Kinesiology senior Katie Ellis has more notches on her belt than most of us will have in our lifetimes. No, we don't mean notches for that - we're talking about marathon and triathlon wins.
Ellis began competing in triathlons when she was 8 years old and has been running, cycling and swimming past opponents ever since - including a second place finish at the Triathlon Collegiate National Championship on April 21. This week, SPM sits down with Ellis to talk about running in her underwear, keeping fortunes in the soles of her shoes, and smoking the competition every time she competes.
SPM: What was it like to cross the finish line at Nationals?
Ellis: It felt really good to be done. I was definitely spent, and I was very happy to have taken second place.
SPM: How did you get into doing triathlons?
Ellis: I did my first one when I was 8, called the IronKids. ... I wasn't a swimmer, so I actually made up a stroke to get through it. I was completely toasted by the end.
SPM: Any traditions you perform before a meet?
Ellis: I keep those little fortune cookies fortunes. If I find a good one, I'll keep it and put it on the insole of my shoe. When I raced in October in the Ironman in Hawaii, I think I had like three or four different fortunes inside of my shoe.
SPM: I bet those smell good after a race. What do you do to keep your body in such good shape?
Ellis: Currently, I'm swimming about four days a week, and I run three to four days a week, and I ride my bike three days a week. I swim with a bunch of high school kids in the morning, and they kick my ass. I swear [it's like Olympic swimmer] Michael Phelps swims with me in the morning sometimes - those kids fly in the water.
SPM: What has been your most memorable race this year?
Ellis: About two or three days before the Ironman race in Hawaii, they have the Ironman Underwear Run. They always tell [competitors] not to walk around in their Speedos all day and to respect the locals, but they do have one day where you're allowed to go around in a Speedo. About 100 people showed up, and they're just in their underwear running through town, waving to everyone. I actually made the December issue of Triathlete Magazine.
SPM: Ever wish you could run every triathlon in your underwear?
Ellis: Well, yeah, that'd be pretty funny.
