Moms triathletes 2017

Last year from Triatlonnoticias we made a small tribute to the triathlete moms. There were four chapters where we got to meet different mothers from both Spain and Hispanoamerica where they told us how they combined their family and work life with triathlon.

 

The four chapters were the following:

  

In this 2017 we want to continue making our particular recognition to the triathlon moms and we are going to get to know several of them better. We will know how their beginnings were, how they combine their training and competitions with their work and their family. They will also tell us about their favorite competitions and give some advice for mothers who want to start in the triathlon. 

NOEMÍ AVIZANDA (Spain)

NOEMÍ AVIZANDA (Spain)

First of all, I want to thank Juanjo for the opportunity he has given me to share this interview with all of you. My name is Noemi Garcia Avizanda, I have 41 years. I live in Torrelodones, Madrid, with my partner Edu and our 4 children: Lucía from 15, Alejandra from 14, Diego from 12 and Mini Edu from 6. We also have a little dog named Cocó who is part of this great family. Currently I combine my work in the Velvet series, in the Decoration Department with our company Wana Living Emotions, event, marketing and communication agency.

Before I start talking about my beginnings in triathlon I have to talk about the beginnings in sports in general. I started with running fever 5 years ago, thanks to my cousin Nevo, my KEMENA. We are very close but we can not always see each other and we found in the running the perfect excuse to spend time together either training or competing. Running was fun but what really caught my attention was the triathlon, so the 2014 summer after searching the internet for an affordable triathlon, I called my cousins, my sister-in-law Nur and my brother and proposed to sign up for the Super Sprint Triathlon. of the Casa de Campo and they all thought it was a great day. In our family, sport is linked to leisure, fun, joy, emotions ... it is a moment that we all share together (my parents, my aunt, my brother, my niece Adriana, cousins, sister-in-law, my partner, the children ... We try to make it a great party where some compete and others encourage, and then all together, we celebrate.

So we all made our debut in September and since we had such a good time we signed up for the Kalamos Sports Club, a triathlon club but above all a group of friends who share the same sports values ​​that we defended.

Two years have passed since my first triathlon and I have completed two Olympic triathlons and the 70.3 Lanzarote 2016. That's the distance I like and the perfect competition, the Ironman brand for the care they put into the whole organization. The tests planned for the 2017 are the 70.3 Mallorca and the 70.3 Cascais, which we will do almost all KALAMOS. In the meantime some 10k, half marathons and olympics that serve as training.

Combine family life, 2 jobs and workouts is not always easy. This year has been quite complicated to be at all: work, home, my grandmother's illness, training. When you are in this situation, talk to the coach, prioritize and do not overwhelm. This is my philosophy because I do this for fun, because a competition involves a family trip (my parents sign up to all), a trip of friends (the KALAMEROS). Crossing the goal is something more than a goal fulfilled, are the bike outings on weekends with my compiruena Mery and the rest of the guys from Kalamos waiting for me (yes, I'm the broom car); the training sessions in the gym and in the pool with Mario Cañizares and Edu; the athletics sessions at the Navalcarbón track run by Jose Acosta. Crossing the goal is also the satisfaction of having achieved it, of demonstrating to yourself what you are capable of, it is knowing that the effort has been worthwhile, that the cries of your family and the tears of emotion give you wings, that my grandmother (from where you are) is the strength that accompanies me, that the emotional embrace of yours at the end of the road is what is really important. Crossing the goal is amazing!

Triathlon is a very demanding sport. It involves training the three disciplines and also strength in the gym. From my point of view I think the right thing, for someone who starts in triathlon, is that the trainings are directed by a professional and the appropriate tests are done (test of effort, analysis ...) to avoid any fright. The trainings take a large number of hours, if you behave with those who want more enjoyment is double. Now you just have to enjoy. Welcome to the TRI.

 LORENA FARIÑA (Argentina)

super papa triathlon LORENA FARINA

Hi, I'm Lorena Fariña, I live in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Now I am a housewife and triathlete, I have 1 son of 16 years that is called Tomás and 5 more of the heart María, Sebastián, Ignacio, Mercedes and Milagros. I started in this year 1 and 8 months ago and I have been competing for 1 year. I was always passionate about sport and I scored in untrained events, I ran the Buenos Aires marathon twice, also the half marathon, an ultratrail race of 80 km, I did crossfit, artistic skate and bodybuilding among other things.

One day a friend who does this sport and saw that he did this and managed to arrive without training, I let him try to train with him, I went to the group and after two years of insistence after talking with my family I got into this great adventure- sport that I could not do if I did not have the unconditional support of my family and especially my husband who accompanies me to every corner and without doing this sport lives it to the surface, also thanks to my son who waits for me every time I go and all the time he encourages me by telling me how proud he feels, this is the greatest prize an athlete can receive.

My first races were:

  • September 2015: Olympic Leiva in Chascomus where I left 3ª in the general and 1ª in my category
  • October 2015: Olympic Escape in Miami that I also qualified for the Nebraska World Championship in the United States
  • November 2015: 70.3 Punta del Este 2015 that was quite a challenge since I had never done anything like it and from then on I did not stop anymore.
  • March 2016: Olympic in Mar del Plata I got a 3er position
  • March 2016 70.3 Palmas Brazil where I got my first qualification to the World Cup in Australia, April 2016 Olympic South Beach Miami 2º position and got my second qualification to the Nebraska World Championship
  • May 2016 IM in Lanzarote
  • September 2016: 70.3 Australia World Championship,
  • October 2016: 70.3 Miami where I got my second classification in the year to the 70.3 Chattanooga 2017 World Cup
  • November 2016: Fortaleza IM where I got an 3er placed in my category.

The race that most enjoy all but say that it is the hardest was the IM Lanzarote, the weather is ideal, the landscape a story and being a single round makes the circuit is fast and for me circuits with climbs have their benefits because if you climb with cadence you do not get tired and in the descent you always regenerate although in this case you have to be very brave since the speed exceeds 80km. The distance that I usually enjoy the most is the 70.3 since I am fast on the bike and there I make the difference.

For me to do this sport is a way of expressing life through him, sometimes he laughs, sometimes he cries, he is sacrificed, sometimes he enjoys himself, sometimes not, sometimes you arrive, sometimes not, sometimes we fulfill the dream, sometimes not, sometimes we fall other times not and that's the way it is in this sport. Every day I get up at the 6 in the morning, I pick up my son I leave him at school and I start this exciting training, I train from Monday to Monday and rest 1 day every three weeks. Usually Monday, Wednesday and Friday (swim and run) Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (bike and transition), Sunday (running and swimming fund). They will say how much !!! But it's all about organizing with the work, the kids, the extras and the family. I know it takes effort, and I can not fight against it, it's sacrificed, but it can be done.

At first I found it difficult to organize myself until I understood that it should be structured in everything and I can assure you that planning it can be done. This sport is like undertaking an adventure without end, because it is exciting and as the days go by and you see the results you always want to go for more, each training and each race is an apprenticeship. It also allows you to meet a lot of people in every corner of the world, allows you to travel and also enriches you as a person because you relate to different people with different ways of life, you get excited, you laugh and cry with people who may not know you but sharing the same passion makes us have many things in common and that makes crossing that desired goal feel a unique happiness, an indescribable emotion, you feel that all the effort was worth it is more or less like touching the sky with your hands.

My advice to all the women of the world whether they are mothers, students, workers, grandmothers, daughters. First, if there are dreams, there are possibilities to achieve everything, there is nothing that prevents them from reaching them, even if they have a physical impediment. In this sport, as in others, everyone has the possibility, the only tools that are needed are in the same, they are the desire, passion , love, will and above all to believe in oneself.

The main energy beyond the physical is in the head and everything else are the tools that make you reach that long-awaited goal in the best possible way, ask yourself how to start, my first advice is to speak with a professional and be the corresponding medical check-ups to see that everything is correct, then look for a good coach and start moderately with the three disciplines and once organized I recommend seeing a nutritionist since this sport has a high energy consumption and it is always advisable to be well fed and hydrated, this is the key to get the best way to the goal, it is also important to sleep 7 / 8 hours per day, and I work better by setting goals.

 GABRIELA OBREGÓN (Argentina)

super dad triathlon Gabriela Obregon

My name is Gabriela Obregón, I have 51 years. I am a Accountant and Graduate in Administration in the exercise of the profession. I have two children, Agustina from 25 years and Juan Ignacio from 21 who still live with me, that's the way kids are today. We live in Olivos Partido de Vicente López, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

I train every morning, my coach is a pro Argentinean athlete, who is called Mario De Elías. After training I go to the office and there I stay late. Sometimes after lunch, which I do on my desk my eyes are closed, I have a coffee and continue, although it is an effort I like to be able to do everything. My beginnings in the triathlon date back to the 2013 year, before mountain biking and road bike races.

When I started the triathlon I had never run 10 km. I started with a short in Miami in June of 2013 and to my amazement I came second. And I loved everything, the podium, the trophy, the show around this beautiful sport and I thought I want this!

So in October of that same year I did the 70,3 in Miami and I never stopped. I have run 7 Olympic distance triathlons, 10 half Ironmans and two Ironmans and I already have all of 2017 planned. I am super excited and since my children are grown up I just have to balance work with traveling and training, but I love this! I have already qualified twice for the 70,3 world championship this year, which was held in Australia and now for the one held in Chattanooga in 2017. My big goal is to one day qualify for Kona, although I know those are big words. I have a lot to train, especially running, which is my weak point in all three disciplines. To women who start, work and have children I say: "SI SE PUEDE".

CAROL AYZA (Spain)

super dad triathlon Carol Ayza

My name is Carol Ayza and I am from Barcelona. I live between Barceloneta and Cardedeu. I am responsible for marketing and advertising of the Magazine for professionals in the bicycle sector, Tradebike & tri. I started triathlon in 2009, I come from the world of water polo so cycling and running were unthinkable for me. A friend left me his bike (which I still have) to try out at the Triatló de la Vila de Barcelona and I got hooked on this sport.

Although I continue with the discipline of triathlon, I am very attached to MTB duathlons. And I love the cross triathlon format, although here in Catalonia we do not have many. I've only done two half-distance triathlons, in Berga and Salou, it's a discipline that I want to return to someday. I also like aquatlones a lot. As for triathlon, one of my favorites is Vic, since swimming in the swamp with the bell tower is great and the bike circuit is very beautiful but demanding.

I am separated from my son's father and he also makes a long and long distance so when we have competition we always find a solution. When my son is with his father I train the bike a bit more and that Eric, my son, also does triathlon and with the high level he has, I can go out and train with him perfectly. Being a mother and wanting to practice triathlon is totally compatible. When my son was younger, he took advantage when he was with his grandparents or in swimming lessons for me to train. Even do exercises at home or roller. Although at first cost or you think your watch needs more time. You can always count on the help of a qualified coach to help us.

  ANNIE RIVERA (Puerto Rico)

super papa triathlon Annie Rivera

My name is Annie Rivera, I am a native of Puerto Rico. I have 45 years and I am the mother of three teenage children of 19, 17 and 16 years. I am dedicated to organizing sporting events around the island, while studying a doctorate in food nutrition. This year I find my biggest professional challenge, being the Technical Director and organizing the medium distance triathlon "Toughman Puerto Rico", to be held next, 1 October 2017, in the city of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. Since I was little I have been involved in sports such as volleyball and cycling, but in the triathlon I started to venture for the 2011 year.

At the beginning it was complicated because my children were small and they also had their sports competitions since they all grew up with the sport in their blood. By then, she was married to her father and we divided the tasks apart from training together. Life changes but also the boys grow and it makes me much easier now to combine training with work and home. I get up every day at the 4: 00am to start my 5 training: 00am, alternating between swimming, cycling, pedestrian races and physical strengthening in the gym. Already at the 7: 00am I am back in the house to prepare breakfast for my children and start with the chores of the day. Some days I continue the training after they go to school or university. Weekends are long trainings for the events that I want to compete.

I participate in almost all the local triathlons, my most outstanding recognition was to win the third place "overall" in the National Championship of the Puerto Rico Triathlon Federation in the 2013. For that same year I participated in IM 70.3 San Juan and in the ITU World Championship, in London. Currently, I am preparing to compete again in the IM 70.3 San Juan 2017, and work hard to make my "Toughman Puerto Rico" event a success.

 My biggest advice to all moms who want to start in the sport of triathlon, is not to give up. The most important thing is to have the desire and passion, then you have to be consistent with the goals you set for yourself. The training is strong and the sacrifices great, but the result is rewarding. Everything can be done, you do not have to be an athlete for years, but you have to create a discipline and learn to combine all the daily responsibilities with training in this sport that we love so much.

MARIA YOLANDA BORJA (Ecuador)

super pope triaton Maria Yolanda Borja

María Yolanda Borja Sevilla, I have 45 years I am from Riobamba Ecuador but I live in Quito for many years. I have a daughter Andrea from 21 who is currently studying the Nutrition Career at the University.

Since I was a girl I practiced athletics and in the 2006 I started with road and mountain biking formally, participating in several competitions in and out of the country, winning several stages in Master laps to the Republic, Flying Goal Champion and Montana Prizes. First place in MTB races like Vuelta al Cotopaxi and Extreme Chimborazo. In the 2008 I went back to the athletics taking part in pedestrian races of 5K, 10K, 15K, Half Marathons and I have completed 3 marathons and several duathlons.

I always saw triathlon as something impossible to do because I did not know how to swim until at the beginning of the 2012 I had the opportunity to start swimming and with that I could do triathlon. That year I completed two IM 70.3 triathlons, being able to fulfill the dream of being a triathlete. Swimming is always my weakness and for me the competition starts when I get out of the water, I usually finish the water between the last places, in the bicycle stage and running I must try my best to improve my location, I have achieved 3 top 10 in my age group of the 4 Ironman 70.3 in which I participated. My favorite triathlon is Ironman 70.3 Manta for being a competition that takes place in my country, for the excellent route and organization, for the warmth and support of the people that encourage you at all times, in the athletic part you always have people cheering you up and giving you strength to finish this last stage.

My training usually takes place in the morning and then I dedicate myself to work and family activities, although certain days when I have to carry out activities very early I do it at noon or in the afternoon. Weekend trainings I do not like to start very early because I think it is important to train at the times that are competing and with a similar climate to which you are going to compete, for an 70.3 I often start a long athletic training between 10 or 11 the morning.

Moms who want to start with triathlon or any other sport should not put barriers that I do not have time or I have to attend to my children, they will always need us at any age. The time dedicated to sport is a time to enjoy with yourself, an individual benefit that will be transformed into a benefit for the whole family.

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