Meet Olivia, Amanda, and Coco: Up-and-Coming Triathletes, Paratriathlete

September is finally here! And top American women triathletes and cyclists will be competing in the ITU World Triathlon Championships in Chicago, Ill., from September 15-19 and the UCI Road World CyclingChampionships in Richmond, Va., from September 19-27.

American women have dominated the world triathlon scene this year. They are led by Gwen Jorgensen, the reigning ITU world champion, and Sarah True and Katie Zaferes. Paratriathlon, a multisport competition for those with physical challenges, will debut at the 2016 Paralympic Games, and U.S. contenders competing in the Windy City include Hailey Danisewicz and Melissa Stockwell.

While a few women have already qualified for a coveted spot on Team USA for next summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games, others are still vying for remaining slots. Cheering them on are three sporty girls, Olivia, Amanda and Coco, who are coming up the ranks and chasing championship titles at the Youth and Junior level.

Olivia Wade, 14 and a freshman in high school in California, competed at the USAT Youth-Junior National Championship this past summer finishing fourth in the Youth Elite division. She began running in second grade and has found her niche in triathlon. Needless to say, the run segment of the race is her favorite. Olivia is a member of the Formula Endurance Team based in San Diego, California.

Do you have a favorite female triathlete?

I am always excited to see Gwen Jorgensen race because no matter how much pain she is in, she always manages to put a smile on her face. I look up to Gwen because her ability to run as well as she does which pushes me to try my best and conquer the run in all my races.

Olivia’s Favorite Books: My overall favorite book is WONDER by R.J. Palacio. I enjoyed this because it showed how everyone should be able to be happy and have friends who love them for who they are no matter what they look like. A couple of my other favorite books are BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY by Ruta Sepetys and TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee.

Reading in general: A good sports book I would recommend is WITH WINNING IN MIND by Lanny Bassham. When I was injured [hit by a car four years ago] and couldn’t compete for a long time I remember reading a good book, A CORNER OF THE UNIVERSE by Ann M. Martin.

Amanda Becker is 10-years-old, lives in Wisconsin, and just started the 5th grade. In 2012, she joined the Chicago-based Dare2tri Paratriathlon Club and has competed in eight races to date. A highlight this past summer was representing the Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association (GLASA) at the National Junior Disability Championships in the swimming competition.

What part of the race is your favorite?

Swimming. Even though I can bike and run in races, they make my leg and hips hurt more than swimming.

What female paratriathletes do you admire?

If I have to pick one favorite, it would be Melissa Stockwell [shown above in photo]! I want to be like her someday, and my dream is to go to the Paralympic Games, too!

Would you like to see girls in books who have a prosthesis like you?

I think it would be great to see more girls with prosthetics in all different sports. Maybe if there were more books or news stories about what we can do there would be more girls getting out and playing like me.

Amanda’s Favorite Books: I love all of the JUNIE B. JONES books by Barbara Park and DORK DIARIES by Rachel Renee Russell.

Reading in general: My mom was reading part of the Rudy Ruettiger story to me — he's the guy from the movie Rudy who played football at Notre Dame and overcame challenges. On our way to the National [Junior Disability] Championships in New Jersey, we stopped at Notre Dame and that was neat to see.

Courtney “Coco” Diemar is 11-years-old and in the 6th grade. She lives outside of Chicago and has already won national triathlon and cycling titles. In 2010, at the age of six, she won the IronKids National Triathlon Championship. Last month she was featured in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd” for winning the 11-year old USAT Youth-Junior National Championship. Coco competes for the MMTT Mach II Triathlon Team and Junior Twenty16 Cycling Team. Her favorite part of the triathlon is biking.

Cycling races have different events – what do you like/dislike about them?

Overall, I like bike racing because I can draft [tuck in close, behind other competitors] and I have to think about what kind of moves I am going to make. I like criteriums the best because they are usually short, fast, and often have tight turns plus little hills that make them fun. In road races, it can be sort of boring if you are in a race in the middle of nowhere. Time Trials are hard because you are by yourself and if it's windy you cannot draft off of other people.

Since you live so close to Chicago, are you going to watch the ITU Triathlon events?

Yes, I can’t wait to see all the USA women compete since right now they are the best in the world. I have never seen a women's or men's pro race, it will be exciting!

The UCI Road World Championships are in Richmond right after the ITU Worlds – are you going to be following that, too?

I am so excited that my Twenty16 teammate Chloe Dygert will be racing in the Junior Time Trial and Road Race. She won cycling nationals and is really FAST! Kristin Armstrong is also on Twenty16 and competing in the Pro Women's Time Trial, she was a triathlete before being a cyclist, so she is like me.

Coco’s favorite books: LAND OF STORIES Series by Chris Colfer, THE SELECTION Series by Kiara Cass, and MORTAL INSTRUMENTS Series by Cassandra Clare.

Reading in general: I like "fantasy" type books. I love to read before I go to bed. It gives me a good a break before I go to sleep. We also have a subscription to Sports Illustrated Kids that I read every month. My swim coach sometimes will send emails with articles he would like us to read, but usually my sister, brother and I ride our bikes to the library or bookstore and pick out our own books. I also have a Kindle, so I am always downloading books.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

USA Triathlon KidZone

http://www.usatriathlon.org/audience/athlete-resources/kid-zone.aspx

and

USA Cycling

https://www.usacycling.org/juniors

Athlete Interview with Horseback-riding Julia

Julia is our youngest interviewee yet, at seven years old. She loves all things horses and has taken Western lessons over the past year. She lives in Pittsboro, North Carolina, and dreams of one day owning her own horse. 

Hi, Julia, and welcome to Sporty Girl Books. Can you tell us a bit more about yourself?
*giggles* I'm entering the third grade this fall, and I play the piano. I like to visit both my grandparents and ride their horses (though one of them only has English and one time she flung me off), I like to play outdoor games like Kubb, build forts, ride my bike fast, play card games (spoons is my favorite), and I read all the horse books I can find. I went to my first rodeo on the 4th of July. One day I want to be a barrel racer and live on a ranch.

Can you tell us about your horse lessons?

Riding bareback for the first time

I take lessons from Penny. The first thing she taught me was how to jump off of a horse and keep my hand on the reins. It's still one of my favorite things to do. I just hold tight to the reins, grab the mane, and slide off on the left side. I prefer to ride bareback, but sit a good Western saddle. Horse lessons are all about remembering who is in control, me, or the horse. As my teacher likes to say, "Itty bitty girl, big strong horse, but who's in control? Itty bitty girl."
If I don't pay attention, Wind Prince will ride me around the ring where he wants to go. When I ride, it's important that the horse does what I'm asking, and I don't let him take me around the ring, so we work to go and stop at my commands. One time my instructor told me to go twenty steps and then stop and hold still for as long as I could before going again, so I stopped Wind Prince, my favorite horse, and we waited for ten minutes. My teacher was shocked I could wait that long.

Can you tell us about this favorite horse?

Julia with her teacher Miss Penny

Wind Prince is a dapple gray. He is the sweetest boy, but I always remember that horses have two ends, the biting end and the kicking end. So far, I haven't been bitten or kicked, so that's pretty good. I like to groom Wind Prince after our lessons and we talk to each other. It's important to be gentle around a horse and get all the sweat from riding off them so they don't get sores. Did you know horses could get sunburns?

I'll keep that in mind the next time I'm around a horse! What are your favorite horse books?
For Christmas my mom got me the first book in the Horse Diaries series about an Icelandic filly named Elska. Now I've read all the Horse Diaries books. They're really good and written from the horse. (Now I'm reading Dog Diaries, which are the same thing, told from the dog). I also read Black Beauty.

I'll have to check out the Horse Diaries and maybe revisit Black Beauty one of these days. Thanks for being on Sporty Girl Books!

Athlete Spotlight: Sadie Johns, Basketball Player

Sadie Johns, 14, is another of athlete from my church youth program. Thanks so much for being on the blog today!

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I live in Cary, North Carolina. I'm in ninth grade, I play basketball and sometimes do horseback riding. I have two brothers, I love to read and write,  and I play trumpet in my school band.

Sounds like you're pretty busy and involved in a lot of different activities. How long have you played basketball? What position do you typically play? And how tall are you, anyhow?
I've played Cary recreation basketball for two years and I've played school ball for two. I normally play the 5 or center as I'm six feet tall.

Wow, six feet tall. Sounds perfect for basketball. Can you tell us some of the highlights from your last season?
Some highlights are when I scored six points, had seven rebounds and two assists in one game. My team was really proud of me.

I bet that did feel wonderful. Basketball is definitely a team sport. Can you share your experiences learning to work with and trust your teammates?

#32 in the huddle

My teammates have to trust me to know when and where to be and to catch the ball, and I have to trust them to do the same. One excersise that really needed us to trust each other is when we took a weighted ball and our partner layed down on the floor with their arms by their side. We held the heavy ball over their face and dropped it. They where not allowed to move their arms until the ball was dropped. They had to trust us not to drop the ball on their face or to drop it too early.

Yikes! That is a really good trust exercise. What are some of your favorite recent reads?
I am reading a book called REBEL ANGELS. It is the second book in a trilogy about a girl named Gemma Doyle who is trying to restore the "saftety value" on magic that's been released in to different realms.

Speed round:
Pizza or sushi? Pizza
Bike or run? Bike
Ebook or paper copy? Paper copy
Dance to loud music or talk with friends? Talk with friends
If you could be any animal what would it be? An eagle. I've always wanted to be able to fly, and eagles have a sense of power with them. The way the watch the water and know exactly where to sink their talons in to grab a unsuspecting fish from the water is amazing. Plus, they're beautiful!

I love eagles, as well. Thanks so much for being on the blog. I look forward to hearing about your many successes in future seasons!

Athlete Spotlight with Star Volleyball Player Natalie White

Like Erin, who I interviewed last fall, I met Natalie at my church when I worked as her youth leader. Natalie is quick to smile, volunteer to help, and kind enough to take the time out of her extremely competitive schedule to answer a few questions on the blog. She comes from a family of athletes. Her older sisters played collegiate volleyball for St. Mary's in California, Utah Valley University, and Brigham Young University Natalie hopes to follow in their footsteps.

Could you tell us about yourself? 

I am 16 years old. I live in North Carolina and go to Apex High School. I have been playing competitive volleyball since I was 10. 

I mentioned your sisters above, could you tell me about your parents?

My mom played intramural volleyball and football for BYU and my dad played basketball and baseball in college for Long Beach State. He then went on on and played minor league baseball as a pitcher for the Padres. My dad is my biggest supporter and makes the time to come to as many games/tournaments as he can and is never afraid to tell me what I need to work on as an athlete.

You have an impressive sporty family. I'm glad you all support each other so well. You're really tall, right? Are you the tallest girl on your team? How does it feel to tower over most people? 

I am a 6'2" and there are many tall girls on my team who are over 6'1". We all love it when we are together; however, when we are alone at school it's not always something that we absolutely are proud of. 

I had a roommate in college who was 6'2". She struggled sometimes with towering over so many people...especially the guys, but she taught me that whatever height I do have, to stand tall. I hope that you can do that too, but I can image what you mean about that being difficult!
You come from a really athletic family and I know you're also good at basketball. What sports did you play growing up and why did you choose to play JO volleyball? 

#3 with her teammates

Because I was always supporting my older sisters at national tournaments, I have never really played anything else besides volleyball. I did swim for a short summer season when I was 12. I loved both sports and I do regret not being more well rounded sports wise, but I do love where I'm at with volleyball. It was something that I have always enjoyed watching and it was in my blood. 

What position do you play? I bet you're a formidable blocker. Do you have a wicked spike? I imagine you doing those quick center 1 kills. Do you find you work well with your team's setter? Are you able to read each other well? 
I am a right side hitter and set here and there. I'm convinced that I have a powerful swing. The team that I am playing for does some crazy plays through out the game. I love the setters that I have because I realize how difficult the good sets can be. Because I have a good relationship with my setters, I can tell which directions they are going or if they might need help when in a difficult situation. 

I was a setter and a weak side hitter, so yes, having a good relationship with your hitters is key. I'm glad you guys work so well together. Could you tell us about your favorite tournament and why?

My favorite tournament was when I was 14 years old and we went to D.C. for Presidents Day Weekend. The tournament is called Capitol Hill. It is a three day tournament with heavy competition every match. We went undefeated and didn't lose one set!! It was the most rewarding experience I have very been a part of and it will never be forgotten. We played so hard every single day and I loved every second of it.

Spiking over the block.

That sounds wonderful! Being on a traveling team, how do you squeeze in everything you do? I know you're an honor's student and you're active in your church's youth program and even wake up early for seminary before school each day. Is there anything else you also juggle during this season? 

Honestly I don't know how I do it. When I am traveling I try and get as much school work done in small amounts of time. It usually leads to late nights and not so much sleep. When i was 13 I made it a goal that before I turned 16 I wanted to accomplish all of my youth responsibilities so that I could have the joy of something being done and having one less thing on my plate. 

Wow. I know turning 16 was pretty recent. Congrats on reaching those goals! 

What is your favorite book? Do you read sporty girl books?

I do not read many books, but one trilogy that has caught my eye lately is Divergent. Its nothing sporty or anything. I just love the physical and mental strength that she receives through out the whole experience. There is also another book that my Varsity Coach has some girls read that really caught my eye that I would love to read at some point in time. Its called A Mental Thing and it all takes about becomes mentally strong is just as important as being physically strong. 

The Divergent trilogy is really good. I struggled having to wait so long in between books. I'm a little jealous that you can read them all at once (when you have time, that is). I'll have to look into A Mental Thing. Thanks so much for being on the blog today, Natalie! We wish you to best of luck with all your endeavors, athletic, or otherwise:D

Athlete Spotlight: Caitlin Tycz, Record Breaking Maine Swimmer on the Rise

Caitlin Tycz is a fifteen-year old elite swimmer who I've had the pleasure of knowing for the past ten years. When my youngest tried the swim team for a couple of years I was honored to watch her swim the butterfly. Even in elementary school, she sliced through the water like a dolphin causing me to ask her for some butterfly stroke tips. Sadly, even her wise words about arm release and breathing couldn't help what my family calls my "dying frog" stroke. Caitlin was listed in the December 11, 2014 PORTLAND PRESS HERALD as one of ten Maine female swimmers to watch. She is the "Defending Class A 50 freestyle champ and runner-up in 100 butterfly who had third-best time in 100 free and backstroke." I'm so pleased she agreed to share some of her thoughts on swimming competitively, records, athlete health, pressure, and of course books. Caitlin, welcome to Sporty Girl Books!

Fill us in on the last year. What are some of your recent swimming highlights?

I have had a very successful year, and have accomplished more than I ever thought I would. Last year at our High School Championships, my time in the 100 yard butterfly was fast enough to qualify me for an All-American status. This was a great honor, and only added to the excitement of that meet. Overall, the Brunswick girls placed second, which was a big surprise. This year in high school swimming, I am currently ranked first in all eight events for Class A Girls. Right now, my time in the 100 yard butterfly is ranked fourth in the country for fifteen year old girls in the USA Swimming League. I am very proud of my achievements, but I am always looking forward to improve instead of dwelling on my past.

​Wow. That's so exciting. It must take a lot of work to get to that level of competition. ​What does a normal week of training look like for you? Do you ever get an off season? 

During the winter season, I compete on both the Long Reach Swim Club (a Y team) and the Brunswick High School team. This means I have at least two workouts a day​--​sometimes more. A normal week usually has five​-​one and a half hour Long Reach practices, and three or four high school practices. On days that I don’t have high school practice, we will have high school meets. I also train with my personal trainer three times a week. On weekends, I usually have one meet with Long Reach. I compete in both a summer and winter league, so my off season is very short. I usually take off a couple weeks in May and all of August, but I continue to be active.

In the Girls 15-16 100 fly at the Bowdoin Open in December 2014, you swam a time of 54.39 breaking the old record of 54.88 set by Coby Harvey (CMA) in 2013. But this just one in a line of many record breaking swims for you. Two years ago at the 2012 Long Reach Swim Club’s Sprint Meet on June 30, 2012, you broke the Girls’ 11-12 100 yard Back, the Girls’ 11-12 100 yards IM, the previous 100 yard Back and the 100 yard IM. How do you approach the idea of record times? Are you thinking about the old record as you swim or are you focusing on your personal best? How does record breaking affect your training?

When I swim, I focus only on what I can control. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, your times just don’t reflect what you are expecting. In general​,​ records are always something that all athletes shoot for​;​ it’s something to base your goals on. On a day to day basis, I try to think about the process of getting to these goals, instead of how challenging they might be. I am fortunate enough for these records to be manageable goals, and work everyday to keep improving. Even though these goals can be very stressful, I work to always find the fun in whatever I have to do, both in the pool and on dry land.


How do National competitions compare to State events? Have you swum on the international stage yet? If not, is that in the plans? Tell me a little about your swimming goals.

National competitions and State competitions are very different, but I think both are important to my swimming. Maine Swimming is overall a very small organization, which makes the whole experience feel like a family. This makes meets fun, and I have definitely made lifelong friends through the sport. On a National level, however, everyone there is challenging you for a spot in the finals. Its definitely more stressful, but as I become more experienced, I am learning how to cope with these differences. Last January, I competed in a meet in Austin, Texas which was an international meet. This was the biggest competition I have attended, and it was an eye opening experience. I was surrounded by National champions, Olympians from other countries, and even some of Team USA’s finest. This was an amazing experience, and being there helped me realize that my biggest goal is to be on Team USA. This goal is a little far fetched, but I continue to make smaller, more manageable goals.

In August you swam in an event that was televised? Tell me about the competition and how ​you did​? How did the TV coverage change the experience for you?

Over the summer I swam in Indianapolis at YMCA Long Course Nationals. I have been competing this meet for the past four years, and I have really enjoyed it. Although I didn’t perform to the high standard I set for myself in some of my events, I exceeded my expectations in the 50 meter butterfly. This year my time in the 50 meter butterfly was fast enough to qualify for a final swim. This means I was one of the top ten fastest time in that event. I knew this was an important meet for me, which made me really nervous. Of course, the cameras and crowds didn’t help, but I tried to ignore that. Overall, those National meets are a great learning experience for me, which will help my ability to succeed later.

This Tweet from you @CaitlinTycz made me laugh. 

The Bowdoin pool deck is the ideal breeding ground for sickness #BowdoinLive
— Caitlin Tycz (@CaitlinTycz) December 15, 2014

Staying healthy is a big concern for me, considering my body and mind is the building blocks for my swimming. Since I am constantly wearing myself down, I need to stay as healthy as possible. With my busy schedule, sometimes it can be really difficult for me to find time to sleep and let myself rest. I always try to find fifteen to twenty minutes before I go to bed to just relax and reflect on the day. During the winter when my schedule is at its busiest, I tend to sleep a little less than I normally do. I also need to stay mentally healthy. If I’m not mentally ready to train and race, there’s no I way I can succeed. Even though swimming takes up a majority of free time, I always try to balance my time. Family, friends, school and being mentally relaxed always comes before swimming. Without any time set away for relaxation, the anxiety of swimming would take over my life.

Tell us about other sports that interest you. How would/do these other athletic pursuits compliment your swimming goals?

Honestly, I’ve never really been that interested in other sports. When I was younger, I did ballet and gymnastics, but never loved it as much as swimming. I commit all my time to swimming, and it’s hard to see myself doing anything else. This spring, I am going to try out crew with my local association. I’m excited to branch off and try something new during my off season, and am interest​ed​ to see what this sport will have in store!

I happened to know that you have two very big dogs. Tell us about them. Do they like the water?

I have a Saint Bernard, Sophie, and a Newfoundland, Nick. My dogs love going in the ocean, rivers, and any other water they can find. They are the sweetest animals around, and I love coming home to them every night.


In addition to swimming, what other extracurricular activities do you do?

Since swimming takes up two to three hours after school and sometimes an hour before school, it’s hard to participate in any after school activities. I do play the flute in the band at my school, which rehearses during the day. I also take any chance I get to volunteer in my community, it’s such an important part of my life.



You get tons of homework, you're musical, you swim... are you ever able to read for fun? If so, what books are your recent faves or what books are on your To Be Read pile.

Even though I have a busy schedule, I always try to find some time for reading. I have always loved reading, and I don’t want my other activities to lead me away from it. Some of my favorite recent books are We Were Liars by E. Lockhart, Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowe, Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher, Looking for Alaska by John Green, and When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. My To Be Read pile seems never ending, and is a always growing. The Vacationers by Emma Straub, The One & Only by Emily Griffin, If I Stay by Gayle Forman, and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte are all books I want to read soon!!

Speed round:
Pizza or sushi? Pizza
Bike or run? Bike
Ebook or paper copy? Paper copy
Dance to loud music or talk with friends? Talk with friends
If you could be any animal what would it be? sea otter

​Good luck to Caitlin as she strives towards Team USA. ​

Athlete Spotlight with Star Lacrosse Player Erin Kenedy

Erin Kenedy, of Cary, NC, started playing lacrosse in sixth grade. She's been playing competitively ever since and currently plays for the competitive club team, Carolina Fever, as  a defender/middie. She was nice enough to do this interview over texting during her Showcase Florida Tournament. Erin is planning to play in college and has the impressive record to get her there.

Thanks for being on the blog, Erin. Could you tell us a bit more about yourself?

I'm 16 year old, I love to hang out with friends and shop. My favorite class subject is math and I enjoy food (haha).

How did you get into lacrosse?

I started playing in 6th grade because my older sisters played and wanted me to get into the sport. Although I didn't get serious in the sport until the beginning of high school.

I know you run cross country and that your mom is a serious runner and qualified for the Boston Marathon. Could you see yourself doing that?

No. I only do cross-country to stay in shape. (haha) I don't see myself running a marathon for multiple reasons including the fact that I don't enjoy running long distances that much.

What are you favorite practices and why?

I like our practices generally when we scrimmage. I feel like it brings out a great competitive side out of everyone and you feel like it's game time. Depending on the team I'm on, I'm generally a leader although when I am on higher teams I sometimes follow.

What is your favorite book? And do you read sporty girl books?

My favorite book is the Hunger Games Series. I haven't seen Catching Fire yet, but I'm dying to.
I don't really read sporty books, as I tend to read action books. The last book I read was The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind.

I haven't read that yet, but have heard great things about it. Good luck this season and thanks again for being a part of Sporty Girl Books!

Athlete Spotlight: Sage and Mette Harrison

I met Mette Ivie Harrison (The Princess and the Hound and Mira, Mirror) at my first writing conference (WIFYR) back in 2010. She was an energetic presenter. I specifically remember her showing pictures of her house and explaining that the perfect way to make more time to write was to close your children's doors (see no mess, there is no mess) :)

This June Mette published the book IRONMOM about her journey and that of her family into a training and competing family.

Seventeen-year-old Sage is Mette's oldest daughter. She's been smitten by the running bug and was kind enough to let me spotlight her today.

Sage, thanks so much for being here. I read in your mom's book about the summer project to run every day in an effort to make that mile run in school less painful. What was your take on that summer?

I really enjoyed that summer because it gave me a chance to show off because compared to the other kids in the family, I was the best runner. In elementary school, I was usually a terrible runner, but being in a situation where I was good at running made it a lot more enjoyable.

2. What's your favorite event now?

Half-marathons are definitely a more enjoyable distance, even though marathons are cooler and that makes them more fun. But they're so hard.

3. A marathon is so long (26.2 miles). Do you have any encouragement for other teens who'd like to compete in one, but are afraid of the distance?

Step 1: start.
Step 2: keep going.
(This is my dad's way of dividing everything into two simple steps).
Having a training plan gives you direction in your training. It takes a long time to train for a marathon and having a day by day plan of what to do each day makes it seem less impossible. To deal with pain I recommend caffeine.

4. Do you have a mantra you use when running? (In high school I ran cross country and my mantra was "my feet feel good, I feel good")

"This is all you, you've earned this."

5. What's your all-time favorite read and also a fav. sporty read (if you have one)

I love The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. My mom's book The Monster In Me is about a girl that runs and is good. I haven't read a lot of sporty books because I tend to think I like to do running more than I like to read about it.

Thanks, Sage! I know what you mean. For me I read everything, but I'd much rather DO a sport than watch someone else do it:)

I couldn't miss the opportunity to ask Mette a few questions as well.

1. Can you tell us about your favorite race and why you crave/compete in Ironmans?

My favorite race is probably the Olympic distance tri (1 mile swim, 25 mile bike, 10k run) because it's not so painful that you spend weeks recovering from it, but it's long enough that it requires real mental effort to focus. I also have a fond spot in my heart for the OV50 that our local running store, Striders, puts on every year. It's a crazy, tiny race with a cap of 30 people, and it's 50 miles of almost all hills, up Trapper's Loop to Snowbasin and then down and around Pineview Reservoir and then back up and down to the finish. It's cruel and just requires such grit, but it also gives you enough time that you can just walk it if you need to. It takes the whole day and I'm in pain for days afterward, but the people who put it on make it fun.

Ironman is a different beast. There's not just one challenge, but one challenge after another. The swim start is scary even for swimmers because that's 2500 people in the water all at the same time, all trying to swim the fewest yards possible at the same time. And the water is so cold! At least the races I have done. Then when you're finally out of the water, you have to figure out how to get out of a wetsuit and onto your bike. Then once the bike starts, you have to think about getting in nutrition and not drafting and there's a new hill every time you think you've got a chance to take a breath. And just when you think you can't stand another minute on the bike, you get to start running a marathon. I love how hard it is, how you can never take a break. And I love that you get to see all these other crazy-tough people out there with you. And the volunteers are just amazing! They chase you down to give you the nutrition you need because you can't stop and wait for it!

2. What advise could you give me and our blog readers to get started? (I haven't run competitively since high school, but have determined that I'm going to compete again. My goal is a 5K this fall and a sprint triathlon next spring.)

The first time you race, it's probably a good idea to keep your goals minimal, just finishing or something like that. You want to make sure it's fun and something you want to repeat. And one of the weird things that happens in a race is that your sense of how fast you are going gets screwed up and even if you are trying to take it easy, you can sometimes head out too fast and end up walking at the end. So let that be OK. A 5k is a good distance to begin with and you can easily train for that just a few days a week. I recommend taking one day a week to run longer than the race distance to build up aerobic capacity and then one day where you do sprints, whatever sprinting is for you. Don't do the same distance everyday at the same pace. Your body adapts to that and then it isn't improving.

A triathlon is different because you've got all three disciplines to work toward. If you've never done swimming before, you may need to find a coach or a club where you can get tips from more experienced people. You can end up really sapping your energy if you don't swim with proper technique. I'd recommend a pool swim triathlon, because that's a little less scary for a beginner than an open water swim, and also you don't have to worry about the wetsuit. It's really tricky with a triathlon to leave enough energy for all disciplines, so go slower than you think you need to and speed up only the last 5-10 minutes if you've got fuel left in the tank.

Also, be aware that transition from one sport to another is usually very difficult at first. Your legs will feel funny moving from the bike to the run and sometimes from the swim to the bike. The first triathlon I did, I fell over. Twice. When I tried to stand up out of the water, I just felt dizzy and sick. That's pretty normal. So don't try to run like I did. Just walk it. If you are ending with a pool swim, keep it slow in the water and make sure you've got enough energy. You can even backstroke or breaststroke if you need more air and feel panicked. I still do that occasionally if I get panicky and feel like I'm going to die.

Thank you Mette, I'm taking notes. So far as I've training in the water I've felt that panic and had to calm down and remind myself I'm not going to die. I'm going for nice and easy on the racing as I get my feet wet. 

3. What's your all-time favorite read (and a favorite sporty read if you have one)?

Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes by Chris Crutcher is a great young adult book about two really close friends on a swim team (and the rest of the team, and other friends). Chris Crutcher always writes such amazing books. He also has a book called Ironman that's about a teenager competing in a triathlon. He seems to understand teenagers who are down and out so well. Partly his career, and partly just his huge heart. I also love fantasy and have a huge admiration and love for The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner.

I picked up Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes based on your recommendation. Loving it so far! Thank you for being on our blog.

Nationally published YA fiction author Mette Ivie Harrison (The Princess and the Hound and Mira, Mirror) has been involved in triathlon since 2004, when she won 1st place in her age group at the first triathlon she ever entered. Since 2006, when she finished her first Ironman in 13:02 at Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, she has competed in 3 other Ironman competitions, 6 ultramarathons, the longest single day bike race in the United States (LOTOJA), and dozens of Olympic and sprint distance races. She is currently nationally ranked by the USAT for her age group and if she doesn’t bring home a medal, her children usually know it’s because she had a bike crash or was running a fever. Her husband has caught the Ironman bug and has competed in 2 Ironmans with her. Her four oldest children (ages 13-19) have all competed in either sprint or Olympic distance triathlons or half marathons. She trains them, as well as other family members and friends, writing training plans and talking them through the hard times.