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Sherri Smith, coached by Steve Bentley, bentleycoaching.com, is a World Triathlon Champion, a Canadian Champion and nationally ranked athlete in triathlon, duathlon, and distance running events. Since returning home to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario from her collegiate distance running career at Baylor University in 2001, Sherri has developed into one of Canada's top up and coming athletes in the triathlon and duathlon.

In her pursuit of excellence and success in the sport of triathlon, Sherri has quickly associated herself with being capable of competing with the world and nation's best triathletes.

Please join her on this website for updates, personal accounts of competitions, and interesting information.

COACHING BY SHERRI

In addition to being a world class triathlete and a former All American runner, did you know Sherri Smith is an accomplished coach and personal trainer as well? Maybe you're interested in working with her, or you just might want some pointers to help you with your own program? Sherri has coached and helped close to 100 athletes achieve their dream of becoming an accomplished runner or triathlete. You can find out more by sending an email to race@stjosephislandtriathlon.com.

It Can Go Either Way . . .
2/19/2010

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought.” This is not new to me. I have known this since I figured it out in 1993. I didn’t stumble upon it, it was an evolution. Or maybe if I think about it, it was a fork in the road.

Back then my dreams were big but my thoughts of myself were too small. And I had two options: to decrease the dreams or increase the thoughts. I choose the latter. I had to.

I recognized that nothing would become of me if I didn’t make a decision to be someone; to be something. I recognized that I, solely, determined who that someone I wanted to be would be. And with that recognition, I chose running – I chose to be a runner – and I chose to be a good one.

Not every day was easy – that would be too easy. There were days that the feelings and thoughts just did not jive. Instead of getting down, I changed the thought and with it the feeling changed. There were days that what I thought of myself was not as big as the challenge that was before me. I had to, in those moments, scramble to think even bigger.

There were times when I thought I was thinking big enough but in a split second I came to understand that I wasn’t even close. And this fuelled my fire.

And I thought bigger.

I had to know that nothing could take me under.

The funny thing about realizing that you and your thoughts determine who you are, is that you come to, at one point, realize that this could apply to just about anything. And you realize the opportunity in this and at the same time, the danger.

I could have been so many things . . . I could be so many things.

My advice is that you find this; this gem of life. Find it within yourself to think of yourself in the way that you have always dreamed. And once you have done this, do not impede it no matter how fast it rolls. Stand up every single time and embrace it.

Be it.

And when life has you by the throat, think bigger.