Jen Perez

What’s New?

jenperez — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 01:56:44 +0000

Wow! So much is going on now I don’t even know where to start. I am so sorry for taking such a long break between blogs! I am gearing up for graduation in May and trying to plan for the future. I recently started personal training at Anytime Fitness in San Marcos. It has been great so far! It is an amazing gym that really lets you express yourself and gives you the freedom to do what you know. Also, since my little hiatus from multi-sport racing I have gotten certified to teach river kayaking:) I totally love kayaking. It is a great sport that is tons of fun. I mainly do what is called “play boating.” This is when you are in a little kayak about 4 feet long allowing you to do tricks and run rapids. I guess swimming has crossed over well because I am completely comfortable under water, especially because I know how to flip back over in the boat. Kayaking is a great use of core, balance, and upper body strength. I highly recommend trying it out. If you are in my area the Olympic Outdoor Center offers monthly memberships to use their gear and lessons from Olympian Ben Kvanli and his future Olympian wife Michelle Kvanli. They rock!
Also I am looking forward to a climbing trip in 2 weeks to Hueco tanks in El Paso. Hueco is one of the top places in the world for climbing. Because it is an endangered area, however, you have to have a reservation to go. If you don’t have a reservation there are always guided trips through the park too. I have only heard good things about this area and can’t wait to see it and the amazing climbers that go there.
Besides all of these new activities I have been contemplating running a marathon in May. As most of you know I am not a marathoner nor an ironman athlete. My distance has always been olympic distance with some half ironmans and half marathons in there. So this will be a new feat for me.
I added some pictures of a recent trip down the San Marcos river.

Urban Adventure Race Nationals in Nola!

jenperez — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:43:51 +0000

Wow what a weekend! This weekend my sister, Peyton, turned 10, my goddaughter, Bella, turned one, and it was Urban Adventure Race Nationals. This was my first time ever racing in an Urban Adventure Race. My partner, Mike, qualified up in DC and his partner couldn’t join him in New Olreans so I stood in for her. I wasn’t used to solving problems and trying to go fast though! It was a very different but fun experience. I learned things about my city that I didn’t know before. We had to do all sorts of crazy things like solve a puzzle, make orange juice with our hands, solve a math problem, and carry a live alligator! It was all either on foot or street car too, no biking, except for the one part in the little touring cars (see picture below). The winners won $10,000! Unfortunately, we didn’t win but we still had a good time. We came in top 30 out of 90+ teams.
Up next…. Lance’s Ranch MTB race.

Its been Oh too long…

jenperez — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:31:52 +0000

Hey everyone,
I deepest apologies on how long its taken me to blog. As most of you may understand, life just went and got in the way!! How dare it. Anyway, let me just fill you in….
While I am no longer on a strict training schedule I am still running, biking, and a little swimming:) I actually have been mainly mountain biking. I have done a few collegiate mountain bike races and happy to report that I have won them all. I am really getting into this mountain bike thing and plan on doing a race at the end of November at Lances’ ranch. I am sure you all heard about it but Lance is hosting a mountain bike race on his ranch with unlimited spectators! Sounds like it should be a blast. I’ll be racing in the Pro/open division.
Also coming up is Urban Adventure Race National Championships in New Orleans, LA (go figure). My partner is Mike, a trainer from D.C. Its a great weekend to go home to NOLA because its my sister(10) and my goddaughters’(1) birthday on the 5th! I can’t wait. This will be my second Adventure Race besides Sprint Collegiate Nationals where we won the Collegiate national championship. I am a little nervous because a lot of this race is knowledge of the city, and since I’m FROM there this puts a lot of pressure on me!
Lastly, I am trying to get ready for the GRE! aaahhhhhhhhhhhh Like I don’t have enough to study being a full time student.
It doesn’t really sound like I took a break I know but I’m new at the whole break thing so it might just take me a little while
I am going to leave you guys with this picture since I know pictures are always fun even if they have no real relevance. This picture was taken at Camp Eagle a TMBRA/Collegate MTB race in Texas after nabing a win.

Update

jenperez — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:34:42 +0000

Ok so i am currently in summer school and today consisted looking at pregnant cows with an ultrasound machine. It was pretty awesome except for the fact that you have to see them through their back side :/
As far as training goes I am taking a slightly different rout this year. This is my last year of undergrad as some of you may know and I would like Grad school or a good internship to be an option of me at the end of it. Because of this I am focussing less on racing and training. This will be a big change for me after about eight years. i won’t be gone from the tri scene but it just may not be my focus this year. I hope everyone can understand where I am coming from. I will continue to blog and I hope you guys will continue to come and check it out. I’ll keep everyone posted. Keep doing what you love!
Jen

Bella’s Baptism

jenperez — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 05:00:05 +0000

Hey everyone. Sorry again for the delay in posting. I just got back on Tuesday night from New Orleans. I was there for my goddaughters’ baptism. It was a blast. Still weird that one of my best friends is married with a baby. At what age are you supposed to grow out of feeling like you are too young for all of this to be happening?
Being back in Texas is nice except for all of the heat!! I think it was like 106 today. I mean it is unbelievable how freakin hott it can get. I’m already ready for the winter or fall.
I start school in a few weeks too, summer II. Its only three hours though and after that I have two semesters of minimum hours and then I am done! Wow, I can’t wait.
I hope everyone is enjoying their summer and staying cool.

Long time no Post

jenperez — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:43:46 +0000

Hey everybody. Sorry for the laps up time between posts. Best friends will do that to you when they come visit you from out of town…. monopolise your time! Anyway, this past week I have been in Arkansas, Dallas, San Marcos, and Austin. Its been crazy! Plus, my camera charger is MIA so I don’t have any pics till Kristen e-mails me some. I’ll fill you all in soon.
I am also headed out again to New Orleans for Bella’s (goddaughter) baptism and to see my bro and sis, Preston and Peyton. Keep ya posted.
Train Hard
Jen

Moose

jenperez — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 15:27:01 +0000

So today I’m pretty pumped about a couple of things. The first thing is that I convinced my best friend, Kristen, to come to Eureka Springs, Arkansas with me to the Xterra this weekend. This is a 10 hour drive from Austin. Not only that but she has to fly in from New Orleans! We are going to have a blast though in Arkansas and then a quick stop over in Dallas on the way home. The second is about school.
So I turned 24 in April of this year. I filed my financial aid for next fall and spring and when I checked it online I got a ton of GRANTS! Wow, if I knew this was going to happen I would have turned 24 sooner instead of putting it off. Apparently, the US department of education considers you an independent when you turn 24. This really helps out and I am pretty psyched. Advice- wait till your 24 to go to college
Anyway, what I really wanted to write about is my running partner. He is about my same speed, always enthusiastic, and loves me very much…. no no no it’s not my dad. It’s my dog, Moose! He is a great training partner and tries his best day in and day out. I’m still taking notes on how to gain his enthusiasm for life. Sometimes, depending on where I go, he will even do open water swim workouts with me. He is an excellent swimmer as well. His only Achilles’ heal is deer. He even ran through a barbed wire fence to try and get one, caused about 5 stitches. He has never caught one and he never will but I don’t rub it in. I don’t know what life would be without him and I recommend everyone get a Moose if they can. (Preferably at your local shelter)

Coolest Race Pic….

jenperez — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:35:52 +0000

Wow, i just wanted to share this with you guys. A local tri club T3 was out their taking pictures and this is what the photographer got. I think i was on mile 4ish and this little boy was handing out water…. amazing! Just copy and past this address…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcgregorphoto/3566983794/in/set-72157618736120615/

Arkansas

jenperez — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:06:04 +0000

I am lucky enough right now to have the opportunity to take time and go travel and train different places. This past week I spent my time in a little town called Eureka Springs, AR. My boyfriend, James, parents have a house up there on a lake. It was a picture perfect place. In about 2 weeks there is going to be an Xterra held there so we did some mountain biking on that course as well as some others. We hooked up with the local bike shop owner who was from Austin and was nice enough to show us some local trails. I swam in the lake by the house and ran the gravel roads that started at their front door. There was also a bit of extra activities… A couple of days we went on the boat and wake boarded. It was a blast and a lot harder then it looks. I got a picture of James back flipping on the wake board but it accidently got deleted! Aaahhh We also went tubing behind the boat. It was a U shaped tube and 2 people got in it and whoever was driving tried to nock them off. I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time! James and I where in it with his brother, Clint, driving until his mom got behind the wheel and showed us who is boss! hahaha We also checked out a cool climbing spot. Arkansas is full of rocks everywhere.
The dogs had a blast too. There are a bunch of ticks in the area but they only got a few. We also picked up a couple after rides and runs.
At night we messed around with Clint’s espresso machine and coffee bean grinder and addable flavors. Its a lot more complicated then coffee shops make it look. I have concluded that I will leave the coffee making to the experts.
All in all it was an extremely pleasant and fun trip. I would highly recommend going if you get the chance. The town is absolutely adorable too with good food, people, and culture.

Cap Tex Tri

jenperez — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:23:33 +0000

Just like Memphis in May everything went smoothly. I got their with plenty of time to get everything ready in transition. We had to check the bikes in the night before so it was easy just to through some shoes and helmet and stuff out. The weather was perfect. The water was around 68 so it was wetsuit legal. I was in the first wave which went off at 7am. I started the swim and about half way through I thought I was in the back but I got out of the water 3rd female. I swam a 21min mile, got my bike and headed out onto the 4 lap course. There where lots of turns which definitely slowed down the course. I got off of the bike in 6th with a 1:09 ride. T2 went just as smooth, both transitions took longer because of how long we had to run through grass and dirt with our bikes. I didn’t feel quite as strong as I would have liked on the run. I ran a pokey 45. I finished 6th with a time of 2:19.
About 2 hours after the race James and I headed up to Arkansas for the week to mountain bike, trail run, and swim. We got here in 10 hours. I’ll definitely be sharing some pics of the views!

ps-check out the website on the butt:)