Mermaid Spotlight: Kaz Elskes

Q. How long have you been swimming with the Women First program?
I am fairly new to the program.  I started with this year’s spring pre-season program.

Q. What keeps you coming back?
Coach Sara and my mermaid classmates keep me coming back.  I missed being in the water since moving back to Austin.  It’s spiritual, healing and not without challenges.  I have always been clumsy and awkward in the water but love it no less.  This class gets me back in the water with a group of women with whom I feel at ease and a coach who is patient, unrelenting and knows when to push a little harder.

Q. What have you noticed most about the change in your swimming since joining the program?
I realized the first day of class I did not know how to swim at all.  So first and foremost – I can glide.  I can swim a few hundred meters and remain relaxed – breathing isn’t so much of an issue anymore.   I can’t get enough time in the water.  I’m addicted.

Q. What has been your most favorite or memorable workout or drill you enjoy best?
I have so much to learn that nearly every workout is memorable.  I guess my most favorite would be when Coach taught us to look back over our shoulders to breathe. Silly but I love it because I see the sky…the sunset…the sunrise…the stars.

Q. What drill do you like best and why?
Catch up.  I am hyper and it slows me down.

Q. What things are you working on now in your swimming?
My focus has been learning the basics – putting it all together as well as building up distance/endurance.  Now my focus is moving more towards the catch – propelling forward – developing my stroke.

Q. What about your fellow mermaids? Has it been fun to be part of a women’s only program?
We are all at varying levels in ability but I do not feel inhibited, pressured or in the way.  I am competitive – and this class provides me the instruction/tools to be competitive but class itself feels more like a Yoga class.  We work hard but the mood is come as you are; be who you are; do your personal best. My mermaid mates are wonderfully supportive and I look forward to seeing their smiling faces every week! 

Q. Please provide me a little background on your progress in triathlon and what races or events you have done in recent years.
I will do my first triathlon, Burnet Triatlon(sprint), late September. I have been cycling and running for many years but never tried a triathlon because of the swim.  My most memorable event which includes a leg of Tri skills is probably Pedal the Peaks.  We climbed 11 passes in 5 days through Colorado and Wyoming.  When we got to Estes Park – there was a late winter storm.  We were so cold and unprepared for this given it was late July.  We were working very hard on the climb but could not get warm.  We sang songs about fire in an effort to psych ourselves out.  When we finally made it to the top, we swiped a few large trash bags from the Ranger station and wrapped our arms and legs with them.  We looked like little Michelin men on the descent. About half way down, I ran into a moose stopped in the middle of the road.  Exhilarating!  I’d never seen one in person – it was like meeting Zeus.  We managed to get down without hyperthermia unlike a few that went down ahead of us but then it started pouring down rain.  There was another 20 miles of relatively flat terrain to the finish.  Sag showed up insisting we call it a day but there was no way we were taking the SAG after all of that!  I can’t wait to experience my first Tri and for the day I can look back and share a similar story about a Tri-event. I ran into an old cycling buddy last weekend – he’s already trying to sign me up for next year’s Florida Iron Man. I am laughing at him but in truth, I know I can accomplish whatever I set my mind to do with the support of my fellow mermaids, Coach Sara and the rest of the Mermaid Coaching staff.