Bio
A number of you have asked me about my background so here's a bit of a
recap...I have had over 14 years of teaching & coaching experience with adults
and children--especially related to aquatics. I was the assistant coach for a
summer league team for 3 years, head coached for 2 more; then assistant coached
USS groups in the summertime. In addition, I swam for the first 2 years of my
undergraduate education; however, upon returning from going abroad, I pursued
my interest in preparing to race triathlon by joining a road cycling team and
raced up to achieving the Cat 2 level by the end of my 2nd year. I was
fortunate enough to train with, and absorb tremendous amounts of knowledge from
a number of elite level cyclists who were living, training and/or racing at
that time; as well as those teammates employed at Nike’s campus where I was
had the opportunity to go for some ‘lunchtime hammer fests’ during some of my
2nd year. My favorite road events were multi-day stage races such as Cascade
Cycling Classic where I even placed as the Top Oregon Rider and won a couple of
the QOMs --just prior to having to take time off from competitive cycling due
to the demands of leaving for graduate school in Boston. A couple of years
later, I was able to assist some beginners on rides once moving back to
Portland, Oregon passing on some of the teaching that I had been so lucky to
receive in the years prior, so that others might learn the etiquette of
pacelines and road race strategy. However, since experiencing some significant
cycling crashes and ensuing injuries, I have decided to pursue triathlon for
now. My running experience has been much less lengthy as I only began to run to
complete a marathon in early 2004, but it is my favorite aspect of the three
sports. For that reason I have also sought out additional resources in this
area to be able to help coaching others with the whole aspect of triathlon. My
professional degree as an occupational therapist facilitates my understanding
of the components which benefit to build, as well as those which could
potentially injure, in the sport of triathlon.
My perspective as a coach is rooted in balance—not just between the sports,
but also in ‘looking at the whole picture’ to include an individual’s habits
and routines, family and friends and mental focus integrating within the
triathlon lifestyle, In addition, I focus on goal & target setting through the
format of a periodized training plan.
In the fall of 2006 I attended the USA Triathlon Level I coaching certification
program at the US Olympic Training Center and am coaching with the UC Davis
Triathlon Team.
I am currently employed as an occupational therapist, aquatic therapist &
personal trainer at Physical Edge-South in Davis, and I teach indoor cycling at
the Davis Athletic Club.
