TrainingPeaks member profile: Kate Parker, triathlete and full-time mom
18 June 2009
Inspired by a special friend, Kate Parker decided to try her first triathlon in 2002 at a local sprint race. “A friend of mine was doing it and by friend, I mean, a friend (wink, wink!) This guy was an Ironman (which I thought was just the coolest thing ever) and said that I could totally finish the race. What did I know? I figured he knew what he was talking about. As I was getting passed by nearly everyone on the bike (darn those thick mountain bike tires!) I thought to myself, ‘I hate this…why I am doing this? I can run, but this biking and swimming bites.’”
Nevertheless, two years later, after her friend had become her husband, Kate decided to try it again. “It was a little more fun this time. A used tri bike helped a bit. I had been doing marathons and road races mostly and was enjoying doing something besides running for my workouts. My legs were tired, I guess.”
Later on down the road, life – and triathlon – changed again. “Add one baby. Subtract one 8 hour a day job and add a twenty four hour a day bundle of joy to care for. This stay at home mommy needed an outlet. Enter triathlon…again. I signed up for Gulf Coast Half Ironman and trained with Team in Training. And I absolutely loved it. I loved the challenge of all three sports. All the intimidating parts of triathlon were made so simple and accessible by the coaches with TNT.”
Kate enjoys the contrast that racing triathlon provides to the rest of her life. “Being a mom is anything but black and white and I loved the black and white-ness of racing (you can have a good race or a bad race) and training (you either do your workout or you don’t.) I loved the feeling at the end of a long, hard, sweaty workout. Moved on to Ironman the next year and have been (I don’t like to say addicted, but let’s be honest) addicted, ever since.”
To help out even more with her training, Kate has started working with a coach and swimming with a friend, although she generally gets her runs and rides in on her own time to fit her children’s schedule. “I recently hired a (kick a$$) coach (www.jenharrison.com) and now I don’t have to put any thought into my schedule any more. Just follow along every day in TrainingPeaks. So nice. I love it. I swim with my friend, Michelle, who is training for IM Wisconsin. The ONLY way I would be able to get my butt to the pool at 5:20 am 3 days a week. Thank you, Michelle! I do generally run and bike solo. My schedule is based around the fickle napping and eating schedules of my 10 month old and 4 year old….my philosophy is to get the training done anywhere, any time, any way that is possible. It is hard to find others that can run or bike when I can.”
She also is very motivated by music. “I love my run mixes. I run with my iphone (just in case!) and my ipod is right on there. I download music all week long and then am excited to listen to it on my long runs on the weekend. I love it…if I get really bored with my music I can (and I do) download a song on the run if I need.”
Another tool that really helps Kate stay focused is TrainingPeaks. “I started using TrainingPeaks during my training for my first Ironman, Coeur D’Alene, in 2007. When my coach puts my workouts into TrainingPeaks and it says X amount of hours for the week and I don’t make it….I hate that. Every time I input a workout in and the time and distance in and see it all add up, the type A/nerdy side of me just loves that. I also love the daily emails with my workouts on them for easy reference. A lot of times, I just put my iphone in a baggy and set it on the end of the pool or next to my bike on the trainer to see my specific workout for the day. So easy. I would definitely recommend it.”
Kate has already achieved some of her goals this season and is looking for more to keep her motivated. “My goals for the 2009 season are to (1) qualify for USAT Nats in Tuscaloosa (2)place first in my AG in a race and (3) break 20 minutes in a 5k. I have already achieved #1 and #2 (yay!) and will aim for #3 later in the season. I am looking for some additional goals currently to keep me motivated. I’d like to have a great race in Tuscaloosa and Chattanooga (my 2 “A” Olympic races).”
With these goals already accomplished and more in the works, this year is going great for Kate, especially compared with last year. “My season is going really, really well so far. Better than I was hoping. I had really no expectations for this year…at the beginning of the season. Last season, I was throwing up daily, 35 lbs. heavier and didn’t race once. Yes, I had a good excuse: I was pregnant. And, I think taking last season off has really motivated me this year. So what if I am still waking up more times a night than I really care to count? So what if I am still nursing? So what if I have a baby under a year old (and a 4 year old)? Excuses, excuses…”
There are no excuses for Kate this year. “I wanted to get fast….and didn’t want to wait another year. I wanted to race well…THIS YEAR. So, I hired an awesome coach (www.jenharrison.com) who is a mother herself and “gets it” and has really pushed me hard. I am loving it. This year, my goal is to work my tail off, be proud of the work that I put in (and make my family proud, too), and then race hard and see what happens on race day.”
Happy training, Kate! For more updates on her training, check out Kate’s blog at www.katetraversparker.blogspot.com
Photos in this blog curtosy of www.edhetherington.com.
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