Jason is an interesting fella: American of Italian descent, born in Sydney (same hospital as me!), and now finds himself in Del Mar via NYC. I have had the pleasure of working with him since day one of his triathlon career and he’s embraced it with a ferocity rarely seen. This ‘Desert Tri’ weekend was the perfect example.

* Saturday morning 7am you hadn’t done a triathlon and now you’ve done two – how did the weekend pan out for you?

Better than I could have hoped. My goal was to finish the sprint and have fun, but I really did not know what to expect. I was confident going in because I had completed the workouts that were laid out for me in my training program. I wasn’t mentally prepared for what came next however… “Great race, want to race the international distance tomorrow as well?”… My first thought was “how could I possibly get through a race that is twice the distance of the one I just finished? And tomorrow? Am I ready for that?” After the initial shock wore off I came to the conclusion that if Pete & Katie thought I could do it then that was enough for me. Their confidence gave me confidence and the initial hesitation turned into excitement for Sundays race.

* You’ve jumped head first into triathlon, how did this happen?

Ha, How DID this happen… it was only 2 years ago when I ran my first 5k as a result of a bet with a friend (a 2014 Ironman Lake Placid Finisher himself) and it has just snowballed from there. I’m always looking for the next challenge and there are very few moments in life where you get to surprise yourself. Be it a hard training session, 2 triathlons in one weekend or your first marathon there is nothing cooler than that moment when you sit back and think to yourself “wow I just did that… that’s pretty cool”. Triathlon gives you the opportunity to surprise yourself all the time and I can’t get enough.

* What are your tri goals?

In the simplest of terms its to find my mental & physical limits and push past them. When I started two months ago, my short term goals were to learn how to swim (my last swim lesson was when I was 10 years old) and to clip in and out of my pedals without falling down attached to my bike at an intersection in plain view of the general public. The next goal was to build up my fitness to the point that I could finish a sprint race. The current goal is to be able to compete in a half ironman distance by June of this year. The long term goal is to hear those magic words “Jason Tozzi you are an Ironman”. The pipe dream for everyone in this sport is to one day qualify for Kona. Its not a realistic goal for me today, but it doesn’t have to be. A bunch of little victories along the way keep you confident and committed to the journey. Longer term goals should be scary. A favorite quote of mine is “Set a goal so big that you can’t possibly achieve it until you grow into the person that can.

* What are you enjoying about this tri process? What is scaring you?

It’s all scary and that is what is great! I enjoy being outside my comfort zone in general because that is where I challenge myself and get better. 48 hours ago I wouldn’t have known I could complete back to back triathlons. Today I know I can. There is certainly a lot to learn (training, equipment, nutrition) and it can be rather intimidating trying to sort through it all yourself. The Champion Factory Coaching staff and fellow teammates have been an awesome support system for me. I’m always one text or call away from getting the insight or advice I need and can in turn feel confident about my choice. That is huge for a newbie like myself.

* How are you finding managing your job as well as training? Tips for peeps in the similar situation?

Time management is paramount. It is important to treat your training sessions with the same respect as you would any other time commitment you have. I review the training load Pete & Katie set for the week online and then schedule time on my calendar for each workout. The same way I would not bail on a meeting for work I will not bail on my training sessions. The great part about CFC is that they will take into account your goals, listen to your upcoming travel schedule, work load & family obligations for the week and then tailor a training program specifically for you. As with anything else you will get out what you put in so its important to give your training the attention it deserves.

* Anything else you’d like to add?

If you are someone who has thought about triathlon but you are nervous or unsure how to begin look no further than CFC. Pete & Katie will bring you up to speed in no time and will work with you to help you realize your full potential. I’m a guy who showed up to his first swim lesson in board shorts (true story) so chances are that if you are reading this you have a leg up on me. While I still have a very long way to go I would not have progressed to the point I am at today without their expertise and guid ance. As an added benefit, the camaraderie of the rest of the CFC team members I experienced this weekend was inspiring. It’s a tight knit group that has welcomed this grateful novice with open arms and will no doubt welcome you as well.