Athlete Race Recap: Army Ten-Miler & XTERRA WETSUITS Mission Bay Triathlon

‍Army Ten-Miler

On Sunday, October 13, 2024, Leslie Smith raced the Army Ten-Miler in Washington, D.C.!

The Army Ten-Miler is an old favorite for Leslie, and she’s raced it many times.  (In a nod to this week’s Coach Tip Tuesday, Leslie’s racing the Army Ten-Miler year after year is an example of her doing a race many times because it is joyful for her each time she does it.)

Each year that she races the Army Ten-Miler, Leslie uses it appropriately based on what else she has going on in a given season.  This year, because it took place only five weeks after her A-Race for this year, she used it as a C-Race and ran it purely for enjoyment and fun, without any time-based goals or expectations for herself.

I’m so pleased to report that Leslie accomplished her goal of having fun and enjoying the day.  She leveraged a run/walk strategy and ran her running intervals at an easy effort so she could really focus on enjoying the experience of running through our nation’s Capital on a beautiful day.

Well done, Leslie!

XTERRA WETSUITS Mission Bay Triathlon

On Sunday, October 13, 2024, Kelly Kinahan raced her first-ever triathlon at the XTERRA WETSUITS Mission Bay Triathlon in San Diego, California!

Kelly has done a few different running events in the past, but this year she decided to take on a new challenge by diving into the world of multisport and setting a goal to complete her first triathlon.  This journey was deeply personal and significant to her, as Kelly signed up for this race and decided to train for it as a way of healing after the death of her father.  

Over my years as an endurance athlete and coach, I have witnessed the healing power of sport.  Many, many endurance athletes are forged out of grief and heart-breaking or traumatic situations.  Giving oneself a target to aim to hit and a process to engage in can be therapeutic and healing in so many ways.

Kelly found me when she searched USA Triathlon’s Find a Coach database after she signed up for the race and registered for the USA Triathlon membership that is required to race at sanctioned multisport events in the United States.  Though she knew she wanted to do this triathlon, she didn’t know the right path to take and she wanted to make sure that she did things in a way that was safe.  Additionally, she was very interested in learning about the sport of triathlon and wanted to work with someone who could help teach her about it.

Kelly soaked up all the knowledge she could this year.  She was extremely methodical in her preparation and planning.  Using a bike borrowed from a dear friend, she started where we all do at some point: With learning how to properly ride a bike, how to exist in water and still breathe, and how to safely introduce running.

Over the course of the summer, she made an international move and went on a road trip that was three weeks long.  By starting where she was in her multisport journey and in her personal life, we created a sustainable training program fit into her life and that she was able to do.  After five months of preparation, she was ready to take on race day!

My number one piece of advice for Kelly was the same as it is for any endurance athlete who is doing something for the first time: Embrace and enjoy the experience.  You only get one opportunity to do something for the first time, and once it’s over, that magic of that first-time experience is gone forever.  It’s so, so important to honor the journey that got you to race day and to celebrate the growth you experienced along the way.

I’m delighted to report that Kelly had an amazing weekend in San Diego with her husband Chuck and her daughter Alyssa and that she exceeded all expectations she had for herself at this race.  She was able to celebrate her journey with those she loves most, and there isn’t anything in the world that can possibly top that.

Congratulations, Kelly!