New Triathletes are EVERYWHERE with SPP!

We are so proud of SPP’er Katie Adler - she just finished the Nautica Malibu Triathlon less than a month after her first triathlon in New Jersey. Katie has been so kind to share her experience - enjoy!

A year ago I joined SPP purely to get back in the pool to rehab my shoulder from surgery. Little did I realize becoming part of this team would completely change my life in joyous, expansive, and unexpected ways. Within the year I have completely surprised myself and have become a person I never thought I could become. All thanks to Coach Charles and my incredible teammates who inspire me every day to be a better version of myself. This year I have competed in my first open water relay race, several USMS swim meets & Nationals and competed in my very first triathlon back home in New Jersey with my brother. Finishing my first triathlon gave me such a rush of happiness and accomplishment, that I knew I wanted to experience another triathlon with my SPP family! Three weeks later I decided to compete in the 2019 Nautica Malibu Triathlon beside my teammates. 

There is something special to be said about training in the water where you compete. Coach Charles had us all out in Malibu training for seven months before the triathlon, so the amount of confidence I had on race day was through the roof. I not only felt 100% ready and able but I couldn’t wait to get in the water and do my thing! What made the end of my swim portion so memorable was when I was exiting the water, Coach Charles was right there smiling (crying a little too ;) ) and cheering me on! It made me smile because I couldn’t help but think in that moment, “A year ago I was struggling in practice to keep up with my lane and now here I am doing my second triathlon and passing swimmers two heats before me, all thanks to you Coach!”

My favorite part of the race was seeing my other teammates racing along the route. Knowing how hard we worked in practice together, our ups and downs along the way, how hard we trained and the reasons we were all doing the race individually and collectively, really made this experience together special. It was such an amazing bonding experience that I’ll cherish forever and I can’t wait to do it again with my SPP family at next year’s 2020 Nautica Malibu Triathlon!