Andrea Lopriore
Andrea, 46, lives in Kirkland and works full-time as a dietitian at a local hospital. Originally from Pennsylvania, she moved to Portland in 1997 and from there to Kirkland in 2010. Her move to the Pacific Northwest inspired a love of getting out into nature, and regular hiking and biking evolved into more intense forms of physical activity. Her interest in nutrition began when she became a vegetarian in the 7th grade and started to learn more about cooking and diet. Andrea has worked as a pilates instructor and personal trainer as she is passionate about helping people be healthy.
What motivates you?
I’m very grateful that I enjoy being active – it keeps me grounded. People in this area are a great community to be active and outdoors with. My favorite activity is trail running, that’s what I do most.
What are your goals for 2022?
I was sidelined by COVID in 2020 and couldn’t run for about five months so I’m ready to get back to long distance trail running. I have three races planned for 2022, a 50-miler in May, a 100-miler in August, and another 50-miler in September – all in Oregon.
Do you have a favorite place to train locally?
Grand Ridge and Tiger Mountain. They’re close and you can get a lot of climbing in. After some of the longer races, I want a break from hard trail running so then I might switch to biking for a while. I typically trail run 70 miles per week.
What advice would you give to aspiring endurance athletes?
I think anybody can do it. Start slow and listen to your body. Don’t start with long distance from the get-go because it will lead to injury; build up mileage slowly. Joining a local run group can be very helpful to meet new people who may have more experience. Nutrition is important in races – I carry a hydration pack and set an alarm on my watch to drink every ten minutes, alternating water and electrolytes.
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Rocky Ursino
Born and raised in Bellevue, Rocky is the youngest of seven in a big Italian family. He’s a USAT accredited Coach and the Head Coach and owner of PR Performance in Bellevue. Rocky started out competing in triathlons in 2000, then advanced into Ironman’s. Holding the title of Overall Winner for the 2019 Alohaman Extreme Triathlon in Kailua Kona, Rocky is a 14-time Ironman, Ironman Kona World Championship finisher, 12-time Marathoner, 9-time Boston Marathon qualifier and 2-time USAT All American.
What motivates you?
Great quality time with my friends. I’ve always advocated investing in one’s health and fitness, and I want to challenge myself and defy age.
What are your goals for 2022?
It will be one of the first years where I’ve gone into the season fully healthy and I’m setting new time and placement goals for the races I have planned. An Ironman race requires about 20-25 hours of training a week, an ÖTILLÖ (team swimming and running) race about 18 hours a week. I’m lucky to have the kind of work lifestyle that allows this training balance.
Do you have a favorite place to train in the area?
I love open water swimming. There are several great places to do that including Lake Washington and the lakes around Issaquah. For cycling, the Carnation area is like being in a whole different world; and for running I really enjoy city running through Bellevue and Redmond.
What advice would you give to aspiring endurance athletes?
Bite it off in small pieces, start gradually and work up to your goal. Look at a triathlon in pieces – focus on your challenge areas, those you’re weakest at, and use skills from your stronger areas to improve. It’s important to set realistic goals for yourself and find a group of people to train with, that’s a great motivator.
My current partners in crime are much younger than me. I’m constantly training, but the volume and intensity varies throughout the year. There is an “off-season,” but we still stay fit and active during that time so as not to lose a lot of our fitness.