Tri Zones Training

Tracy Nelson, Austin Triathletes' Mentor of the Year Puts Spirit, Drive into Others' Steps
by Barbara Wray, Austin Woman magazine feature on mentors and mentorees - June 2005

When she participated in her first Danskin Triathlon, Tracy Nelson hated running. "I had always been a good swimmer and rode my bike recreationally, so even though I didn’t like to run, I frequently thought I should someday do one of those ‘thingies,’" she says, referring to triathlons.

Well, she did her first one of those "thingies" in 1997 and has since completed more than 30 triathlons, including seven Danskin races. Nelson has come to play a key role in the Austin triathlon community, lighting a fire in many an athlete. Her high energy, "you can do it" approach to training men and women at all levels of fitness recently earned her the "Mentor of the Year" award from Austin Triathletes, the fifth largest triathlon club in the nation.

When Nelson started training for her first Danskin, she found much appreciated encouragement and comfort from a friend. "She inadvertently became my mentor," Nelson says. "I’d email her that I ran a mile, and she was so full of support."

Nelson is big on passing along that sense of empowerment. "That’s what the Danskin is all about: the ones with experience helping those without. What the ‘teacher’ gets out of it is incredible," she says. "Anyone who has ever experienced that feeling of accomplishment wants to give that to someone else."

Nelson sees the Danskin as a turning point for many women. The race, scheduled this year for June 12, encompasses a swim of one half mile, a bike ride of 12 miles, and a run of 3.1 miles. "When they cross the finish line at the Danskin, it’s just the beginning. They might think it’s the goal, but they end up saying, ‘Bring it on; what’s next?’ It becomes the beginning of what many of these women do for the rest of the summer and they drag along a friend, neighbor, or their husband. That’s why I do all this. That’s my passion."

Nelson mentors more than just grownups in the ways of fitness. Her 7-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, attends Steiner Ranch Elementary, where Nelson is known as "Coach Tracy," thanks to a weekly running club she started at the school. About 200 participants come out to run, which constitutes nearly a third of the school. "In my day, cool girls didn’t play sports; they were all on the drill team and were cheerleaders," she says. "Even today, sports participation drops off at about middle school, but if the foundation is set, there are a lot of benefits. I love being able to set that example for her."

After a two year stint as volunteer coordinator for the local Danskin race committee, Nelson now is the athlete information director, a position she has held for the past five years.

Nelson further expanded her reach when she launched the Danskin Austin This Week e-newsletter. "I get to mentor to a large audience," she says. "I guess it makes me kind of a virtual mentor."

The writing aspect of producing the newsletter makes good use of another one of Nelson’s talents. After the birth of her daughter, she established herself as an author when she penned "Cradle the Thought: A Journal for the New Mothers’ First Year." The guided diary -- well -- mentors young mothers and provides a memory-keeping space to record precious details of a baby’s growth and development.

To encourage women to continue their triathlon and running training throughout the year, Nelson and Gina Lardon are co-coaches for Tri Zones Training, a Heart Zones training program that followed in the footsteps of Team Danskin. "Gina and I have similar goals, and I couldn’t do this without her," Nelson says. "I also couldn’t do it without the athletes on our team. Even though I’m giving to them, they’re open to receiving it; and they give plenty back to me."

Some of Nelson’s proudest moments have come from the women she has mentored. "So many of the women who join Team Danskin don’t look like what you think a triathlete would look like," she says. "They are every shape, weight and age. Some say their families laughed at what they were doing. But some of those women have become the ‘lifestylers,’ the ones who have embraced fitness and training as a new way of life."

Nelson’s commitment and sincerity come through loud and clear. One woman, a teacher in her 40’s, began training with Nelson in Team Danskin four years ago. "She struggled with weight, slowness and self esteem in her athletic life," Nelson says. "But she did a half marathon last year. And she’ll say to the newbies, ‘Tracy’s going to tell you that if you can do the triathlon, you can do the half marathon. Even if you’re afraid to dream your own dreams, Tracy will dream them for you.’"

Therein lies one of the core elements of a mentor who really makes a difference in people’s lives: She’ll dream the dream until you can dream it for yourself.

Another woman worked first with a personal trainer, to gain strength and endurance enough to participate in the training. She completes the runs as walks, but keeps pressing forward. "When she crossed the finish line, she received her medal and flowers from her husband," says Nelson. "Since the first race, she has completed two full triathlons, and those are definitely not her last. She has that spirit in her to not quit, to keep trying. She’s always encouraging to the newbies; she’s one of my favorites."

As Nelson frequently cites, triathlon training is about much more than learning the three sports. It’s about learning how to put them together, how to become healthy, and it especially is about developing a mindset. "It’s about setting goals and achieving them," Nelson says. "These women know how to do just that."

Through her training programs, Nelson has touched hundreds of women’s lives. Mentoring takes time, commitment and heart. But she clearly reaps benefit from sharing in others’ success stories. Her pride and sense of satisfaction beam through.

"I want to help people that are just starting out, because someone did that for me and it meant a lot. I wanted to give back," Nelson says.