Masters of Vision

Interview

You knew early:

In high school, a reporter came to my house and asked me what I wanted to do. I told him I want to go to the Olympics. Thing is, when he interviewed me, triathlon wasn’t even an Olympic sport yet. I didn’t even think about it — it just fell out of my mouth. I gradually built confidence, taking it one step at a time. I’d try something small, master it and move on to something bigger. Before I knew it, I was finishing very strong in big time events. And it’s true: seeing is believing. And eventually, my feeling — my dream — came true.

Learning new lessons all the time:

Last year, I broke my wrist in seven places — we’re talking screws and pins. I broke my back at the same time. I realized that no matter how much you try, if you have injuries you’re not going anywhere. It made me rethink my training — if being injury-free means training less to avoid overuse, I’m going to train a little less. Make sure I’m healthy all the way around. It’s important to have a balanced life. Otherwise, you won’t be passionate for a very long time.

Visualizing your success:

Days, sometimes weeks before a race, I lay down and think about it at a special time each day. I pick thoughts that I want in my mind when I’m racing. I visualize my parents’ farm, the four-wheelers, our water fountain and this huge tree that I literally grew up under. I see the tree, its thick roots, the wild ferns and monkeys around it. I see the greenest grass. Imagine the coolest shade. I can hear the water running from the little stream nearby. That way, when I’m running, it’s smooth. I’m relaxed. I’m in the zone. And I never say, “This hurts, why am I doing it?” I keep my arms and feet straight and take it one step at a time.

And enjoying the ride:

I try to remember the reasons I like riding my bike. I like being outside — I LOVE going fast. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, you won’t do it for a long time. And you probably won’t be very good. But if you do, you’ll enjoy your success on a whole different level. That’s why I keep going — it’s an incredible challenge for me. I think it’s the only thing I’ve ever done. Ever known. And I’m horrified to have to sit in an office some day. Training sucks — my body gets TIRED. But then I think of someone sitting in an office in a tie from 8-5…and it’s not so bad after all.