Mandy Pagon

Mandy Pagon began swimming with NBAC (Michael Phelp’s team) year-round when she was 7 because her parents were looking for an outlet for her "high energy". She’s been swimming ever since and agreed to talk to the Swimmer’s Ear about what it’s like to train at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado, and life as a professional tri-athlete.

Q: Did you swim in high school and college?
A: I swam in middle school, high school and for 2 years at Stanford. (I had a track scholarship at Stanford for 4 years.)

Q: When did you train at the Olympic Training Center?
A: When I swam for Stanford, we went to the Olympic Training Center at the beginning of the season and during Christmas break. I started going there for Triathlon in ‘95 when I qualified for the Junior National Team and attended camps. In ’96 and ’97 I made the Collegiate USAT team and trained there from June to November of ’97.

Q: What’s it like to train there?
A: You get unbelievable support. There are top-notch facilities. What I really miss are the sports specific medical services. Any time you have a problem there are doctors who will see you right away. The cafeteria is open from 7AM to 8PM and there’s maid service. You do have to wash your own clothes, but basically you can just focus on training.

It’s beautiful country. You’re right at the foot of Pikes Peak. There’s a nice bike loop that goes around the "Garden of Gods". We would get off our bikes and run on open trails and do open water swimming in the lakes. The coaches were good although they changed from year to year. It’s nice to have a coach who attends all of your workouts and is paid to be there. Now I have to pay for my own coach (Troy Jacobson). I never had to buy a bike. Various sponsors supplied our bikes, helmets, clothing, food bars and gels, and swim gear. Speedo was our swim sponsor.

Q: When did you decide to become a professional triathlete?
A: When I was at the Olympic Training Center I trained with the professionals (resident team) and was able to hang with them. But I was still in college and NCAA rules don't allow college athletes to take money. I raced as a junior in the Chicago Triathlon which is a really big pro race and placed 9th and I came in 11^th at the 2000 Triathlon Olympic Trials (youngest competitor), so I figured I could make it as a professional.

Q: What's it like being a professional triathlete?
A: I’m not your normal triathlete. Not many women who do this professionally, have kids. (Mandy has two children: Blake 4 1/2, and Chase 18 months.) I find that there's no week when I get in everything I want to do. My husband is in the Air Force. I count on him to watch the kids when I go to swim practice. But if something is going on in the world, he’s expected to work more. Professionals generally go someplace warmer and build a huge base in the winter. (Joanna Zeiger goes to San Diego every winter for two months to train.) But I prefer to stay in the area with my husband and kids.

I usually do about 15 triathlons a year, some local 5Ks and maybe 1 or 2 masters meets. In order to get points in the world ranking system, you have to do a certain amount of traveling. (Half of my races are out of the country; last year only 2 races in the US had points.)

Races are usually on a Sunday. So I travel on a Thursday or Friday. I get to see a lot of different countries and it's neat! It’s best when my husband comes along and we get to see the country together. Most of the time I don’t see that much because I’m supposed to be resting although I try to stay at least one extra day.

I like racing but I love the lifestyle of travelling and knowing people from tons of different countries. Being in the pros is so much different from being an age grouper. Age groupers get more of a sense of accomplishment. Pros are about winning. That's what's important because that's how you make your living.

Q: Are you sponsored?
A: I’m currently sponsored by Orbea bikes, Cane Creek Wheels, Speedo, Gu, and Zone Perfect Nutrition. It gets a little tougher to get sponsors when you take off time to have kids. It takes me about a year and a half after having a baby to get my speed back.

Q: Is there anything you’d like to add?
A: I’m always looking for a training partner!