A couple of years ago I was lucky to met Mary Eggers. She is one of my favorite people…ever. She has enough spirit for an entire cheerleading squad. Oh, and did I mention she is pretty fast? She recently became a coach for QT2 Systems, and I asked to interview her!
1. So, Mary, you are triathlon famous. Youve been in the biz even longer than me, you even have a picture of Luc Van Lierde winning Ironman Hawaii with you in the background! And named your first born after that record setting stud. How did you get into the sport? And when exactly was it??
I got into this sport believe it or not after having some difficulties with an eating disorder at age 20, after a ten year stint with Bulimia. I came home, got better and was allowed to begin swimming again. At that point I was a burned out post collegiate swimmer with no direction. I saw the Hawaii Ironman on TV (this was in 1994). To me it represented health which I didn’t have at the time. It offered me the opportunity to build my health from square one again. In 1995….. I did my first triathlon!
2. Who is your favorite pro triathlete (we know the QT2 peeps–Tim and Cait Snow, Ethan, Logan, Jessie, Pedro, and Doug are up there) so actually…whose your NEXT favorite??
My favorite professional triathlete is Jessica Jacobs. If you know her story you understand her work ethic and you understand her combined love for her family, her country and her sport. She is honest yet not narcissistic. She’s passionate yet not demeaning.
3. You were a pediatric emergency nurse, you are now a coach, a yoga instructor, race director/announcer, and work tirelessly for the causes close to you (Teens Living with Cancer, your sons education!).
What motivates you to give so much of your time to others?
When I look at that list I think…. Who fits THAT in????? Then I realize…. Oh my! I take every single day in small chunks because when I look at the big picture I faint.
When I came home sick to my parents I was at rock bottom at too early an age. My father steered me into situations that I was caring for others and working with people. Nothing helps pull you up like trying to make someone else’s life better.
My son is “on the spectrum” yet he’s so high functioning that he’s fallen through many cracks. I have learned the hard way that kids with special needs need an advocate because they are at risk for so many things. I walk a fine line between fighting for his opportunities (like meeting Hunter Kemper!!!) and teaching him that he has to work harder than his peers. He didn’t ride two wheels until age 9 and you’d better believe he cherishes every second of being able to do that. Our job as his parents is to raise a good man who is 100% independent. That right there is the biggest driving force of my life.
(Being a race announcer below!)
4. Please tell me how you have so much energy. You are like a 15 year old. Do you nap? Drink ‘Five Hour Energy’s? Much caffeine (coke or coffee?), Do you just not sleep?
I drink two cups (VENTI) of coffee a day. I take a 20 minute nap at 2pm daily. I am in bed by 9.
At the risk of sounding like a Hallmark Card…….I think my energy comes from absolutely loving everything that I do.
(This is a pretty typical picture of Mary…always laughing!)
5. Any advice for someone wanting to get into the triathlon biz?
Long ago triathlon became my family. I came into this sport a broken girl and the relationships that saved my life are the ones I still have today. This sport has grown tremendously over the past 15 years that I have been in it and we have amazing people here. My advice would be to get into this business because you love it. Be genuine, be realistic and do the right thing. If you can do that…… you will be successful!
You can find Mary’s blog here, and follow her on twitter here!
I am loving life right now. Because this happened:
My first avocado interaction on my own.
Used the above ingredients to make this, Megan’s guacamole!
SO YUM! guacamole success thanks to my neighbor Meg!
So back to that running thing…
My long run on Sunday was 87 minutes, and my legs felt surprisingly awesome, but my lungs/nose not so much! Many a snotrocket happened (sorry!). Monday was a a recovery run of 30 minutes. Yesterday was my first Zone 2 workout of the season–two by 12.5 minute intervals, 60 minute run total. I was skeptical after my long run but it was pretty awesome! We have a bike path right near my work and it is perfect for that sort of thing. The beginning of Zone 2 also means that….HILL BOUNDING IS BACK! Starting Friday! Maybe I will have PW photograph my first hill bounding of the season, too. It should be uncoordinated and hilarious.
The QT2 Holiday/End of Season Party is this Saturday. I am very much looking forward to it. The food is amazing. Our friends are amazing! 50 of our friends/teammates in a room with delicious food? Ill take it! You can find the recap from last years party here. Every year, it is at Maggiano’s. The first year there were only 8 of us, now 50! To make things even better, I get to carpool into Boston with BFF Brian because PDubs will already be there for a meeting. I never get to see BPH so that is very cool.
And just when I thought things couldnt get any better?? Tomorrow marks the completion of my second grad class (only 8 more to go 
) and the beginning of TWO WEEKS OFF! Woop woop! Now you can see why I am celebrating with guacamole!
Hoping that everyone else’s training is going well…its almost January which I find the hardest month to train in. Race season seems so far away! But…I always try to tell myself that the most progress is made in the winter.
QUESTION:
Are you a guacamole lover or hater??
I have been taking a lot of work home lately, and trying to squeeze in grad school work on top of it. I decided today would be no work Saturday (which means Ill have twice as much to do tomorrow but whatever–Im trying to not be obsessive about it! This edit shows its not working though.) So I woke up and headed to our local weekly 5k with PW. He ran the race while I jogged (soft j) for a total of 60 minutes. Dont worry, it didnt take him the full 60 minutes, I was running before and after too!
Here he is starting the race:
You can check out his race report, and the video I took during the race, on his website here
We came home and I proceeded to do my Saturday morning cleaning routine, followed by 3 episodes of Law and Order SVU. Really, I was just killing time waiting for 4:30–Ironman World Championships 2011 was on NBC from 4:30-7. So I watched that on the couch, prepping dinner during commercials:
Here is a fluorescent Crowie picture in my view during those 1.5 hours:
Since it was a relaxing today I decided to do my favorite thing: cook. I made my best chicken parm yet. I have a few hints as to make the perfect chicken for it:
1) use a mix of panko and regular (seasoned) breadcrumbs
2) DOUBLE COAT in the breadcrumb mix.
3) Saute it in oil first, to get it the right color and amount of crispiness
Once you have this:
You throw it in the oven and cook it for another 20 minutes and you’re set! It was the perfect cold weather meal on a night before a long run!
This is our only “home weekend” this month so I am taking full advantage. Next weekend is the QT2 Team Holiday party (which is, every year, a huge amount of fun), and then the next is Christmas! I should probably start Christmas shopping soon!
