Here comes Jenna Shoemaker

September 6, 2009

A few weeks ago Jenna Shoemaker narrowly missed out on winning the USAT Elite National Championships in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but with so many greatly results this year she must be quite happy and looking forward to 2010.

Slowtwitch: Jenna, it seems all the hard work is paying off.

Jenna: Slowly, but surely, I am starting to turn things around. It has been a bumpy road, for sure, but I finally feel like I am heading in the right direction.

ST: In Tuscaloosa you were 28 seconds shy of grabbing the Elite National Championships. Talk about that race if you would.

Jenna: It was a really interesting race because the field was small and there really wasn’t a clear favorite heading into the event. I had a pretty average swim and knew that I had a lot of work to do on the bike, but I was surprised when I rode through a number of women and discovered that some of my main competitors were still behind me. I had to make the decision to sit up and wait for the rest of the field to catch in an effort to save something for the run on such a hot day. I had a speedy T2 and decided I would run from the front and force everyone else to chase. When Jasmine caught, I tried to stick with her, but was unable to. I’m proud of the performance, as it is certainly another step in the right direction, and I learned a lot from the race which is what this year was all about, but it definitely leaves me hungry for more.

ST: At the Chicago Triathlon you finished 5th but had to deal with quite a tough field. Are you happy with your performance there?

Jenna: I had thought going into the event that with a solid race I could probably finish in the top 5. It is my first non-drafting race in over a year so I found it difficult to measure exactly how hard to go on the bike, which is probably where I should have made up a bit more time. On the day, it was a solid effort, but there are always things to work on when you evaluate your races in retrospect, so I’m pleased, but definitely not satisfied.

ST: With all these nice results recently, do you feel like you are getting more respect from competitors and media alike?

Jenna: I suppose so. I don't really pay much attention to it. It is certainly nice to have your hard work get noticed, but I don't really race for outside attention or respect. I simply love challenging myself and testing my limits. I think the most important thing is that I now have a much greater respect for myself.

ST: You had quite a busy race schedule recently. Were 5 races in 6 weeks not too much?

Jenna: It was an interesting challenge for me. I don't think the physical racing was the hard part but rather the mental challenge of rising for each consecutive race. It proved to me just how far I have come this year because in the past there is no way that I could have finished a schedule like that as successfully as I did.

ST: You, Lisa Norden and Daniela Ryf are all guided by Darren Smith and that really seems to have worked out well for all 3 of you.

Jenna: I found Darren and his training group at exactly the right time. Being a part of that environment has completely re-shaped me as an athlete. Darren expects a lot from us and that has made me expect more from myself. Daniela and Lisa are amazing people and incredible athletes. They train so hard, all of the time, and just trying to keep up with them has lifted my training and racing to an entirely new level. We all want to see each other succeed, because we know how hard we train, so not only do we strive for personal excellence but also we continually raise the bar for each other.

ST: You all spent quite some time this summer in Switzerland. Was that the first time for you to be in a longer training camp abroad?

Jenna: Aside from a few weeks in April when I was back in the USA to knock off a few Pan American Cup races, I have really been gone since the end of September 2008. I have never been away or at a “training camp” for that long. There were certainly challenges, like missing my family, but being in such an intense, but very positive, environment is definitely what I needed to get me headed in the right direction.

ST: Who else was in camp with you there?

Jenna: Our training group has included Kate Roberts (RSA), Claude Eksteen (RSA) and Zita Szabo (HUN) since January and more recently we added Andreas Giglymar (AUT) and Vicky Holland (GBR). And then, of course, Darren is around making sure we are completely exhausted all of the time!

ST: What was the best and worst thing about your stay in Switzerland?

Jenna: Davos is incredibly beautiful. I had never been to Switzerland and had certainly never lived nestled in the middle of the Alps before, so that was a real treat. The terrain pretty much guaranteed that you got fit. No hill seems big when you have done 5.5-hour Alp mountain pass rides, including 35k climbs. I guess the downfall was probably that the weather was often cold and rainy (and included some serious snow in July) but dealing with the elements only makes you tougher. I left that camp a far more prepared and experienced person.

ST: You were also fitted to your bike in Europe. Why there and not here?

Jenna: My good friend Lloyd, who runs CycleFit.de, offered to bring me into his lab in Germany while I was based in Switzerland. Because of all of my travel, I didn't have time to really work with my bike fit before heading to Europe. Bike fit is extremely important not only from a performance standpoint but also from an injury prevention one. I knew I could trust Lloyd to work with me, Darren, Felt and 3T to come to the best-fit solution.

ST: Were you fit in Germany both to your ITU bike and a TT bike?

Jenna: I ride the same frame for both my ITU bike and my TT bike – the Felt AR1 Garmin Team Edition, so we focused on my road bike setup but my TT setup isn't really too much different. The only real difference is the bars – road bars and clip on vs. 3T Brezza and stem length.

ST: So you raced the TT setup in Chicago?

Jenna: Yes, I did. I rode my Felt AR1 complete with Brezza TT bars. I opted to skip on the disc wheel for a few reasons, including wind, but I did wear an aero helmet for the first time ever (on loan from Jarrod) which was awesome. You can't help but feel fast when you are wearing one of them! I look forward to racing a few more non-drafting events next season and having a chance to dial in my time trial position and skills a bit more.

ST: Coach Smith doesn’t want you to race in Australia if I remember correctly. Is that correct?

Jenna: The first thing to know is that it was a huge goal of mine to make the World Final team this year, so I was really pleased to have earned a spot on the start line there and the right to represent my country. However, I have known for almost the entire season that I would not be racing in the final even if I qualified. I'm still learning and developing, which was the goal for this season, and although I have made a lot of progress, Darren and I were not convinced of my ability to post a fast enough run time to really be competitive. I completely support the decision and ultimately it just gives me something to keep working for. Hopefully, I will again earn the opportunity to represent the USA in Budapest next year.

ST: What is left for you in terms of races then?

Jenna: I was planning to finish out the year with the Lifetime Series races in L.A. and Dallas, but right now I'm not sure if I will follow through with that or not. I've been dealing with some discomfort in my left leg all season, if I am to be honest, and have only been able to run at about 70% of my capacity. Darren and I are just trying to weigh the benefits of continuing the season vs. resting, re-habing and getting a head start on the 2010 season. I don't have much more that I really want or need to get from the 2009 season, so I would be totally satisfied closing the records now.

ST: Well, you had a great season so far including a win at the ITU Cup in Mazatlan, Mexico. Was that your biggest win to date?

Jenna: It was actually my first win as a pro! So, I guess I'd say that it was the biggest win to date. The field was really small, so I ended up soloing on the bike and then running my way to victory. It was a really satisfying race because I had to do it alone and I think it was a good boost in my confidence.

ST: So where is the trophy from the Mazatlan race right now?

Jenna: You know, I didn't get a trophy! We were all given a finishers medal but I gave that away to a young girl spectating the race with her father. Who knows, she may be inspired to pursue triathlon for Mexico someday.

ST: That is very thoughtful of you. Along those lines, what other results of yours do you cherish?

Jenna: I think this year as a whole is going to be one that I can look back on fondly. Aside from my crash in Washington D.C., where I gave myself a grade 3 concussion, I have finished every single race that I started and that in itself is a big change from previous seasons. I cherish every opportunity that I have to race because with every race is a chance to learn and grow and that is what this whole journey is about.

ST: You were in Hamburg when your brother won the Dextro Energy race there. That must have been very special?

Jenna: Well, actually, I wasn't there! I raced the day before and headed home the morning of Jarrod's race because I had to get ready for London the following weekend. I was actually in the airport in Zurich getting text message updates when he crossed the finish line for the win. I am always proud of him regardless of the result, and even thought I won't be on the Gold Coast I will be rooting from afar!

ST: So Jarrod had to celebrate without you then?

Jenna: Jarrod took our younger sister, Martha, to see the Lady Gaga concert in Hamburg.

ST: Did your brother get you involved in triathlons or did you stumble upon it otherwise?

Jenna: Jarrod had talked about the sport for a year or so and had signed up for a few races but had never followed through with any of them. I ended up becoming interested after my freshman year in college, entered a race, did really well and then a few months later he followed suit.

ST: Talking about college, you graduated from Harvard with a degree in Psychology. So you are not only fast, but also smart?

Jenna: That is true. My parents always instilled in us the importance of education, so getting my degree came first, after that they were happy for me to pursue triathlon. I think being educated has really helped me in my quest to develop my “brand” and with my ability to work with sponsors and the media.

ST: Have you used psychology to help you “work on” your competitors?

Jenna: Having an understanding of the human psyche certainly has its benefits, but I can't say that I consciously analyze my competition. I guess perhaps I may have a bit of insight into how people may react in given situations, which could give me a leg up at times.

ST: You have added a few new sponsors recently, who are they and how are you doing in that regard?

Jenna: This year has certainly been challenging from a sponsorship point of view, for all of us, I think. There is just less money available out there. I have been fortunate, though, to have the continued support of many of my long time sponsors like Garmin, TYR and Oakley, and to have come into a number of new partnerships as well.

I started working with Felt this year and absolutely love my AR's. They have been a great company to work with and I feel very spoiled to be allowed to ride the same bike as the Garmin-Slipstream cycling team. Skins, Enduro Shark and Zerod also joined my team this year and in the last few months, I also joined forces with 3T (www.thenew3t.com) who make really amazing cycling components – like the new Zefiro mini aero bar system – and with Adidas.

Having the support of such amazing companies is really an honor and I'm very grateful to them for believing in me and wanting to be a part of all of this.

ST: Can you share with us some of your food likes and dislikes?

Jenna: I have a real sweet tooth. I love gummy bears, especially when they are chocolate coated, but I'm also a huge fruit and vegetable fan. I like to try to think that everything in moderation is all right. As far as what I don't like, I don't eat any pork products, by choice, and have yet to meet a lima bean that I enjoy.

ST: What music do you like?

Jenna: I spent my entire childhood (3-18) as a dancer, so I had to listen to a lot of different genres of music. As a result of that “musical education” I enjoy listening to pretty much every kind of music. To me, the best songs are the ones that have a clear message in the lyrics.

ST: What was the last book you read?

Jenna: I read a few novels this summer while I was in Switzerland, after all there wasn't much else to do. They were just easy reads, something to do while winding down before bed. Since then, I have taken up a personal refresher course in French because I have always loved languages. I speak quite a bit of Spanish and had studied French when I was much younger, so I thought I'd give it another go.

ST: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Jenna: Although 5 years seems like it's really far away, it will be here before I know it. If Chicago gets the bid for the 2016 Olympic Games then I will likely still be running around the world to training camps and races as a triathlete because I'd be hard pressed to give up the chance to race in an Olympics on home soil. However, I am also really passionate about acting and would like to pursue that at some stage in the future, so, I guess, I don't really know!

ST: Is there anything else we should know about you?

Jenna: I race with two loops on the front of my suit. The pink one, for breast cancer, and the blue one, for colon cancer. My mother had, and beat, breast cancer and my sisters swim coach (young and active) is currently battling stage 4 colon cancer. I keep them with me to remind me that I can keep fighting when things are tough. It is also really important to me to raise awareness about early detection and prevention, even if you are young, active and healthy.