into a negative headspace and come up with reasons as to why you can’t. I have to frequently remind myself of this.

Huge thanks to Shoshauna for the thoughtful responses. Wishing her a very enjoyable and fast season with team BMW p/b Happy Tooth!

Meet the Athlete: Lou

By | Coaching, Fitness, Fuel, Meet the Athlete, Triathlon | No Comments

Two weeks ago, we met Ironwoman Jolene. Today, we get to meet the Ironman in her life: Lou, 5x Ironman finisher and BrittFit athlete since 2014.

Favorite non-triathlon-related pastime: camping
Favorite workout: long group ride
Favorite athletic accomplishment: completing my first Ironman in 2011 at St. George (IM-SG).
Dream race: IM Kona (by qualifying)
How many races do you participate in each year? 5
How many 70.3/Iron distance races have you completed? 3x 70.3 and 5x 140.6

Most memorable race mishap: dropping my fuel on the bike during IM-TX within the first 25 miles, and then dropping my BACKUP fuel within five more miles. I turned around to go pick it up, waiting for all the bikes to go by (for an opening), only having to leave it behind once I got to it because the container broke in the fall.

Most difficult race: IM Lake Tahoe 2013. The high altitude, a new bike with wrong gearing (for so much climbing) and only two months of training made it a very difficult race. And snow the day before race day didn’t help either.

Most memorable moment in triathlon: The first time I met the Rincon (Tri Club) Ironmen. It was at one of Shigy’s Duathlons and I was in awe of them all.

Who inspires you in triathlon? Two of the top qualifiers in my age group: Shigy Suzuki & Jim Avrea. They keep setting new standards.

When did you start doing triathlons? In 2010 I started training for the 2011 IM-SG. I purchased an online training plan and used that in preparation for the race. I also joined Rincon triathlon club which helped me.

Race mantra: just keep smiling 🙂
Favorite recovery treat: Double-Double from In-N-Out
Go-to pre-race breakfast: toasted bagel with Peanut butter and Gu
Any odd rituals: I always wear my pj’s & volunteer shirt from IM-SG 2010 to bike/gear drop off before race day.
Triathlon “idol”: Chris Lieto

Pick one:
ice cream or froyo? Ice cream
hat or visor? Hat
long runs or intervals? Long runs
hilly or flat? Hilly
coffee or tea? Coffee
watch on your left wrist or right? Right
summer or winter? Winter
chocolate or cheese? Chocolate
drive or fly? Drive

Anything else you want to share with the world? Just Tri

Want to see yourself featured in a future edition of M.T.A.? All BrittFit Athletes are eligible. You could be next!