Freshman Chris Braden strides on the infield

April 11, 2010 (Boulder, CO) – Focused and sharp.  Two words to describe the University of Colorado triathlon team at their recent Sunday morning track workout.

Coming off an important building year where the team finished third in the combined men and women’s results at collegiate nationals in 2009, the athletes are hungry to give defending champion Navy a run for their money.

The squad is coached by Mike Ricci in his second year at the helm.  Most of the athletes from last year’s team have returned, and Ricci’s long term training plan seems to be producing results.  Everyone who returned from last year shaved significant time off their performances at last month’s Collegiate Mountain Regional Championships at Lake Havasu, Arizona.

The team typically trains through the race at Lake Havasu and uses it as a chance to get in some early season racing experience.  Don’t be fooled, though, by thinking they simply view the race as a tune-up for nationals.  The team goes to compete.  And this year, they again swept the team and individual titles.

Ashley Walker, two-time
Collegiate Mountain Regional Champion

If the team’s results at Lake Havasu are any indication of their readiness for Lubbock, the Buffs are ready to go.  This sentiment was echoed by athletes I talked with after their track workout last week.  “Fitter” and “more focused” were key words several used to describe where they are at this year compared with last year at this time.  And they credit Ricci’s vision for getting them to this level of readiness.

Among the athletes who have benefited from Ricci’s coaching experience and close guidance is Jessica Broderick.  As a freshman last year, Broderick burst onto the scene by winning the individual title at the collegiate race in Lubbock.  She went on to win her first USAT junior elite cup race in July, and established herself as a talent to be reckoned with in the draft-legal junior elite circuit.

Now having aged up to U23 elite racing, Broderick has also stepped up the level of her dedication to the sport.  She used her off-season this year to focus on her running, and looks forward to seeing dividends.

“I’m excited to see how that transfers over into racing,” said Broderick.

Aside from her personal objectives for collegiate nationals, Broderick is looking forward to the team aspect and likes the team’s chances.

“I think we’ll definitely be up in the mix for the win,” she says.

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