“People tend to get frustrated about missing a workout or having an off day, but now, I’M JUST HAPPY TO BE OUT THERE.
Because even though I don’t workout or race as much as I used to, I have this positive experience of BEING WITH MY CHILD.”
Emma’s trusty running partner, Kip, has welcomed Torin as part of the pack — the three often run together near their home in Park City, Utah.
pregnancy as long as she remained in a healthy range), Garrard turned in a series of better-than-ever performances, includ- ing her fifth place at XTERRA Worlds in Maui, a jump up from her best finish of eighth place in 2011.
n A CHANGE OF PACE Just a little over a year into her new
role as a mom, Garrard has the routine down. She drops Torin off at daycare while she trains one to two hours a day, supplementing her efforts with cross- country ski racing and winter triathlon during the colder months (she won the USA Triathlon Winter Triathlon National Championships in 2011). Traveling to races with Torin and the mountains of baby and tri gear — once a Herculean ef- fort worthy of an Olympic medal — has become less painstaking. And while she competes, Dad Ian Hartley, whom Gar-
rard calls “amazing and super-support- ive” hoists their son in a hiking backpack as they cheer Mom on, cowbells in hand. But it wasn’t always so easy — those
early days and nights of non-stop feed- ings, diaper changes and fractured sleep can completely derail training, and, ulti- mately, racing plans. Garrard admits she didn’t race as much as she would have liked and had to skip workouts when a sitter fell through. But, she says, the lesson of being flexible without getting overwhelmed by the demands of train- ing has made her a more relaxed, appre- ciative athlete — and person in general. “People tend to get frustrated about
missing a workout or having an off day, but now, I’m just happy to be out there,” she says. “Because even though I don’t workout or race as much as I used to, I have this positive experience of being with my child.”
It’s this new perspective that Garrard
says has helped her in the competitive arena. While she’s more determined than ever before to race fast, Garrard says that being a parent has completely changed her outlook as a triathlete. In- stead of nervously flittering about in the days before the race, she has a healthy distraction in caring for an infant. At the same rate, her workouts are also more focused and efficient, not only because she has less time to train, but also be- cause she’s more determined to make the most of the hours she spends away from her family. “In the end, Torin doesn’t care how
well I do, which is an amazing reminder to enjoy the experience and not take it so seriously,” says Garrard. “Pregnancy is tough, even more challenging than any race I’ve done. And it changed me. I’m a new athlete now, but a better one.”
38 USA TRIATHLON WINTER 2014
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