Hispanic Heritage Month 2020

When did you join TTPDX and why?

I joined in Summer of 2019 because I needed friends for open water swimming, but also I was looking for a supportive community in which I could train with others in an encouraging environment.

 

What’s your favorite race?

I don’t have one yet but maybe the Lucky tri by Why events. Running races in Oregon Runaway Pumpkin (but it was canceled in 2019) and Lost Dutchman in Arizona. Both courses are close to nature and both small community events.

 

What’s your favorite discipline?

Well I love how I feel while swimming and afterwards.  I love the runners’ high too. 

 

Share a bit about your background as it relates to your heritage. 

I was born in Costa Rica and all my family is there, I visit them regularly, we are 100% Ticos native/spanish mix.  I lived for four years in Ecuador as a child where I learned to swim and I 

was part of a competitive swim club. Later after college I moved to Arizona where friends challenged me to join them for my first triathlon and currently I call Hillsboro home.

 

What is your experience being a Hispanic/Latinx triathlete?  

My biggest challenge is open water swimming (yes I said my favorite sport is swim). My great uncle drowned in his 20s at a local beach, a common accident due to the strong rip current (which is the reason why Costa Rica is famous for big waves), my grandmother taught her children to fear water, and didn’t encourage any swimming lessons. My mom and some of her siblings still today panic when they put their heads in water; us grandkids were thought to swim but the cautionary tales especially when visiting beaches were endless. I don’t swim in waves, I’ve done ocean snorkeling, I can’t imagine doing an ocean tri. This is why in 2019 I knew I needed friends to go swimming in open water, thanks TTPDX AND THANKS ELSA!  Is this a hispanic-broad issue? Of course not, there are surfers and people who swim in the ocean, typically the coastal people, but us people from the mountains might be very respectful of large bodies of water.

When did you join TTPDX and why?

I joined in November of 2019 through the encouragement of TTPDX members Nic Surgnier and Adam Peterson. Adam and I met and became friends through a masters swimming group…

When did you join TTPDX and why?

I joined in November of 2019 through the encouragement of TTPDX members Nic Surgnier and Adam Peterson.  Adam and I met and became friends through a masters swimming group and then I met Nic through Adam. Nic actually paid for my membership as a Christmas present! They are my brothers from another mother!

What’s your favorite race?

My most memorable race was my first marathon I ran in Anchorage, Alaska. The Boston 2012 Marathon was also an amazing experience: there were THOUSANDS of fans cheering me on the entire time! Some highlights were the hundreds of women from Wellesley college at 13.1 miles with signs saying “kiss me”, a police officer who saw that I was struggling and said “hey buddy, let’s finish this! Let’s go!” and at mile 23 a woman actually picked me up and gave me an encouraging hug to keep going! Finally, becoming an Ironman last November in Arizona was my biggest accomplishment ever!

What’s your favorite discipline?

Well I’m a runner first and foremost but I’ve overcome lots of fear around water and now it’s my most favorite and fastest event! For my Ironman, I was very proud to complete the 2.4 mile swim in 1 hour 30 minutes.

Share a bit about your background as it relates to your heritage. 

My mom was raised in Guatemala City and I go and visit my family there fairly often. My father was American, with European roots, and he was an amazing man. I’m proud to have been born in the US but I’m also proud to be both bilingual and bicultural. Most of all, I pride myself in being a good human being! 

When I go to Latin American countries, the natives are nice but they call me a Gringo and here in the US I’ve had to deal with all kinds of weird racist things like being called “guacamole man” and being told to go back to my own country. My grandmother was Afro-Latina born and raised in the black community of Livingston, Guatemala. I brought her to school with me for “bring your hero day” and several days later, I got into an argument with a fellow student and he said, “Yeah well, at least my grandmother isn’t Black, you Nigger lover.” It kind of feels like I’m in a “no man’s land” in those cases.

What is your experience being a Hispanic/Latinx triathlete?  

I’ve been a triathlete since 2008 and I’ve seen lots of diversity at local races which is nice! Some of my family members cannot swim so they are blown away I’m even doing this. First and foremost though, I’m an athlete and I help people when the need arises. I’m looking forward to a time when TTPDX grows in diversity making this sport accessible to everyone. I love talking with people on long rides and runs and getting to know them. 

Do you have any final words?

Life is a process and I appreciate the steps that are being taken to make sure everyone on TTPDX counts!

When did you join TTPDX and why?

I joined TTPDX in January 2020. I have been training triathlon for 3 years and I really love it. I moved to the USA one year ago, before I was living in Poland, there I realized…

When did you join TTPDX and why?

I joined TTPDX in January 2020. I have been training triathlon for 3 years and I really love it. I moved to the USA  one year ago, before I was living in Poland, there I realized that it is beautiful to share your passion with people who like doing the same things as you when I joined a triathlon group. It is amazing how this sport brings together different people but at the same time so similar. That gave me the feeling of belonging to a community, and that helped me in many ways. It is never easy being an expat, and less if you don’t speak the language or you come from a totally different culture, so I can say that the triathlon saved me. When I arrived in Portland I knew I wanted to join a club to share the same experiences and find crazy people to train with. I met Rudy by a nice coincidence and we quickly found out that we share a hobby, so he invited me to the kick off party of TTPDX! I saw the atmosphere and the good vibes (and the pizza) at that party and without hesitation, I signed up. 

What’s your favorite race?

I don’t have a favorite race. Actually I try to do new ones each time and not to repeat. However there is one that I have done since the first year I started to train so I have special affection for it. It is in Sierakow, (Poland) and it is the first race of the season. The atmosphere is amazing; everyone goes there for two days of races. The place is very beautiful, in the middle of the forest so you can camp there and supporters enjoy the beautiful surroundings. The bike is hilly and you run in the middle of the forest with hills. It is quite hard, but worth it!!  

What’s your favorite discipline?

I would say that what I enjoy less is running. Probably because it is the hardest for me! I like swimming and I got to love cycling, I love spending hours and hours on the saddle and doing hills!! 

Share a bit about your background as it relates to your heritage. 

I am from Valencia, which is a city in the Mediterranean coast of Spain. As a good Mediterranean, I love the sea, the sun, being in the street with people and of course the good food and drinks. In 2015 I moved to Poland to pursue a PhD so I was working there for almost 4 years. That experience taught me a lot, when you have to live abroad you learn new things that otherwise you would have never learned! From Poland I came directly to Portland, first time living overseas so far from my home! Besides triathlon I have many other hobbies, I love scuba diving and I have been doing that all my life and it is kind of a family thing! Almost everything that can be done in the sea I like. I also like the mountains and snowboarding. I have tried many sports before and I am always open to learn new ones.

What is your experience being a Hispanic triathlete?

I wouldn’t say that my experience as a triathlete has been marked by being Hispanic, I always found it very inclusive in my case. Indeed in Spain triathlon is getting more and more popular and in Europe in general there are plenty of movements.  

When did you join TTPDX and why?

I started dropping in on the swimming clinics in the fall of 2018, and joined the group shortly after. After participating in a couple of marathons, I was wanting to try some other activity where I could do something besides run!

What’s your favorite race?
I’ve done both triathlons and marathons, but my favorite is the Portland marathon because I like running through the neighborhoods without being bothered by cars.

What’s your favorite discipline?
I feel most comfortable running since it’s the one I’ve practiced the most, but I think I’ll like cycling more once I get more miles – and a better bike! I’ve been on the hunt for a good deal and I’m really hoping to find one before next season.

Share a bit about your background as it relates to your heritage.
I grew up in México and moved to the US for graduate school in 2010. I am from Chihuahua, a state in Mexico where the Rarámuris are famous for winning local races.
A few years ago, one of my best friends from Mexico, who also lives in the US, told me that he had started running and he was considering maybe someday running a half marathon. Without thinking about it too hard, I said that I would start running too, and a few months later we completed our first half marathon in Tucson. We continue doing the race in Tucson every December – now we’re up to the full marathon! Even though we live far apart, we keep supporting each other in our running activities – me in triathlons, him in ultramarathons – and now our running “group” also includes his wife, whom he’s coaching for her first half marathon. Running is contagious!

What is your experience being a Latino triathlete?
I really don’t think it’s that different than it is for any other person. I’m always looking for hobbies where I can connect with other Latinos or with people who speak Spanish, and the truth is I haven’t found many activities where this is the case. I’m so glad that I’ve found a few people in this team that speak my first language and know my culture!

When did you join TTPDX and why?
I joined in January 2020 after the Holiday Party. I wanted to get back to working out after having my baby because I had severe abdominal diastasis rectus. (Google it!) After I got better from physical therapy, I wanted to start training for a triathlon because it is an inspiring reason to work out.

What’s your favorite race?
The Chicago Marathon in 2008 was my first marathon and my favorite race even though I hadn’t trained for it. I was planning on just running half of it but ended up doing the whole thing thanks to support from my then future husband and my sister Annabel! The crowd support in Chicago is legendary! Since then I’ve done 2 more Marathons & several half marathons. Although, my absolute favorite race is one I did not run. In 2011, I helped create a 5k race with my Latina-Oritented sorority Gamma Phi Omega International Sorority, Inc. This race was called the Swan-a-thon 5k and helped raise $2,000 its first year for our sorority’s national philanthropy, the American Diabetes Association. I wanted to create a race to raise money & awareness of diabetes because I knew that exercising helps reduce the chances of Type 2 diabetes. I wanted to help prevent Type 2 diabetes in the Latino community by motivating people to workout. During race day, I saw so many Latinx runners finish their first 5k and it was just such a heartwarming moment, it brought tears to my eyes.

What’s your favorite discipline?
Running is my favorite but I’m not necessarily the strongest at it right now because of an ankle injury and I love swimming once I get in the water!

Share a bit about your background as it relates to your heritage.
I am Mexican-American. I was born in Chicago. I grew up in a working-class family. My mom and dad come from humble beginnings. My mom Margarita is from Mexico City and my dad Alfredo Jr. is from Tanhuato, Michoacan. My grandfather Papa Alfredo worked in the Bracero Program in the farms in California. He traveled back & forth between Mexico and the United States freely. Eventually, Papa Alfredo moved to Chicago and worked in a candy factory. In Michoacan, my father’s family had a farm, but because of violence, they moved to Mexico City. They were robbed when they got there and lost everything, so they had to start completely over. My father Alfredo Jr. and Uncle Ignacio worked in the Marketplace called “Mercado de Jamaica” where they worked cleaning carrots for about ~5 years. Eventually, they started a family juice stand before coming to the US. My mom and dad met in Mexico City, moved to Chicago, and got married. After moving to the United States, my dad held many jobs, but finally became an IBEW Local 134 union electrician. My dad was an amateur boxer in Mexico so he liked to stay fit. He always inspired us to work out and put healthy food in our bodies. He’s a big reason why I became a Registered Dietitian. Also, because of him, we joined a gym and our mom would take us swimming every morning in the gym pool before school. My mom became a beautician and is the salon owner of Conexion Salon and Spa in Roscoe Village neighborhood, she’s been a salon owner for 28 years. She went to college for economics in Mexico and because of her, she always pushed me and my siblings to do well in school and get a college degree. My father was also a huge advocate for school & would always take us to after school sports & tutoring.

What is your experience being a Mexican-American triathlete?
Sometimes I feel I am the only one. I know I am not, but I just wish I knew more female Mexican-American triathletes like me. When I’ve done triathlons I have not seen much diversity. I hope that by sharing my triathlon training with others that I can inspire others to do it too! I wish the sport was more diverse than it is. To see more diversity on race day would be incredible!

When did you join TTPDX and why?
I moved to Portland in June 2019 and I was training for my first Half Ironman. The thought of going out to the unknown roads, open water swims, or even running alone was scary for me so I went through FB to find group rides. One of them was led by Christine up to Larch Mountain. I’m from Texas and that ride was very hard for me but everyone was super nice and people were very encouraging. That’s when I heard about TTPDX and I decided that I wanted to join.

What’s your favorite race?
I love the Austin Marathon and Half Marathon. The atmosphere is awesome and there is always a huge party at the end. I didn’t get to enjoy Portland as much due to Covid but hopefully things get back to normal soon and I get to experience more of Oregon races.

What’s your favorite discipline?
Biking is what I enjoy the most. You can travel so far on the bike. Running is second. Swimming is just the … I have to do it in order to do a triathlon.

Share a bit about your background as it relates to your heritage.
I was born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico and moved to the US when I was 9 years old. Texas has a big hispanic population which makes the transition easy. My mom was the typical strict type and the only way I could go hang out with friends was in school activities. I started playing sports in Junior High school, thankfully it was free because we lived in one of the poorest cities of America. If we had to pay for it, I would have missed the opportunity to be able to experience all the benefits that extracurricular activities have for young kids. If I was not in some type of school activity I was expected to work so I joined everything I could. I played volleyball, basketball, ran cross country and track, played softball, and even played the french horn in band. Running is now the way I let go of my worries and relieve stress.

What is your experience being a Hispanic/Latinx triathlete?
When I started doing triathlons I didn’t really pay attention to the lack of representation. I was more aware of how expensive the sport is and that it is most likely that people with good backgrounds and good jobs would have an easier time participating. My first road bike was actually a gift. I couldn’t afford a road bike. Now that I’m older and I have stability I can look back and see what makes it difficult for some. We can have a huge impact on a kid’s future if we could provide opportunities to get a beginner bike, free swimming classes, or mentorships to expose them to the sport. One of the best things I’ve seen here in Portland is that kids can participate in races for free. If I would have seen this as a kid I would have been the first in line!