Since I was young all I know and have been introduced to has been surrounded around sports. Growing up I played every sport imaginable and loved the challenge of what every sport had to offer. I realized I had more endurance than most other kids and athletes so I stuck with the sports involved in those areas. Rowing and long distance triathlons were going to be the sports that I would be involved in for a long time. The influence my parents had on me was very powerful and influential in many ways in both school and sports. My mother was always more on the academic side as my father always chose sports over academics. My father still expected good academics but if there was a sporting event, game, and/or practice that would take precedence. The fight to finish school and competitions became ingrained in me and if I ever wanted to quit early I would always here my mother's words 'If your going to do something... whatever it is. Do it the right way and finish it [...]