Erika Erickson entered the triathlon scene in 2010, racing and training with the University of California – Berkeley collegiate triathlon team. She was previously an NCAA Division III athlete competing in Cross Country, Swimming, and Track throughout her tenure at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. During her first and second triathlon seasons, Erika tackled races from the sprint to half-Iron distance. She is the reigning ITU Age-Group World Champion (W25-29 Beijing 2011) and was 5th overall female/1st graduate student female at the Collegiate National Championships in 2011.
Currently in her 3rd year of a PhD program in Plant Molecular Biology at UC Berkeley, Erika will focus on the 2012 Collegiate National Championships in Tuscaloosa, AL in April, and attempt draft-legal racing in the upcoming triathlon season.
| Hometown:Colby, KSCurrent Town:Berkeley, CAEducation:S.B. in Bioengineering, MIT (2008); S.B. in Biology, MIT (2008); M.Eng. in Bioengineering, MIT (2009); PhD. Candidate in Plant Biology (expected 2014)Athletic Background: Div III Cross Country (2004-2007), Div III Track (2005-2006, 2008-2009), Div III Swimming (2005-2009), Cal Triathlon Team 2009-present
Tri Career Highlights: 1st place Barb’s Race 2010, 5th place Collegiate Nationals 2011, 1st place ITU AG Worlds 2011 Season Goals: Stay Healthy and Injury-free, Run sub-38min 10k, Win Collegiate Nationals, try draft-legal racing |
Favorite Workouts:Pain Train, HTFU Runs, and really long adventure rides with friendsWhat gets you out of bed in the morning?:Coffee!Who/What inspires you?: Heidi Spees, Rachel Niehuus, and the extraordinary hard work my friends and teammates put into their lives and their training every single day.Advice for aspiring triathletes?: It is always a process. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself day-to-day, or get bogged down in doubting what you are doing as compared to what you “should” be doing. Have fun, appreciate the little things, and love the process. And don’t forget to eat dessert. Why do you race?: Once the gun goes off, it’s just me. I have nothing to worry about and no one else to impress – just miles and miles of pleasure and pain ahead of me. Biggest Challenge in Triathlon?: Keeping my pesky knee happy. Greatest Strength in Triathlon?: The incredible support of my friends and family. Shout out: El Jefe and the Cal Tri Team Hobbies: Baking bread, eating bread, cooking (spicy) food, climbing trees, scuba diving, and being a huge nerd Website: |
