Ali Senz - Swim, Bike, Run, Smile!

Enjoying some gorgeous weather at Red Rocks with some friends! The weather has been absolutely splendid here in Colorado! For February, we've had a lot of days in the 60's, and I've been taking full advantage of the sunlight and warmth. Right now is a period of high training volume; my team is ramping up the bike mileage for Lake Havasu Triathlon in March and Nationals in April. Hopefully by the time those races roll around, we'll all be able to cycle in our sleep! Sometimes, it gets really tough to keep up the volume and motivation while grad school picks up speed at the same time. I was happily getting through my daily workouts with plenty of rest this semester until recently, when I had to slam on the brakes a little bit. Suddenly everything was due: midterms, homework, projects, presentations, you name it. I often forget that I'm at CSU to get a degree, not to bike and run around all day! In the next week or so, I'll have to prioritize my workouts so t...

In March of 2014, my mom was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. It completely shook her world. For the first few months, life became a difficult journey of rearranging and re-envisioning her goals, her new reality, and her expectations of what the future held. For my mom, who is a healthy, non-smoking marathon runner, uttering the words “I have cancer” to her loved ones seemed impossible. These words were so foreign to her, but as time passed on, they also seemed to become more defining. In all honesty, life for the first few months after her diagnosis was sucky to say the least. But that summer, she was given the opportunity to attend a free, week-long camp called Epic Experience, and she decided to take the risk and do it. This camp is for individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer, and is based upon outdoor adventures such as stand up paddle boarding and white water kayaking.  Leading up to camp, she worried about leaving the comfort of home and family to be with c...

How do I begin? I've never been one to consider putting up a blog about myself, but I suppose this past year has been one with a lot of changes. The main purpose of this blog is to give a home to my stories this year, both racing and moments I share with my family. Additionally I have decided to race for an amazing organization called Epic Experience (more to come on that later), and my hope is that this website keeps family and friends updated on my endeavors and experiences. So here goes, welcome to my blog! If you don't know me, my name is Ali, and I'm currently a graduate student at Colorado State University. Growing up in Colorado, I always enjoyed sports and being outdoors, but it was in my undergraduate career at Texas A&M University that I developed a passion for racing triathlons. To me, its more of a lifestyle than a sport, and I've been hooked for four years now. I've raced a lot and have learned a lot, but by no means am I an "elite" ...