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Ali O'Donnell

@ali_odonnell

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periodic pro triathlete @realtrisquad
these are a few of my favorite things 🤠✨

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Another new face to the D3 coaching team, but a member of the D3 family since 2021 as an athlete, please join us in welcoming Coach Ali (@ali_odonnell)! From NCAA running to collegiate triathlon at the University of Colorado to earning her elite license in 2023, Ali’s trophy case is filled with some impressive accolades, including:

⚡️ Professional triathlete
🥇 2x XTERRA Age Group National Champion
🏆 2x XTERRA & Ironman 70.3 World Championships Qualifier
🇺🇸 4x USAT All American
💯 Member of the 2017 National Champion Team at CU Boulder
🏁 Member of the BolderBoulder Sub-40 Club

While a newer face in the coaching biz, Ali has a degree in Integrative Physiology and ample experience as a:
💛 Volunteer coach with the @cutriteam (sko buffs!)
🚴 High school coach with Boulder Junior Cycling

Her racing experience has taken her all over the world, with her favorite places being Lake Molveno, Italy and Vouliagmeni, Greece.

“I know what it’s like to chase goals, hit roadblocks, and come out stronger on the other side. That’s the mindset I bring to the athletes I work with: helping you break down personal barriers in triathlon by focusing on more than just swim, bike, and run.” 💪

Interested in working with Ali? Visit the link in our bio to set up a free intro call! taken in Boulder, Colorado by @ali_odonnell

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2 years ago

Back to back 25-29 Xterra USA National Champion & 5th overall female ✨

Very happy with my race at the @xterraplanet USA Champs a few weeks back. Never did this little road triathlete think she’d be ripping around on a mountain bike, but I’m having a blast and enjoying every second of this journey!

Next stop: Italy 🇮🇹 for the World Champs in just 6 short days!

@boulderracing @d3_multisport @runboulderac @kinesisintegrated @thefeedme @fullcycleboulder @buildlabspt @velovetta @vitaehealthcoaching @xterraplanet @xterraamericas

#weplayweprotect #xterraplanet #fueledbythefeed taken in Beaver Creek, CO by @ali_odonnell

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3 years ago

Looking forward to a lot more of this in August.. for 6 days straight! I’ll be racing the @breckepic this year as part of the Women’s Tour ✨💃 To line up with this group of amazing ladies is humbling, exciting, and completely terrifying and I can’t wait!

It doesn’t go unnoticed to me how many people I have in my life who have helped me get to the places that gift me with opportunities like these. I could write novels about all of you, and I can’t thank all of you here, but this is a start:

🫶🏼 @leahvdl3 thank you (TBD if I’ll be saying that at the finish line) for talking me into this. You’re a big reason I’ve kept believing in myself and I’m a lucky gal to have a friend like you. Can’t wait to be in the pain cave together for 6 days ;)
🌟 @realtrisquad + @adamjmeredith three years, one surgery, and very few races later you STILL haven’t given up on me. I’m so grateful for this goofy crew.
🦬 @cutriteam lit a spark in me almost 10 yrs ago that fueled a lot of this. How lucky am I to have met so many people through that special family who are still in my life today :,)
💟 Last but certainly not least I owe a whole lot to my parents & @siriodonnell14 who have spent multiple hours in the ER with me, cleaned out cuts, dried my tears, and encouraged me to keep going when I was at my lowest & to always chase big dreams. I love you three a lot.

Yeehaw, let’s ride 🤠🪩

PS if you want to join the party of the year in Breckenridge this summer, I have a few registration discount codes I’d love to share. HMU :)

📷: @brentmurphyphoto @breckepic taken in Breckenridge, Colorado by @ali_odonnell

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8 months ago

Heading into the last year of my 20s feeling incredibly grateful for this lil life 😌

28 was filled with more twists and turns than I could have ever imagined. I battled crippling anxiety that left me feeling inadequate and weighed down by the world. I experienced the insufferable pain that comes from feeling like you’re living in a dark tunnel with no light at the end. And I often let being my own worst critic get in the way of practicing the self love I needed and deserved.

It was also filled with some incredibly beautiful moments. I finally found true joy in being my own, whole person. I learned to let go of what no longer serves me and hold on to what makes me feel alive. I cried happy tears and laughed until my stomach hurt. I checked off bucket list adventures and accomplished big goals. But most importantly, after 28 years, I finally fell in love with myself for who I am - imperfections and all.

To the people in my circle who pulled me close and didn’t let go when you saw my pain, I love you all so very much and will never be able to thank you enough for not leaving my side on some of my darkest days 💛 You reminded me how beautiful it is to live this life, even with all of its challenges, and showed me everyday how loved I am.

So, here’s to my 29th lap around the sun.. I am feeling oh so fineee!! 🪩💃✨ by @ali_odonnell

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10 months ago

Summery summary :))

Sponsored by Tegaderm, sunscreen, FruitSalad™️, and a wholeee lotta love 🫶🏼🌻🌈✨ by @ali_odonnell

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a year ago

Let’s run the whole winter thing back please and thank you taken in Colorado by @ali_odonnell

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a year ago

Got a case of the zoomies! 🚀

Super excited to add this beauty to the fleet - @argon18bike e119+. She’s speedy and dreamy… just need to get her rider (who hasn’t ridden a TT bike in 16 months 🫣) moving & grooving with her.

S/o to the @fullcycleboulder fit bros (@ryanignatz @trobester & @caelanjthom) for helping me feel comfy and fast despite only being 5 months post shoulder surgery 💪🏼, @voncooper for being an A1 mechanic and crushing this build 👨‍🍳 and @realtrisquad for continuing to show me love & support through a giant hiccup this year 💛🌈

Looking forward to ripping around on a race course on this speedy machine reeaaalll soon! by @ali_odonnell

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2 years ago

Been making lemonade out of the lemons and let me tell you, it’s pretty dang sweet ☺️🤠✨🫶🏼 by @ali_odonnell

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2 years ago

One month since shoulder surgery, yeehaw! 💃🏻

My days have been filled with walks, hikes, too much coffee (or maybe not enough? 🤔), books, Spindrifts, and lots of dogo, family and friend love. There have also been plenty of tears and lots of tough, but important moments learning to listen to my body, take my foot off the gas and let myself rest as I heal. Some days I feel like I have forever to go until I’ll be back doing what I love, and others I’m proud of how far I’ve already come.

Sling comes off in just under 2 weeks and the PT gets real and serious (if that’s possible @coachmaryrob 🤪). Slowly, but surely, my lil chicken wing is on the mend 💪🏼

As always, thank you to the people in my corner who continue to ride this wave with me - you know who you are and I ❤️ you lots! taken in Boulder, Colorado by @ali_odonnell

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2 years ago

Labrum repair done & dusted!

Can confirm that shoulder surgery is quite 💩. Lots of aches and pains (and tears) and I have to rely on someone else to do just about anything. This has no doubt been the toughest injury battle I’ve ever fought, but I know there’s light and many great things waiting at the end of the tunnel.

Massive thank you to Dr. Seng and his team at @bouldercentre for piecing me back together, and making me feel safe and supported through this whole process.

Antsy to get back to doing the things I love, but for now there’s lots of R&R on the menu until PT starts next week 😌 swipe left if you want to hear about my big goals once I’m healed ;)

Thanks for all of the ❤️, messages, chocolate, care packages, etc. - it truly means the world. I’m one lucky lady to have such an amazing community surrounding me! taken in BoulderCentre for Orthopedics & Spine by @ali_odonnell

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2 years ago

When I decided to take my pro card last fall, I made a promise to myself that I would be open and vulnerable about the journey. I believe that if you choose to share your story on social media, sharing the lows is just as important as celebrating the highs.

I had so badly hoped that my shoulder would be okay after my crash at @xterraplanet Greece last month. I told myself the pain I continued to feel was normal given what had happened and that muscling through it was part of my job as an elite athlete. An MRI last week revealed a torn labrum that will need some surgical TLC to fix. Total recovery time is 4-6 months.

I’ve spent a lot of time since getting the news letting myself feel alllll the emotions. And that is okay!! I’m sure this will be an experience I’ll find solace and strength in down the road, and I know future Ali will be proud of the fighter she is being right now. But in this moment, the heartbreak I feel knowing I won’t get the chance to be on the start line of a goal I’ve worked long and hard for this year is very, very real.

What comes after surgery next week, I haven’t decided. I’m slowly finding peace in giving myself and my body the break it very clearly needs and deserves. I’m learning to take advantage of the “down time” to find joy in things outside of triathlon. And I’m reminding myself to take things one day at a time.

To my family, instagramless PT Matt Ferguson, coach @bdseng , my @realtrisquad @d3_multisport @runboulderac @cutriteam & @fullcycleboulder families, sponsors and the number of other beautiful people I could list off (you know who you are) - thank you for being A1 cheerleaders as I’ve chased this dream especially hard the last 8 months and now shoulders to lean on and people to cry with as I face a new challenge. I ❤️ all of you. They say it takes an army and I know I have an incredible one behind me.

Time to keep the mental game strong and keep the faith that a pro start line isn’t too far down the road. But until then, catch me on the sidelines this summer cheering on all of my amazing pals!! taken in Boulder, Colorado by @ali_odonnell

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2 years ago

Loose is fast and on the edge of out of control 😅 Unfortunately, I will no longer be toeing the start line of @xterraplanet Greece on Saturday. A crash during my pre ride on Wednesday led to a dislocated shoulder that won’t be stable enough to race on.

To say I’m frustrated and disappointed would be an understatement. The last 5 months have been spent relentlessly focusing my energy on building physical and mental toughness in preparation for my first pro start, so this is a heartbreaking feeling. But the reality of being a high caliber athlete (and of life!) is that 💩 happens.

The hope is to be healthy enough to race XTERRA Oak Mountain in Alabama in just over 3 weeks, but injuries have their own timelines. So in the meantime, I’m diverting my energy to enjoying the beauty Greece has to offer and am soaking in as much of this experience as I can from the sidelines.

Big thank you to the athletes who stopped their rides to check in on me, the docs who popped that little Larry back into place, my mama who has taken amazing care of me (& my dad and @siriodonnell14 who have done so from afar), @steller_1_ who made sure I was safe, made me laugh through the tears and continues to remind me to keep the faith even when it gets tough and my @realtrisquad / @d3_multisport families who have believed in me since day one. Moments like these remind you of the beauty of the communities this sport and life has to offer if you open yourself up to them.

Onward and upward as they say! The fire in me to be the best I can be amongst the best is burning brighter than ever 🆙🌟

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@realtrisquad @d3_multisport @runboulderac @fullcycleboulder @thefeedme @getfuelin @sailfish_triathlon @xterraplanet @xterraamericas taken in Vouliagméni, Greece by @ali_odonnell

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2 years ago