Switching gears
  As natural an athlete as she already was, Perez understood that she needed to be as apt in swimming and cycling as she was in running. The sport of triathlon requires proficiency in all three disciplines. If one element is lacking, it can mean the difference between victory and finishing completely out of the running. Therefore, she concentrated on constantly reaching small goals on her way to becoming a competitive triathlete.

  “In the beginning, I definitely needed to focus on my swimming and cycling. I came from a running background and never done a great deal of swimming or cycling before,” says Perez, who noted that it took some time to get every discipline in line. “During my first few seasons, every improvement was a victory. Every race that you got better, you knew that it was attributed to your hard work.” That hard work paid off. Perez became an All-American triathlete in 2004 and was a finalist for the Junior Duathlete of the Year three years in a row. To top all of that off, Perez has earned five national junior titles in both triathlon and duathlon. Having previously been a part of winning seasons in team sports, succeeding on her own was a whole new feeling.

“Winning in triathlon is different than in team sports,” Perez says, “because if you have a bad day there is no one there to pick you up. It’s just you.”

The wake-up call
Heading into 2005, Perez was ready to tackle the world of professional triathlon. In a sport of solitary focus, she could now rely on herself to push her way to victory. Instead, she rallied along with her family to face a different kind of endurance challenge. Hurricane Katrina swept its way across the Gulf Coast, inflicting unimaginable destruction on Perez’s hometown of New Orleans.

  In late August of 2005, the hurricane devastated the Big Easy, causing nearly 2,000 deaths and over $80 billion in damage. Thousands were evacuated, but even when the waters receded, an immediate return of the refugees wasn’t possible. Homes and businesses were destroyed, with the entire city caught in a slow process of rebuilding.

  “It was definitely a major wake up call,” says Perez of the hurricane. “To one day be training and going to class and the next five days spend every moment in front of the news watching your house, neighborhood and city fall to pieces is something I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.”

  At the brink of turning pro, Perez couldn’t feasibly train and compete under these conditions. So, she weathered the storm, rebuilt and found a new training ground in San Antonio. She plans to train there and finally make the jump to the pro ranks.

  “It was a rough start getting equipment, moving to a new city and getting into a training routine. It is all coming together now and I look forward to the rest of the season,” Perez says. “I think it is all a building process. It is kind of like school; every year the classes get a little harder but you are better able to handle them.

  ”The hurricane came and went, as did the 2005 season. Nevertheless, Jen Perez maintains the positive outlook of a born survivor. The physical and mental hurdles thrown in every triathlete’s way are welcomed, rather than avoided by Perez. She sees them as new ways to challenge herself and keep her eyes firmly on her future—and according to her, there’s no time to look back.

  “I think the most difficult aspect of my sport is balancing everything between training, eating right, and taking care of your body. I think the most important aspect of keeping it together mentally is to constantly look forward,” Perez says. “Focus on what you are working for and what you need to do to get there and not what you lost or what you didn’t get to do.”