USAT Collegiate Nationals 2015
April 25, 2015. It was a date that had been etched in my mind for an entire semester. I had planned my schoolwork to avoid having any tests or final projects during that week, as I would be traveling for four days to Clemson, South Carolina for USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championships. This race was my “A” race, a culmination of eight hard months of training. Endless hours spent in a hot, damp garage for trainer rides, going to morning swim practices at 6:15 a.m., and running speed intervals on a chilly track were about to pay off for me and the rest of the CSU Triathlon Team. Coach had us working hard until the last moment; our bodies were begging for a break from hill repeats and race pace bricks, and the taper was much deserved. I was finally beginning to feel relaxed and ready for my last big collegiate race. Certainly there were some pitfalls along the way, being in grad school makes skipping practice and unwanted stress weight almost inevitable. Despite this, I felt stron