101 - Katy Blakemore Evans is Not Your Typical Triathlete

I have known Katy Blakemore (now Evans) since she was 15 or 16 years old; a distance swimmer on the Longmont Redtails Swim Team where I was a coach before I started racing professionally. Katy was the hardest-working kid on the team, she was incredibly talented, and while she wasn’t the best swimmer in the world, she managed to will her way into walking on to Stanford’s Swim Team. I knew from the early days that she would probably become a triathlete someday. She just somehow had the mental fortitude to be great in a sport that requires so much sacrifice plus she was also a really strong runner :) I recently volunteered at the Boulder Ironman. I don’t even keep track of what pros are racing anymore, I was there to support my nonprofit Running Start, so when the leaders started running by, I almost missed Katy until I heard her voice calling for ice. MY Katy Blakemore was in 3rd place at the time, and running stronger than anyone ahead of or behind her. She finished the day in 2nd place, just a couple minutes behind the winner; she was gaining with each stride. In today's episode we talk about how truly amazing and disappointing it is to finish that close to 1st. It’s rare that I get to interview someone I’ve known from adolescence through to major life milestones as an adult. I really enjoyed catching up with Katy and learning how she moved through her life using sport and family as a foundation for many of the decisions she made. Today we talk about: Swimming Growing up in a household with two very loving (and in love) parents Stanford: How she got onto the team and what she brought to the team Legendary coach Richard Quick, "I believe in believing in belief." Delayed gratification & the Training to Glory ratio The Peace Corps in Guatamala: Why we do what we do Her dad Kit's early death due to cancer Being a school teacher - Scaffolding is a thing I'd never heard of! Katy's path to triathlon stardom Getting married & becoming a mama & racing like a rockstar less than a year later! And so much more! After I interviewed Katy, Tim said, “I heard you two laughing in there. It sounded like a fun one.” He couldn't be more right! If you gain anything from this episode, it would be Katy’s final nugget. So beautiful in it’s simplicity: "Do your best. Have fun." Katy is brilliant, charismatic, thoughtful, and practical. I’m so proud of the path she has chosen to take in this world. Please be sure to follow her on Facebook and cheer her along. Because I kind of think that “when Katy wins, we all win!”