Kim Loeffler is a pro triathlete who lives and trains in Vermont - so you know she gets mental toughness points for training through those winters! Xtri recently had the chance to sit down with Kim to talk about how she got into triathlon, her '07 season, and what's in store...
1. Tell us about your childhood – what it was like growing up with your twin sister, what kind of sports you were involved in, etc.
I grew up in Long Island NY with 4 siblings; 2 brothers, my twin, and an older sister. Kelly and I were little tom boys. We played sports with our brothers and all of their friends; roller hockey, baseball, dirt bike racing, just about anything! We could not sit still for a minute. We ran cross country and track in H.S. and then at the University of Massachusetts. I feel so blessed to be a twin. It’s a special bond that is very hard to describe. Imagine having a sister, best friend, training partner, and personal cheerleader all in one person.
2. You ran at college, then spent some time training as a marathoner in the hopes of qualifying for the Olympic trials. Can you tell us what that lifestyle was like?
After college, I started running with a great running club in Boston called the Boston Athletic Association. My goal was to train for a marathon and qualify for the Olympic Trials. It was a rough year for me in terms of injuries. I had 2 knee surgeries in 10 months. While recovering, I went to a local triathlon to watch a friend race. I was inspired and gave it a shot.
3. What was your first triathlon experience like? How did you eventually decide to turn pro?
When I first started doing triathlon, my plan was to do it for a year or 2, get healthy and return to running. After my first triathlon, I was totally hooked. I loved the variety, I loved that I could train alot and stay healthy and I loved the social aspect of it. I remember seeing the professionals at races and thinking “I want to do that!” But like most pros in this sport it is not that easy. My husband and I had just moved to Vermont to start up our business. I qualified as a Professional that year, but continued working full time. It was a struggle and I had to make a lot of sacrifices in those early years. But as our business grew and I started to get sponsorships, I was able to step back from the business and put more focus and time into training and racing. I see so many 20 something year olds fresh out of college, training full time and part of me wishes I could have started earlier. But the other part of me is grateful for the Journey and the balance and mental strength it has given me. My age group friends tease me and call me lazy because I won’t go to 5am masters swims, but I’ve been there, I’ve definitely paid my dues!
4. What’s it like living and training in Vermont? What’s made you choose to live there, rather than hot spots like San Diego and Boulder?
When Brian and I decided to move we put a lot of thought in to where we would go. We weighed the pros and cons and discovered the only pros to Boulder and San Diego had to do with triathlon. My training and racing is very important, but there will come a time when I have to retire from racing and we didn’t want to start over at the age of 40 something. We wanted to start a business and live close to family, so we chose Vermont. Training in New England is definitely a challenge. I am forced to ride indoors from November through March. Then it’s cold and rainy rides until June. I love to train. But I’m not a robot. I do have those days when I am dreading the 4-5 hour computrainer session, but then I just say to myself, “Do you want to win?” I do, so I do the work.
5. This past season, you took advantage of your ability to travel around the world to race. What was this like for you?
Over the past few years, because of work and financial reasons, I raced mostly in the U.S. This year, I had the opportunity to travel to some great races and see some amazing places. I raced in Pucon in January, and it is now one of my favorite Half Ironman races. In March, I went to New Zealand for the Ironman. Brian and I spent the week after the race touring the North Island and went on some spectacular hikes. That was our first vacation in a very long time. I would love to go back and spend a week exploring the South Island.
6. Can you tell us about your favorite race or race experience? Are there any races you haven’t competed in yet, but would like to?
Like most Ironman Triathletes, The Hawaii Ironman World Champs is my favorite race. It is the race that inspired me to get involved in the sport. It is the ultimate physical and mental challenge. I’ve always wanted to see Australia, so IM Australia would be high on my list.
7. What’s it like having Lance Watson as your coach? He’s now the official coach of Ironman, and he has some pretty impressive clients like Lisa Bentley and Chris Lieto. Do you ever do training camps together, or communicate with each other?
Lance has helped me tremendously over the years with both my mental and physical preparations. I contacted Lance after Ironman Lake Placid in 2004. That year, despite racing with mono, I placed 14th in Kona and went on to finish 8th a year later. We communicate on a regular basis via email or phone and try to plan a camp at least once a year where I can get some one on one training time.
8. You had a pretty tough race this year in Kona. Can you share your experience with us? What’s the main thing you took away from the race this year?
This year was quite a roller coaster ride. The first half of the year went really well for me. I was building up for the Lake Placid Ironman after a great race at Clearlake 101. I felt my training was on track for a top finish at Lake Placid. Five weeks before Lake Placid I crashed on my bike and suffered a grade 3 shoulder separation. A month later, I was healthy and gearing up for Kona. I went to Boulder for my final build up and 3 weeks into my trip, I became very anemic and incurred a stress fracture in my femur. It’s a tough break when you do all the training and then can’t do the race, can’t reward all the hard work. I couldn’t sit out again. So I rested for a month and decided to race. If it hurt badly, I would stop. I felt weak all day and by mile 10 my leg was shot. I thought about quitting and ending the day to minimize the damage but I just couldn’t do it. I didn’t want to end my year like that. I wanted to experience the race, my favorite race, and use all those feelings I experienced to fuel me for next year. I learned a lot this year about altitude training, how my body responds, and what I need to work on for next year. I also learned that I can’t rush my fitness. After my shoulder injury, I was so worried about having a bad swim in Kona, that I basically ran myself into the ground. I went full throttle for way too long and ended up paying a painful price.
9. Tell us about you and your husband’s business – does this come in handy for you as a triathlete?
We are Co Owners of On Track, a wellness facility in Burlington VT offering physical therapy, massage therapy, personal training and coaching services to the local community. We also offer a membership to our facility which is a full scale gym. My husband, Brian, is a physical therapist so it is handy having my own personal therapist and my own gym for the especially cold days in Vermont.
10. What’s in store for 2008?
I haven’t finalized my race plans yet, but I’d like to start racing some Half Ironman races in the spring, a summer Ironman and if all goes well the World Champs in Kona.
You can learn more about Kim by visiting her website kimloefflerracing.com. |
