A goal of the program I am currently involved in is to teach up-and-coming triathletes how to live like a professional triathlete. Last week, I got to experience two new and important facets of that lifestyle for the first time.
The first of these experiences is one that is wholly critical to the survival of any professional athlete – sponsorship! Last week I became sponsored by Team Psycho, a Boston-based triathlon club that sponsors several up-and-coming triathletes with Olympic dreams via a wing of their team called the Elite Development Program. Several of my teammates were sponsored by Team Psycho last year, and I have heard nothing but positive things about the kindness and generosity of team members. I am excited and grateful to have the opportunity to be a member of Team Psycho. To clarify, I am not relocating to Boston; I am remaining with my current training group. Our affiliation with Team Psycho is primarily remote, although I hope to be able to make the trip to the area to participate in some team sponsored events.
The second of these experiences was sitting on a panel at Lifetime Fitness Scottsdale one evening last week with my teammates and coaches. At the event we discussed training, nutrition, and our general lifestyle. Lifetime Fitness is very invested in endurance sports, and sponsors a triathlon series as well as several series of road races, one of which (Commitment Day 5k) we participated in earlier this year. We will be doing a similar event on February 11 in Tempe. If you are in the area come and visit us!
This past week my parents came to visit me, and we took a day trip to the Grand Canyon. I had visited the canyon when I was very young and only had vague memories of it. I was pretty amazed by the sheer size and beauty of it this time around. I included a few pictures in the gallery below. Then, when my parents got back home, my mom opened the latest edition of Inside Triathlon magazine right to a picture of me demonstrating band running with one of my coaches, Bobby McGee, during a camp last July! I knew Inside Triathlon was at the session taking pictures, but I had no idea that an image of me would be used, especially since the magazine ran the article about the Collegiate Recruitment Program in a previous edition. Go check it out! Since its the March/April edition I’m guessing it will be on shelves mid-February.
My dad and I at the Grand Canyon!
