Filing Our 10-Q: Vanessa Gnatzig

Open your dictionary, look up the word "busy" and there you'll find a picture of Vanessa Gnatzig.

There are also a whole host of adjectives, though, that could also describe the 28-year-old who will join 10 other athletes from the WoodlandsMultiSport coverage area at the 2010 Age Group National Championship in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Saturday, September 25.

We'll let you figure out what those adjectives are in our latest edition of "Filing Our 10-Q":

1.)  The stress charts say that you should probably be ready to be committed by now. Let's see if we get this straight: An Olympic distance tri in April that qualified you for the Age Group Nationals, coaching summer swim team, your first IM 70.3, you get your Masters last month and Ironman Florida coming up in November. Wait, you change jobs too! Seriously, though, you must be loving life?

I should have been committed a long time ago.  But in all seriousness, this past year has been amazing.  I really feel blessed that I have been able to accomplish so much given my insane schedule.  I would like to mention how grateful I am that Kim (Hager) deals with my crazy schedule.  She has been supportive every step of the way, good or bad, she has kept with me. Having a coach like that makes this journey that much more meaningful.  On another side note, I keep telling everyone that there is a reason I am single, I barely have time to sleep!

2.)  You have both swimming and running in your past athletic profile, but what pushed you toward triathlons this past year?

It all started when I joined Team Strive.  I originally planned to have Kim coach me through marathons.  Then one day, she moved me to Tuesday night track with the Tri athletes and they kind of sucked me in.  Strive is much more than just a team, we are friends.  That easily pursued me to want to train with them.

I used to compete in triathlons back when I was 10, so it wasn’t anything new to me.

I stopped after I had a bad crash on the bike during a tri in Katy.  I never wanted to get on a bike again.  So it took nearly 18 years for me to realize that I wanted to get back into the sport again.

3.)  Obviously, you chose Kim Hager's program with Team Strive to help you reach your goals. Why Kim and what has been the biggest thing that you've learned about the sport and yourself as part of your training?

I was introduced to Kim through Amy Gage.  I coach her kids on my swim team and she knew I was looking to start seriously training for a marathon.  So I looked into Kim’s training program and how she coaches her athletes and knew it was a perfect fit for me.

Being a coach myself, I know how I coach my athletes and I wanted someone like that.  One of the best qualities of Kim and her program is that you can contact her by phone, text, email anytime you need to.  There is no limit on communication with athletes.  I value that so much.  In order to have a good relationship with your coach, you need communication.  And Kim is always open and available for you when you need her.

4.)  You ran high school cross country and track at Klein Oak. What events did you compete in on the track and why the switch from the pool as you entered high school?

I swam competitively for ATEX when I was in elementary school and then switched to TWST until high school.  I really got burnt out on the swimming.  It was something that was becoming more of a chore than a passion and I knew it was time to go with running.  I knew there was no way to swim and run in high school.

I competed in the 1600 and the 3200.  I occasionally ran the 800 and was also on the regional qualifying 4 x 400 relay team.  My best year was my sophomore year.  I almost qualified for regionals in the 3200 until I was out kicked on the last straight away to end up third.  I suffered a stress fracture my junior year which put me out for several months, but came back and had a good end to my high school career.

5.)  Many people may not be aware that your father, Larry, was not only an accomplished cross country and track coach (leading Aldine MacArthur to two cross country state championships, three state runner-up finishes, two regional championships and 22 district titles), but he was also a very respected teacher with a huge heart for special needs children. Talk about your Dad's influence in your life, both athletically and personally.

I really took my Dad for granted growing up.  He and I argued a lot over my training.  I look at it now and wished I would have listened to him, but it’s hard to hear that from a parent.

Growing up I knew my Dad was well known in the high school running world, but it really hit me how much of an impact he had on his athletes when we had his retirement party.  He had so many past athletes from the early 90’s attend.  They even made a video for him highlighting his successful career as a coach.  I love hearing people talk about my Dad.

My dad is very shy and doesn’t like the spotlight on him.  He was a nervous wreck when the Aldine ISD school board recognized him and renamed the Aldine ISD cross country meet to the “Larry Gnatzig Invitational”.  Knowing that my Dad still gets calls for former athletes and students makes me realize how special he is.  He was like a Dad to his runners.

He has a tremendous heart and would do anything for anyone. That is why he loved when he had the special needs students in his PE class. He has a heart of gold and made each and every one of those students feel that they could do anything.

I know that everyone says they are proud of their Dad, but my Dad has accomplished so many things in his teaching and coaching career. I have big shoes to fill, but my dad knew I was on the right track when my John Cooper girls won their first SPC State championship last February.  I knew I made him proud!

6.)  Having earned a scholarship to Sam Houston State University, what was it like to be a collegiate athlete?

Being a collegiate athlete is something that is hard to describe.

I remember getting the call from Coach Hinze.  It was November of 1999, and SHSU wanted me to run for them. It was like a dream come true.  I knew from early on that my goal was to go to college and run.

But when it came to signing day, and my parents and I were in the principal’s office signing the official papers, I knew I had made my dad proud.  All he ever wanted was for me to run to my ability.

It was hard juggling two-a-day workouts and get used to the college life.  Luckily we had a great athletic advisor who helped us keep our studies in line.

7.)  Talk a little bit about your very first triathlon – the Olympic distance event at the IM 70.3 in Galveston this April -- and, as a result, qualifying for the USAT Age Group Nationals coming up next weekend in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

I was so nervous for my first race, but I was looking forward to the swim part of the race because I knew that would be the only open water swim in the ocean that I would get prior to Florida.

Well, the weather was not on my side the day of the race. Not too long before the start of the race, the race directors decided to cancel the swim due to high winds. I was not happy at all.  I had really been working on getting back in shape with swimming and was ready to rock and roll.

My bike at the time was still coming along so I knew I would get a pretty good lead coming out of the swim, but I had to quickly change my race plan when they scratched the swim. I started thinking and decided to just use this as a brick workout.

Well much to my surprise, my brick workout turned into a National Qualifier.

8.)  Ironman 70.3 Racine was an obvious choice for your first half Ironman, given that your family is from Badger country (Wisconsin, for the uninitiated), what were the biggest challenges that you faced - other than getting your bike to and fro - and how have you been making the adjustments for Ironman Florida?

The biggest challenge for Racine was my lack of training.

I got real sick in May and had to really focus on my health and coaching. So my workouts were hit and miss for a little over a month.

The bike is what has been my biggest challenge. I have really been focusing on getting in those longer bike rides.

9.)  I've heard the Kim Hager speech about throwing out the time goals with a first Ironman, but what expectations - overall, time aside - have you set for yourself this November at Ironman Florida?

Being a competitive athlete my entire life, throwing out a plan was very hard for me to do. I am always used to going into a race with a goal.

I listened to Kim and threw out any goal time I may have had for Racine, and ended up having a great time.  It was the first race in my life that I actually took in and enjoyed every minute of it.  No expectations, but to finish and have fun.

That’s exactly what I am going to do in Florida too.

10.)  We were on the same warm course in New York City for your first marathon in 2005, but in January you posted a 3:49:34 at the Chevron Houston Marathon. You're signed up for Ironman Texas, so when do you plan on gunning for a Boston qualifier?

The New York City Marathon was an amazing marathon.  I think everyone should put that one on their list to do – a great crowd the entire 26.2 miles and so many runners.

My original plan was to compete in Florida and then do a marathon in February to try and qualify for Boston, but then Ironman Texas came along and threw out that option.

After Ironman Texas, I will sit down with Kim and see what the next step could be. My goal when I started training with her was to qualify for Boston, so I hope to make that happen, but it will have to wait a little longer than planned.