Coach Amy says, "I am amazed at Martyna’s ability to fit all of her training in while never compromising time with her family. She is determined to reach her goals and totally understands the importance of balance while working toward them. After her two half marathon PRs this spring I cannot wait to see what triathlon season holds for her!"

A:   I’m Martyna Brooks from Gansevoort 

A:   Speech Language Pathologist by trade. Currently, I’ve embraced the “Mom job'' until my youngest daughter goes to school.

A:   I’m a newbie when it comes to the sport.  My first race was in 2019.

A:   This is my first year, with Coach Amy.  She’s great with programming, encouraging me, working with my schedule, and most importantly, letting me know that it's OKAY to let a workout go because family comes first.

A:   I’m not sure if I have one YET.  I do, however, have “feel good” take-aways from each.  My first race I swam each stroke to get through, the second race that same season I had a great swim and when I got out of the water I felt like a winner.  The following season, I had my strongest swim and my fastest ride. I’m looking forward to having a favorite race and being able to remember my accomplishments. This season may be it.

A:   Hmm. I would say my bike and sneakers.

A:   Seeing my kids’ admiration as they cheer on the sidelines and their words of encouragement. As a single mom of two amazing girls, I strive to encourage and show them that when you commit to a goal, great things will follow.

A:   Completing my first two 70.3s.  During the off season, I’ve put in the work and I’m grateful to see the payoff as my times have improved.  I’m confident that I will finish my races with a respectable time, but at the same time, I love the experience and look forward to growing as an athlete.

A:   When the time is right I will complete an Ironman.

A:   Broccoli, fruit, and yogurt

A:   I’m a Spotify or Pandora type of gal.  I just think of what mood I’m in and search for a playlist to match it.

A:   Keep pushing yourself forward and continue setting goals for yourself.  Your body can do amazing things, you just have to believe in yourself and push through those uncomfortable zones. Also, find a group to train with and share your wins with.

A:   Some days are better than others. Even on the days that you’re not feeling it's going to be a good workout, you may end up hitting your best times. I feel that sometimes when people look at the volume of workouts, you develop self doubts. At that point I tend to think, “Okay this is just 2 hours of your life to feel alive and free,” or “That’s two hours I don’t have to deal with the kid.” Sorry…Not Sorry.  Break it down and look at it one mile at a time or create fun games in your head to push yourself to beat a time.

A:   I’m not sure I have one. I try to approach each workout with my best foot forward and with a positive purpose. Running:  I really enjoy tempo runs with specific times to reach. Swimming: 50 yard repeats or long swims. Bike: Progression work. Honestly, I’ll enjoy any type of workout.  I also learned to realize, after the “not so favorite ones,” I tend to feel most accomplished.

A:  Sign up and commit. Most importantly enjoy the journey that training takes you on and the satisfaction of crossing that finish line. 

I’m always humbled by the people that I meet at races and through groups.  We all share a type of crazy but that “crazy” allows us to strive to be the best we can be for ourselves. I’ve always lived by the motto, “Movement is life and if you’re not moving, you’re not living.”  Some people do races just to finish and some do it to reach times, but at the end of the day we ALL cross  the same finish line.