JUST DO IT! Says Rockstar Triathlete, Jennifer Rico;
You’re never too old, too fat, or too broken to try something new that will change your lifestyle for the better.

Coach’s Notes:
Jenn although you ended up doing a duathlon FOR NOW, triathlon is just around the corner as your swim is getting stronger by the day.  Thanks for being a part of my first Couch to Tri program and proving that it works!  TWO, podiums in 8 weeks…….. Amazing!  I can see how hard you worked to accomplish your goals.  Way to go girl!  See you at training! – Coach Erinne Guthrie

Age:
40

Profession:
Finance Manager for the Department of OBGYN at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

Why you chose FCC to help you on your triathlon/health and wellness journey?
I was in an exercise slump and wanted to do something different to re-energize my workout routine.  I was about to rejoin a Crossfit gym right around July 4th, by chance, we had some friends over for dinner and the conversation of triathlon came up (he competed in ironman and such).  Training or even doing a triathlon had never crossed my mind, but after that night I thought why not!!! So for the next few days, I contacted different training groups and Erinne provided the best coaching advice and strategies, and she invited me to try it out for a week.  After a few days of training, I was hooked!

What is your “A” race for this season?
Since I didn’t start training till mid summer, I’ve only had the chance to compete in 2 duathlon races; Trilogy #3 and Trilogy Bonus.  I’d say Trilogy #3 was my “A” race this season because that was my first race, EVER! All I wanted to do was to finish the race.  But when I ended up on the podium in 3rd place of my age group, I just couldn’t believe it!

Please share your BIG goals:
Within the next 4 years, I want to take first place in age group in the Trilogy race series

Tell me about your successes so far:
2 for 2 on the podium and PR all around, notbad for a newbie!  3rd place in my first duathlon race and 2nd place in my second duathlon race (I was 25 seconds behind first place finisher, need to work on my strategies).

What were some of your biggest Improvements in performance for the each of the following? Swim: Bike: Run: Nutrition/Health: Please include any Personal Records and Goals achieved: 

Swim – I started out as a non-swimmer and could barely doggie paddle my way across the pool.  After 2 months with Full Circle, I now can swim freestyle properly and successfully swim 50-100m without stopping.

Bike – I knew how to ride a beach bike but training on a road was a different story.  The nuances of constantly changing gears and the tricks to balance on the bike while taking a drink a of water, all new to me.  After the first race, I realized that I needed to work on my cycling speed because I was only averaging 14.1 mph. I Worked hard for the following 4 weeks and improved to 16.5 mph on the second race.

Run – Running was something I picked up about 7 years ago (all thanks to Crossfit), I used to hate running before that.  I knew I could do the sprint distance, I just needed to work on my pace.  Because I have a dance background, turning my feetoutwards was natural for me.  However, to be a proper and more efficient runner, I’ve had to be more conscience about keeping my legs and feet parallel (which feels super weird). And the difference on the 2 races were 9:07/mi to 9:01/mi and 10:13/mi to 10:10/mi, which cut the total running time down by 17 seconds. And my T2 on the second race was 1:17, that’s definitely one for the record book!

Nutrition/Health – I’ve been on Paleo/Keto for a while, so instead of the gel packets during the race, I use almond butter packets. 

Name 2 or 3 things that have made the biggest difference in your journey: 
1. Training with the Full Circle Tribe that have the same goal and are there to help/cheer/support/motivate/inspire/push/encourage each other!
2. Visible improvement of my skills in all 3 sports
3. Already planning for next season’s races

What excites you the most about being involved in triathlon?
That rush of adrenaline at the starting line and seeing fellow teammates pushing to PR.

What would you say to another person who was on the fence about joining our training program?
JUST DO IT!  You’re never too old, too fat, or too broken to try something new that will change your lifestyle for the better.

P.S.  This could be you!  If you are interested in learning more about Full Circle Coaching call us at 786-586-6057 today or click this link to schedule a complimentary triathlon strategy call:  http://www.scheduleyou.in/5ZIsVaU

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