Shonny Lives Her Passions On and Off the Mountain Bike and Aims for World Championship at the Young Age of 40!



The Peoples Chemist: What made you decide to follow your passion and become a pro athlete?

After completing my college basketball career I thought my  'playing' days were over but then I discovered there was pro mountain biking. I grew up riding motorcycles with my Dad and I found the same passion in mountain biking and decided to pursue  it as my next career in sports.

The Peoples Chemist: What advice would you give to people who question their talents or are considering following their passion?

It's not uncommon to have feelings of doubt. Persevering through hard work, calculated risk, and believing in your dreams will help you overcome those feelings of insecurity. Be Brave!

The Peoples Chemist: After mountain biking, you decided to try something new, Xterra. Why the switch?

I feel blessed to have enjoyed a successful 8 years of professional mountain biking. I had so much fun when I raced my first XTERRA, it developed into a renewed passion and a new  challenge. There are so many sports to learn and enjoy.

The Peoples Chemist: At the Xterra Worlds, you finished last in the swim, and showed an amazing comeback to finish 7th overall.
 
That was my first XTERRA race back in 2005 while still racing mountain bikes full time. Last year, 2008, was my first year to train for XTERRA (the swim and run portions as well as mountain biking) and I have improved my swim technique. I'm happy to say that I am no longer last out of the water (although not anywhere near the top swimmers) which helped me to a 3rd place finish at the 2008 XTERRA World Championships.

The Peoples Chemist: Where did you learn your handling skill from? IE what helped you manage that bike so damn well?

I grew up riding motorcycles w/ my Dad so that carried over to
mountain biking. And living in Durango provides not only great
mountain bike trails to learn skills but also great riders to
learn from. Just to name a few: Elke Brutsaert and Chad
Cheeney.

The Peoples Chemist: Did you ever question yourself coming out of the water? What was it like to pull yourself up to the front during the mountain bike and run?

Racing last year as a rookie pro on the XTERRA circuit, I now  know that if I keep my deficit in the swim to just a few minutes,  I am able to make it up on the bike and battle it out on the run.  That doesn't mean I'm not trying to continue to improve my swim. Becoming a more efficient swimmer translates to more energy for the bike and run.

The Peoples Chemist: What drives you to stay competitive year after year?

What drives me is the passion I have for the sport. That's one
of the reasons I switched to XTERRA full time after so many years
of pro mountain bike racing. Mixing it up, keeping it fun and
tackling new challenges keep me motivated.

The Peoples Chemist: What is your biggest goal for 2009?

To win the XTERRA World Championship at the young age of 40!
 
The Peoples Chemist: Pre race Jitters. Do you have them? How do you control them?

I feel that pre-race jitters are a good sign that you really care about your performance. I deal with them by preparing myself the best I can and setting goals of self improvement rather than just  focusing on my competitors. Competing in sport is a way to learn about yourself and grow as a person.

The Peoples Chemist: Outside of competition, what other activities do you take part in?

I own a small coffee farm called Wahine Farms (www.wahinefarms.com) where I grow 100% Kona Coffee. I live on the farm in Captain Cook, HI, in the winter months which is also a great place to train for off road triathlon (XTERRA).Most cyclist love coffee and my passion for coffee turned into owning a coffee farm that produces one of the most coveted  gourmet coffees in the world, 100% Kona. I am involved in every step of production: hand picking beans, pulping, drying,  milling, roasting, packaging and shipping. Shew, a lot of 'Aloha' has gone into those beans. I have a great partner in  Wahine Farms and also incredible long time Kona coffee farming mentors.

When I'm not 'picking cherry' as we say in the coffee business, I can be found on my stand up paddle board in Kealakakua Bay watching whales and dolphins.

Many of my sunsets are spent at Kona Brewery who provides my post-training and post-race nutrition. ;-) I am proud to be an ambassador for Kona Brewery  who holds fundraisers to benefit local nonprofit organizations  who's focus is environmental conservation and the well being of children. 

I also feel honored to have been a member of the LUNA Pro  team for 7 years and happy to have just signed a contract to represent them for 2 more years racing XTERRA. My support group which includes sponsors, coaches, family and friends have been an important part of my success as an athlete. Thank you to: Family and friends, Rick Crawford (long time coach and friend),  Clif Bar, LUNA Pro Team and team sponsors. In addition, thanks to my personal sponsors: Kona Brewery, Orbea, Orca, AVIA, Rudy Project, EPNo, Crank Brothers, Bike Works, Pacific Island Fitness, Inside Ride, Land Roller and HealthFX.

Aloha ka-kou (may there be love among all of us)