Athlete Profile – Somer Scandridge

About the Athlete
Location: Spring, Texas
Occupation: Freelance Graphic Designer (and some other random stuff)
Age Group: 35-39
Years In Triathlon: 2.5

What is the best or most worthwhile investment you’ve made in triathlon.

This could be financially, time, or energy investments.

My bike trainer. I train inside 99% of the time because getting hit by a lifted Chevy truck doesn’t sound like a fun Saturday to me. And I didn’t get some fancy smart trainer. It’s dumb as all hell, but it does everything I need it to do and got me through my 1st Half Ironman, my 1st Ironman and is currently taking me to my 2nd Ironman. It does a perfect job and was cheap on Amazon!

What is an unusual or absurd habit or superstition you have that relates to training or racing?

My race day list. I started making a list 17 weeks out from IMTX. I look at it everyday. It’s absurd. I know that. Everyone knows that. My dogs know that. But I still do it. 

In the last 5 years, what is the behavior, habit or new belief that has most changed how you train? 

The time of day I train. I used to just get it in when I could, but then the hours would get away from me and I would find myself skipping sessions b/c the day threw me through a ringer! Now, I wake up between 4-5am every training morning and get my workout done first thing. It’s helped tremendously in keeping me consistent. 

What advice would you give a friend your age who is just getting into triathlon? What advice should they ignore? 

Get a GOOD coach and stay off the internet! Bottom line. Until you get a good feel for the sport, it’s best to take advice from a professional before you take advice from Bob and Sue on www.WeKnowEverything.com.

What are bad recommendations for training that you hear a lot? 

Doing brick workouts 4-5 times a week and going to the track for run workouts. I started out doing sprints without a coach. Most of my training days consisted of me running right off the bike. When I stopped doing that, I felt like everything changed for the better. And the track…EW. My knees can’t handle all that. The cul-de-sacs in my neighborhood give me a run for my money as it is. No track. Hard pass. It’s unnecessary. 

In the last 5 years how have you changed your approach to nutrition? What are some specific benefits you’ve found? 

Do you want me to be honest? Or tell people what they want to hear?? 🙂 I’ll be honest and the truth is…a trash bag eats better than me. This is my biggest issue during race season. Finding out what my body needs and not what my heart wants. I’m still working on this, so can I get back to you in 5 years?? 🙂 I will say, I’d probably be running 7 min/miles if I liked vegetables. So, there’s that.

When you feel overwhelmed, unmotivated or distracted what kind of things do you do to get back in the game and re-center/focus? If helpful, what questions do you ask? 

This ones easy – The Crushing Iron Podcast. I know that sounds super cliche, but it’s the ONLY thing that can motivate me when nothing else will. That, or my husband shoving me out of the door and throwing my Hokas out the window and telling me not to come back until I’ve got my training in…and then proceeds to remind me how much registration for an IM cost. 🙂 Both tactics work pretty well.

Of swim, bike, run, what is your toughest sport and what kind of things have you found helpful to improve? 

Runnnnnnning. Dear God, RUNNING! My body was not meant to run. It was meant to walk…maybe even skip…but not run. But…a smart man once told me if I just run slow, I’ll get faster. And BOOM. What do you know…Ive improved!!! Still don’t like it though. But I LOVE run camp. So that’s a plus.

What is your “why” when it comes to triathlon and how do you keep it present in your mind?

ME. That’s my “why”. I’m a mom, a wife, freelance graphic designer, help out at my sons school 3 days a week, on the PTO board at my daughters school, my kids are in multiple sports, I volunteer with my therapy dog…the list goes on. I’m being pulled in every direction EXCEPT my own most of the time. I know that sounds selfish to say, but it’s the absolute truth. When I’m training and working towards that goal, I’m doing something solely for myself. For those hours of the day, I’m by myself. Alone. Free of being needed for a minute. Even though I sometimes feel close to death due to some speed workout my coach prescribed, I’m still allllll by myself! I NEED that! Otherwise, we’ll be spending a lot more money on wine and we need that cash for my sons soccer cleats.