Claire John never imagined she’d compete in a triathlon. After all, swimming in the ocean used to induce tears! But taking classes at The Studio (MDR) helped her feel stronger – both mentally and physically – she finished her first tri and can’t wait to do more.
I took my first class at The Studio (MDR) thanks to Alex Malloy, and I instantly fell in love with the workouts. After taking several 5:00 a.m. classes with Jessi, I could see and feel a major transformation in my body. I felt stronger and leaner, and I was inspired to do something with this newfound strength! So, having only been a runner in the past, I decided to sign up for my first triathlon, to push myself to develop new skills in cycling and swimming.
On the day of the tri, I was surprisingly calm despite the nerves I had leading up to the event. Athletes of all levels were frantically setting up their gear, stretching, running laps around the parking lot, bouncing around, talking big, and taking in their power aids, yet I remained calm. I owe a large part of that to feeling strong, training well, and my awesome cheering squad.
When I first started swimming in the ocean I would cry before every swim. Seriously. I was terrified and couldn't get past my fear. But I didn't give up and with time and patience, I finally nailed a few "no more tears" ocean swims before the triathlon. I truly feel that my Studio (MDR) workouts not only made me physically stronger, but also mentally stronger, which played a major role in my triathlon training and racing. And Jessi is a purist when it comes to form, so I definitely attribute my injury-free training to her!
I am always up for a challenge and always setting new goals, so my next goal is to beat my fastest marathon and half-marathon times. Next year, when triathlon season picks up again, I’ll aim to improve my time in the sprint distance triathlon, and I even think I’ll train for the Olympic distance as well.
I'd also like to get through JUST ONE carriage-kicking, moon-walking, heart-pumping (MDR) leg workout without having to stop, for crying out loud! :)