Age Group World Champion at the 2011 Ford Ironman World Championships

IMJ athlete, Teresa Rider, wins her second Kona.  This was Teresa's 11th Kona and 24th ironman event.  Just six weeks ago Teresa also won her age group at IM Canada.  The photo shows Teresa running strong down Alii Drive with husband and Coach, Scott Jones encouraging Teresa as she leads the 50-54 age group.

about Teresa

My name is Teresa and I have had the good fortune to race at the elite level as an age grouper for almost two decades.  I live and train in Boulder, Colorado with my husband, Scott, who is my partner in IMJ Coaching and Consulting LLC, and my sweet brown dog named Sassy. Boulder is unique and the training is epic!  I live amongst the legends of the sport, which gives me added motivation and inspiration to continue to be the best I can be as I approach my third decade in the sport of triathlon.  I am a firm believer that surrounding yourself with people who challenge you to be your best will always bring out the extraordinary side of you!

I was born in England and have always had a yearning to travel the world.  In my early twenties I discovered Sydney, Australia where I unearthed a completely new way of life. It was in Sydney where I discovered the sport of triathlon at the age of 33.  I had no idea where this journey would take me.  As a child, my sporting background was in track and field, specializing in the 100 and 200m sprint events, so the world of multisport was completely new to me.  

In 1993, I competed in my first Ironman in Forster-Tuncurry, where 736 athletes were on the start line.  That is much less than half of what we see at the start of Ironman races today. When I started triathlon, I did not have a swimming background.  I had no choice but to swim breaststroke in my first triathlon, the Botany Bay Classic in Sydney. I certainly looked out of place and brought smiles to many a spectator. It’s not how you start the journey that counts, but how you end it!  I would go on to race at a very high level in the sport.  In 2000, I was the Age Group World Champion at Olympic distance in Perth.  I would later go on to be the Age Group World Champion at the Ironman World Championships in Kona 2006 (Hawaii Ironman).

From swimming breaststroke in my first triathlon to competing at the Hawaii Ironman nine times, with six of those nine times standing on the podium, my life in sport has been one of dedication and hard work- but work that I have thoroughly loved!  I truly believe that the process of setting goals helps you choose where you want to go in life.  Without the determination and ability to follow through on those goals, your dreams will never be achieved.

In 2006, I made some big life changes.  I quit my corporate IT job of 19 years and relocated from Sydney, Australia to the US to experience life as a full-time athlete and to embark on a new career in health and wellness.  I have earned an Advanced Certificate in Nutritional Sciences from the Australasian College of Natural Therapies in Sydney, Australia and am currently enrolled in a Bachelor of Science in Holistic Nutrition with the Clayton College of Natural Health.

In 2007, I met the man of my dreams while training at a triathlon camp in Palm Springs, California. I have learned that sharing your passion with that special person truly makes everything in life so much more rewarding.  Together we have made a new life together and in that life we have created our coaching and consulting business, IMJ Coaching and Consulting LLC. (www.imjcoaching.com).

I strongly believe that a healthy lifestyle is merely a series of healthy habits. I love the lifestyle that comes with my sport; the daily challenges and awesome experiences that are now part and parcel of my daily routine.  My favorite quote is “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”.  If you want different results, you must be prepared to embrace change as it is an inevitable part of constantly bringing out the best in yourself.

That is my charter as I go forward on my journey.  To not only bring out the best in myself, but to help others navigate their way onto a course where they can find themselves making the changes in their lifestyle that embrace those healthy habits and bring about the change they so badly desire.  This process can be very scary in the beginning, but I believe one has to remember to step outside the box. If you are not scared, you are not living!

Life is a journey, not a destination.  It is not the destination that makes the journey worthwhile.  It is the growth and progress that you make along that journey that makes this life so rich.

I welcome those who want to join me on this journey!