Bia field tester Kelly Delgado knows the drill. 2 months ago, this rock star mother of 5 completed her first full Ironman (Florida). Coming to our Kickstarter campaign by way of Bia-love shared by Swim Bike Mom, Kelly did her homework, decided we were about to revolutionize the GPS watch industry, and signed on to be one of our early field testers. Not shy about her opinions and beliefs, Kelly doesn’t hesitate to challenge others in a debate or shy away from calling words of encouragement to those she meets in a race. She’s goal-oriented (Kona some day), content (loves what she’s doing), busy (5 energetic kids), and blessed with a husband who works hard so she can stay home and take care of their children and who still supports all of her “sometimes crazy” athletic endeavors.

“At the end of the day, I am racing against myself.”

Following her memorable Ironman experience of 2012, Kelly plans to spend 2013 drawing her teenage daughters into triathlon, fine tuning her own athletic training and efficiency, and participating in a number of races at various distances, all with an eye toward another full Ironman, perhaps Couer d’Alene or Cozumel, in 2014. Of course, she’s eager to have Bia along for the ride. She looks forward to field testing our watch during training, specifically in the ocean and under foggy California coastal conditions, and she can’t wait to try it out in an actual race.

In Her Own Words

What’s your athletic history? What brought you to your sport?
I started running Cross Country and Track in high school at the age of 14, and have been addicted ever since. I was the number 2 runner at Antelope Valley College, and then I won a partial scholarship to Cal State San Bernardino and ran there for two years while pursuing my Criminal Justice degree. After college when ‘real life’ took over, my athletic endeavors were put to the wayside. I still exercised regularly and found my stress outlet in running, but I did not compete again until after I was married and my children started school.

My first return to racing was the American Martyrs School 5K in Manhattan Beach, CA.  I went into it thinking that I would just take it easy and have fun, which I did for about the first mile but then the competitive bug bit and in a big way.  I took off and ended up finishing first in my age group. From there, my good friend who is a triathlete, somehow talked me into doing my very first triathlon with her in 2011. I was not a good swimmer, and in fact, was terrified of water in my face and I had not been on a bicycle in many years. But, the athlete in me likes a challenge. Terrified and excited at the same time, I signed up for The Oschner Ironman 70.3 New Orleans with a mere 4 months to learn to swim and bike. It was quite the learning experience and despite the swim portion being cancelled that year (a disappointment after all of the work I put in), I finished and have been hooked on triathlon ever since.

In what ways do you fit, defy, or break the mold of the “Female Athlete”?
I think I am a combination of the “typical” female athlete as well as a bit of a mold-breaker in other areas. I am constantly trying to balance being a good wife and mother, with training as efficiently as I can.  Like many other female athletes, I am driven, determined, and sometimes very lonely during training sessions. I am a stay-at-home mom of 5 kids dealing with 3 different schools, so time is very precious.

I break the mold of the typical “female athlete” in a different way.  I am fanatical about food and its part in health and athletic performance. We follow the Paleo diet, so I make sure that we have a constant supply of fresh grass-fed beef and wild-caught fish and fresh fruits and veggies from our own urban garden. I make our own butter, chicken-foot broth, bone broth, sauerkraut, and some fun adult things like wine, beer, Limoncello, and Grand Marnier –not so great for you, but hey, a mom needs a break once in awhile! I’ve found that the better I eat, the better I feel and perform as an athlete.

What personal transformation has most influenced you?
I think the most transformative experiences come from pain. That is where learning and growth comes from; there is no growth without first feeling the pain.  Like any other person, I am not unfamiliar with that. My personal transformations are a collection of all of my experiences and growth so far. The key is to acknowledge the pain, test the limit, and eventually, push through it. That is where true transformation takes place. A quote that I meditate upon on occasion: “Change will come when the pain of staying the same is worse than the pain of change.”

What was your biggest athletic accomplishment of 2012?
By far, my biggest accomplishment of 2012 was finishing Ironman Florida, November 3, 2012.  Before that I had competed in (in order) Ironman 70.3 New Orleans, Ironman 70.3 San Juan, Barb’s Race 70.3, and the Nautica Malibu International Distance. It was a huge deal for me since it was my first full Ironman and my fifth race ever. My goal was simply to finish, which I did in 16 hours and 15 minutes. I wanted to quit so many times. I hurt. I was hungry for real food. I was mentally and physically exhausted. My brain kept trying to bargain with me to stop and just quit. I have never been a quitter, but I honestly considered it several times. I had pretty bad stomach cramping, but I just kept pushing through. I had to keep moving, and so I did. I was not the fastest in Florida, but I did it and I was so proud of myself that I bawled like a baby crossing that finish line.

There were a number of things that helped me to the finish. I am grateful for Island Boost, which was the only thing that was palatable and that I was able to digest near the end. I am grateful for LA Tri Club’s Ocean 101 class and the amazing coaches they have for helping me get over my fear of the surf and swimming en masse. I am grateful for Adrian Valdivieso from LA Tri Club, because he provided me with a fantastic training plan that I tried to follow as best I could, even if he had me cursing most of the time. But at the end of the day, I owe my successful completion of that race to three people:

1. My amazing husband, Jerry, and the unconditional love and support that he has given me throughout my journey.  I love you, baby!
2. My unbelievable swim coach, Mallory Mead, without whom I would still be terrified of the water.
3. My good friend, Leslie Jordan, who got me into triathlon in the first place and pushed me to continue the race when I was begging her to let me quit.

For each of them, I am eternally thankful and truly blessed.

What’s your best piece advice for a busy person contemplating a new athletic goal?
If you can, join a group of people.  It makes training that much easier and makes you keep an appointment.  Also, stick to a training plan as much as possible, with a lot of variety so that you don’t get burned out.  If you are going solo, fit in sessions (no matter if it is only 30-45 minutes!) whenever you can- early morning, lunch breaks, early evening before dinner. Make the time and stick to it, otherwise there will always be an excuse to skip it.

The folks at Swim Smooth and HUUB (pronounced “hube”) Design went back to the drawing board and designed a wetsuit to address not just our shape but our body mechanics and movement as well.

Here’s what the HUUB Aura addresses:

1. Balance – The Aura matches a woman’s natural buoyancy and body position in the water.  Our hips and legs have more buoyancy than men so wearing a suit originally for men gives most women too much buoyancy in the rear.  This makes for hips and legs bobbing up out of the water making for an unbalanced sensation.  If you have a kick, kicking into the air isn’t that efficient.
2. Shoulder Movement – Women suffer from shoulder fatigue more than men and part of this is fighting the restriction of the wetsuit in the shoulder area.

Read what women have to say about it.  So far the wetsuit is available in Australia and the UK. but will hopefully hit the U.S. soon.

Silicone Swim Cap
Silicone swim caps are great for the pool and open water.  They last longer than latex caps and don’t have the nagging burn on the neck or pulling of hair.  Plus, there are fun designs to keep ‘em smiling all year long.   Here are a few of our favorites…
  

Mack’s Silicone Earplugs
A great stocking stuffer to stuff in the ears.  Did you know that over a prolonged period of time, cold water can damage your hearing?  Mack Earplugs are great for pool and open water swimming.  A definite favorite!

Finis Tempo Trainer Pro
Finis™ has their all-new tempo trainer available just in time for the holidays. The Finis™ pacing device uses beeps to help set a stroke rate and keep it over long periods of time. Just set the tempo and tuck it under the swim cap and swim, swim, swim away!  No more fading at the end of the workout with this device helping you finish strong.  Best of all, the new tempo trainer uses a standard 3V replaceable battery.

Thermos & Drinks
Unless you’re lucky enough to live in the tropics, a swimmer’s best friend can often be the magic mix they take along with them poolside or out on the open water to heat the core. A great thermos with an assortment of Ginger tea, Mint tea and hot chocolate will surely keep them warm and happy.

Sporti Equipment Mesh Bag
Large, sturdy and loaded with useful compartments, this convenient sized mesh bag will hold loads of swim gear – including and adult kickboard and swim fins. Whoo!

Swimsuit by Betty Designs
If you don’t know Betty Designs, you don’t know hip.  Choose from signature 1-piece designs or 2-piece racing bikinis, Betty has it going on. Suits are made to order.

SwimOutlet.com Gift Card
For the gifts that are hard to buy – such as their favorite goggles, a particular suit or an unknown, you can’t go wrong with a gift card from SwimOutlet.com.

SwiMP3
This waterproof MP3 player from Finis holds approximately 240 songs – both MP3 and WMA files.  Ideal for swimmers, triathletes, surfers, synchronized swimmers, and anyone else involved in general water activities, the Finis SwiMP3 1G waterproof MP3 player allows you to listen to music underwater. Unlike standard waterproof MP3 players–which transmit sound through the air or water and produce only a muffled noise when submerged–the SwiMP3 1G relies on your bones to conduct the sound. This direct transfer of sound vibrations from the cheekbone to the inner ear produces exceptional sound clarity, so you can listen to all of your favorite tunes while working out or taking a leisurely swim.

Private Swim Instruction
Everyone needs a little one-on-one instruction from time to time.  Offer to pay for a few lessons to help the swimmer or triathlete in your life through the off-season.

A Month of Masters Swimming
Masters Swimming is one of the best use of training time for any swimmer. A month of masters swimming can range anywhere from $40 – $125 depending on the local club.  A monthly fee generally covers all-you-can-swim workouts during the month. Click to find a Masters Swim workout near you.

SwimTrek‘s pre-season training trips are complete with qualified swim and triathlon coaches on hand to get you prepared for your season ahead.

The fully guided tours include a full safety escort for the 6 days, swim guiding, video stroke technique, baggage handling; accommodation; breakfast and lunches on the 2 days when athletes are on the main boat for the whole day. Dinners are not included allowing you to choose where, when and with whom you would like to dine.

The tour is based in the beautiful bay village of Xlendi on the island of Gozo in the Mediterranean Sea.