Meet Amanda!
Amanda has been training and racing for endurance events for 13 years! She began her running career in 2008 and since then has completed over 20 running events. In 2015, she added triathlons to the agenda and has been doing those ever since. So far, she has completed close to 15 triathlons, including Ironman Atlantic City 70.3 and jumping off a ferry for the iconic Escape the Cape Triathlon.
Amanda will cross the finish line at her first Ironman event this year! For 2021, Ironman Maryland is her focus with a few smaller distance events along the way. She has been training with AME since October of 2020 and has grown significantly since then! She has made great progress in both volume and speed in all three disciplines, has built a strong foundation in her strength training and is eager to continue learning training and racing strategy.
While she has made gains and built a solid base for the bike and the run, her biggest improvements so far have been in the pool. She has been putting in the work all off-season to strengthen and improve the swim. Working together, she has made great progress in her form and efficiency and has shaved close to 15 seconds off her average threshold pace!
Aside from her drive, passion and commitment to training and racing, what we love most about Amanda is her personality! She shows kindness and compassion to everyone, has a great sense of humor and is extremely detail oriented!
Absolutely THRILLED Amanda chose AME to share in her journey!
Q & A with Amanda:
What got you into triathlon and endurance events?
After spending 8 years post college in Washington DC, I relocated back home to Cape May in May 2008. As that was a big transition point, I wanted to commemorate it and did so by dedicating myself to training for my first half marathon. I never considered myself and athlete, let alone a runner, so the commitment to training and learning was a huge deal for me. When I crossed the finish line in September 2008 at the Philadelphia Distance Run, I was elated and so proud of what I’d set my mind to and accomplished. And, that feeling is addictive.
After continuing to experience those feelings while posting better times/paces running, finishing a marathon in 2010 as well as planning a wedding (2011) completing grad school (2013) I guess I was looking for the next fix so to speak.
Friends who had completed Escape the Cape pushed me to sign up…they said it would be great fun. They forgot I really don’t like heights, cold water and was not a trained swimmer. But, I got in off the waitlist and in June of 2015, I jumped, fell, was pulled of the edge of the ferry and found myself splashing into the world of triathlon.
What is your favorite event and why?
I don’t really have a favorite event in the sense of a certain race that have to sign up for every year. But if I had to choose a favorite event I’ve completed; I would say the inaugural Ironman AC 70.3. It was super exciting to be part of that event in its first year. The course was great, DelMo did an excellent job and the volunteers were amazing. The adrenaline was pumping, and the day did not disappoint.
Honorable mentions to the 2019 Key West Tri, 2009/2010 Key West Half Marathons, 2009 Rock n Roll Las Vegas Half (also an inaugural and you run the Las Vegas Strip all lit up), 2010 Philly Marathon (seriously though, if I never hear Eye of the Tiger or the Rocky theme song again, I’d be ok).
What about triathlon and endurance sport brings you the most joy?
I’m a pretty goal oriented and achievement driven person, so endurance sports are perfect for me. They give you so much room to stretch and grow. You can always get better; you can always set a new goal. It isn’t always about the full race, it could be bettering one discipline within a race, or moving up to a new distance. It’s really very personal.
I also love the camaraderie we endurance athletes have here in Cape May County. Through the Wild Harbor Tri Club and the great slate of races put on by DelMoSports, Cape May Running Co and other local race directors, we get to train, race, volunteer and play together and it is so much fun. I have met so many new people I consider great friends though this sport and I love being able to support them in their goals and they do the same for me!
Pick your pain, a non-wetsuit legal 70.3, or greater in distance, triathlon event or bumpy roads and endless potholes in a sprint triathlon?
I’m going with the non-wetsuit legal race…which is huge for me because if you know me, you know I love my wetsuit and lava pants, or as I call them, floaty pants. BUT, I choose this because I’ve actually already faced this challenge. When I raced Tri AC Olympic in 2016 as a warm-up for IMAC 70.3 it was not wetsuit legal and I was not happy that morning. However, I chose to have confidence in myself and my training and I went out there and swam that mile with no wetsuit! It was the first time I’d ever swam a mile plus with no wetsuit. So, if I can do it for 1 mile…I can do it for 1.2 miles…the 2.4 for a full…come get my opinion in August. LOL!
What is your favorite part of training?
My favorite part of training is when you hit a milestone you’ve never hit before, running 1 more mile than you ever have, swimming just a few second faster for a 100 yd, changing a flat by yourself, eeking out 1 more push-up. Those little victories are what keep you coming back. I cried the first time I ran 8 miles when training for my first half. I’d battled it for weeks, and couldn’t get there without walking some, and then one day I did.
The big victories, like crossing finish lines, are great, but those small victories, the ones maybe only you see are what get you there.
What is one thing you want people to know about you?
I love being a volunteer for races just as much as being a participant. I know how much an enthusiastic volunteer can impact me during a race and how important it is to have those aid stations stocked and running smoothly. I was a cheerleader in high school, and I bring that all back when I am working a racecourse. I will cheer for you and high five you and help you bring your best in that race. I’m loud and I don’t care if I lose my voice if it gets you across that line! And yes, I have my own megaphone and I’m not afraid to use it.