Olympic Watch - Tamara Gorman

Z3 Alumni Tamara Gorman has had a quiet year like many in the wake of all that 2020 brought with it, but the time has allowed for a build up to 2021 that will be one for the books. Gorman was recently named to the 2021 U.S. National Team along with five other women who will represent the U.S. at the highest levels of elite World Triathlon competition during the 2021 season. The Olympic team roster will also be chosen from this group where two of the three spots are still up for grabs. Gorman will make her return to elite competition for the first time since the 2019 season on May 15th in Yokohama, Japan at the World Triathlon Championship Series event. This race will also be the next auto-selection event for the U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team. We recently sat down (via Zoom) with Tamara to discuss her journey to this point in her story and how competing with Z3 while in her junior years shaped her into the athlete she is today. 

How did you become involved in triathlon at a young age and find your way to Z3?

I started swimming at the age of four years old. My brother (Brian Gorman) is three years older than me so I was just always trying to keep up with him. Even though he was older, I wanted to be exactly like him. I was super into swimming and began doing it competitively all the way up until middle school when I started running. Triathlon came because we had a family friend that was into triathlon (Tony Smoragiewicz) so we started doing some kids triathlons at our local pool. Jenny Weber found me and knew that I was a young runner and swimmer. She flew out to our home to visit myself, Tony and my brother and that’s how I was introduced to Z3. The next summer we were out on the road with Tony’s mom going to our first camp with Z3. In the summer of 2010 I did my first draft-legal triathlon and did the Z3 camp that summer too.

At what point did you realize something about triathlon “clicked” for you as an athlete?

I realized I loved triathlon when I went to Des Moines for the first time where I got to experience the team aspect of the sport. Also racing my first draft-legal triathlon where so many things can happen in the race. I fell in love with being able to persevere through that and feel like you have achieved something at the end. At my first Junior World Championships (Auckland 2012) I realized triathlon had so much to offer and that’s where I really fell in love with it! It wasn’t until when I won the Junior World Championships (London 2013) that I saw myself being able to succeed in the sport and I saw myself being able to potentially in the future compete against the best in the world. To make a living in the sport, I don’t think I realized that was possible until recently in the 2019 season. As an athlete, things get thrown your way and you have to overcome them. Nothing is given and everything is earned and it takes hard work and dedication to thrive. 

During your Juniors days in triathlon, how were you able to balance the time intensive demands of this sport with your school work and social life?

I think a key to that was to enjoy the process every single day and enjoy every single moment. For me, I think back to when I was a junior and training together with my friends and the whole group of us were all friends. It was like a social hour during training camp. Going on to college, I thought I was going to be able to balance getting my degree and doing triathlon and running NCAA Division I cross-country and doing well at all of it because I could do it well in high school. That was not the case though and when I wasn’t able to do it all. I recommend finding what you’re most passionate about and going all in on that. Don’t worry about what other people are thinking, but go all in on what you believe is right for yourself. 

Take us back to your experience at Junior Worlds in London and how earning your first World Champion title came together:

Winning the Junior World Championships was picture perfect. I had told Jenny after the 2012 Junior World Championships that I wanted to win the 2013 World Championships, so that was the goal the entire year. That year could not have gone any better. I wasn’t injured, we were able to do everything we needed to, and we were super focused. Everything was planned and it went perfectly so to have it all come together on that one day of the year was pretty special. I don’t think that comes very often and it was pretty incredible. I have to credit a lot of it to Jenny because she allowed me to see, in myself, all the little things that it takes to be the best. I was willing to listen to her at that young age and did everything she told me and it worked! Shavasana and visualization before a race where you are able to picture the bad things, the good things, the everything that can happen in a race and even what happens before the race starts. I think it’s important to write things down and I still do that today to have a plan and execute it. I was always thinking about the race way before it even happened. I would visualize myself during my training as if I was in the race and how it would go. Pre-race reports are not just about getting them done, it’s about being intentional and actually following the process.

You’ve battled several injuries in your career - what advice can you give to overcome these obstacles? 

Take injuries step by step! It is so hard but the biggest advice I can give is to recognize where you are at the moment and do everything you can in your power to be the best that you can be. Know what the next step is to be the best you can be. During an injury, it’s very easy to be overwhelmed and have the end goal seem so far away, but you need to take things step by step and follow the process and not beat yourself up. Things will come around and the old “you” is not gone, it’s just a matter of time for you to get to where you were. It sucks and it’s hard to get there, but if you have the right mindset and a positive attitude along the way, you will get back there and you will be stronger because of it. 

What has the last year looked like for you and your training?

I was in Colorado Springs all of 2019 and then in 2020 I went to Arizona for three months until the coronavirus hit and I came back home. I found a love for it here (The Black Hills, South Dakota) again and I don’t want to leave. Despite everything that came about because of the pandemic, it’s nice all the wonderful things that happened since being at home.I am so happy here for my training because I love the riding and the running. I see myself staying here for quite a while and I can even see myself living here which I had never imagined.

For training, in my instance, this entire year has benefitted me since I am quite young in the sport. I find the more time I have the better as I am still working on so many different things in this sport. I have actually really enjoyed this year because I’ve used the time to adapt to a new coach and new training. Plus being at home has been amazing to be with my family and be able to be still. Not having to travel and being able to work on myself and know who I am on a deeper level has been amazing throughout this year despite all of the negative and sad things that did happen in the world. 

I do a lot of my training on my own here which I don’t mind. I think training alone does allow you to do what you need to do. As a professional athlete, when you want to get the most that you can out of every session, it’s nice to know that every single session is tailored to what I need to be the best that I can be. I do like to run with other people for easier stuff, but the alone time allows me to focus 100% on what I need to do. 

How are you feeling about the upcoming season and being named to the National Team?

It’s an honor to be on the National Team and it’s an honor to be able to represent your country and be able to travel the world and to compete against the best women in the world. I am looking forward to racing this year! I am so excited because I’m healthy, I feel good, I’m strong and my training is going really well. I am feeling confident in my training and my coach is super confident too. I’ve been preparing myself mentally and have done my visualisations and all the little things that set you up to be 100% ready to race. I trust my coach’s training that they give me and we work together and that’s how I’m able to stay confident. 

I think every day you have to ask yourself, “am I better than I was yesterday?” and that’s what really keeps me motivated to be the best that I can be. As an athlete, you want to be your best. I also really love training - I love swimming, biking, and running!

Any words of advice to young athletes on Z3 sitting in the same position you once were in?

It’s simple - enjoy it and don’t put too much pressure on yourself! As a young athlete, have fun and learn as much as you can! On Z3 there are so many knowledgeable people and coaches, so if you can take one thing from each person you interact with, you’ll be that much smarter!

When I was little, I dreamed of going to the Olympics in swimming and I probably wouldn’t have been able to do it. So to have been introduced to the sport of triathlon and to have been able to be on the path to be an Olympian is an honor and truly amazing. I thank Z3 for all the opportunities and all the things that I’ve learned through being on the team. Enjoying all those relationships that were built along the way and having fun. It really is a dream and to be living it is absolutely insane!