Coach Rachel says :: My experience coaching Kara so far this season has been nothing short of awesome. In the short time I have known her I have realized she brings so much to the table that we can all admire. She has an adventurous spirit that keeps her moving all day every day! Outside of triathlon training, she has a demanding career that has her working long hours and traveling all over the country. Despite that, she excels each and every day with any challenge I give her. She is disciplined, consistent, and incredibly talented. In only 3 short months, she has made significant gains in all disciplines of the sport…and I believe she is only getting started. After (or before) she has completed her assigned workout(s) of the day, you can find her playing hockey, skiing, hiking, polar plunging, and I believe I recently saw her rock climbing after a really long brick :). Her energy seems to never run out! The icing on the cake is her fun and positive outlook on everything she does. I anticipate big things from her this season, especially at Ironman Lake Placid. Her athleticism shows no limits. I feel super lucky to have gotten to know her and coach her. Can’t wait to see her crush it this summer!

A:   Kara Gorgos, Binghamton, NY

A:   36

A:   Director of Sports Medicine/ Athletic Trainer @ Binghamton University

A:    12 years

A:   3 months by Coach Rachel (I wonder if she’s sick of me yet)

A:   Ironman Lake Placid, because it’s the best place to train, and always the best race day vibes. Although I'll admit it might be more fun to spectate than race, it’s got the allure to always draw me back. My favorite less traditional race is the SOS (Survival of the Shawangunks) Triathlon. It has the best grass roots feel, you do weird things like swim with your running shoes stuffed in your shorts, and it’s the perfect mix up of racing at the end of the year. Running on the carriage roads of Minnewaska State park is some of the most scenic running in a race I’ve ever done.

A:   Based on volume, water bottles. Based on the amount of pictures in my phone, my bike.

A:   Back in the day my high school softball team was 3x NYS state champions. Racing IMWC 70.3 in St George was a fun experience (racing in the middle of a wild wind storm). Biking the Empire Trail from Buffalo-NYC in 5 days got me interested in the world of bike packing for the non-competitive side of things.

A:   Aiming for a PR at Lake Placid. Go fast, take chances! NO BRAKES! But mostly, I love the journey of getting back into shape and race ready!

A:   My goal is to always keep it fun, so whatever fun (and usually stupid) challenge presents itself, I'm up for it.

A:   Broccoli, pickles, and granola bars

A:   everything… 90s/00's pop, hip hop, country, classical, got to keep it interesting!

A:   don’t get caught up in all the special bells and whistles of triathlon. Keep it simple, and find a group to ask questions and train with.

A:   Use training partners to make sure you get out of bed and stay on schedule. Keep a box of spares of everything in your car.

A:   Weekend Long Run ... I'm boring

A:   Don't think, just do.