Who are you?/Age/Occupation: Cheryl Perkins – Age: 45 College Administrator at CSULB and Co-Owner of a skateboard shop, Random X Boardshop

Favorite Quote: Life Would Be Perfect If Everything Were Pink - Author Cheryl Perkins

Challenges Make You Discover Thing About Yourself That You Never Really Knew – Author Mark Twain

Favorite Athlete: Kerri Strug, Olympic Gymnast who stuck that landing in spite of a broken foot to bring Team USA to victory with Gold metal in the 1996 Olympic Games.

I love my baseball team – The Angels. My favorite players is Chone Figgins & Vladimir Guerrero.

Favorite Healthy Food: Steamed Veggies-Broccoli is probably my favorite.

Favorite indulgent Food: ANYTHING CHOCOLATE !!!There are Four basic food groups……… milk chocolate, dark chocolate, white chocolate and chocolate truffles!

Pet Peeves? Inconsiderate Drivers

Top three IPOD selections? Angel - AeroSmith, Take it to the Limit - Eagles, You're are Still The One - Shania Twain

Are you training for your first triathlon? If not, which ones have you done? I am so excited; I just completed my First Triathlon last weekend – Santa Barbara 2007. I completed it despite the fact that I was sick with terrible head cold and sore throat and probably should have been home in bed.

The ever increasing number on the scale inspired me to do a triathlon. 10 years ago, I lost 86lbs and successfully kept the weight off, but in the last 3 years, I have gained half of it back because I never had time to exercise – at least that was my excuse. I decided I needed to motivate myself to get out there and exercise before I gained anymore. I knew the best way to do that was to challenge myself and work towards a goal. Training with the TriDivas has made it FUN !

Who inspires you? My TriDiva Teamates, my family and friends inspire me. My boyfriend, George inspires me to give it my all , he is one of those crazy dudes in X Games doing 61+ MPH on a skateboard or 80+ MPH on a street luge.

Whatisyourbiggestchallenge/fear? I was Petrified and Terrified of THE SWIM ! The thought of swimming that distance was incomprehensible. I'm sure Coach Kelly got tired of telling me, 'Trust Me' you will be able to get through the swim. I said all through training IF, I can just finish the swim the rest is easy. I will never forget, Coach Kelly telling me as I ran up the beach heading to the transition area from the swim, you finished the swim, now for 'The Easy Part'. I faced the fear and with help from my fellow Divas, training and perseverance, I achieved it. (A Special Thanks to Susan & Rowena for your help and support and the extra swim workouts together).

Any advice for future TriDivas? If I can do it, ANYONE can ! I went from Coach Potato to Triathlete in 10 weeks. Kelly's Training plan is the road map to success. I have to admit finishing the Santa Barbara Tri was one of the hardest things I have ever done (even a 6 ½ hour marathon was easier). But now I look at as it is one my biggest accomplishments. Every accomplishment, great or small starts with the decision to get out there and try.

What do you enjoy most about training with the TriDivas? I have met new friends all with the same goals and interests but at all different levels. The others Divas offer support, encouragement, motivation, and friendship. Coach Kelly’s experience and training plans make it’s almost fool proof. The most important part for me is the accountability to be at the team workouts or to do the scheduled workouts on my own. It was the motivation that I needed.

What are your future goals? I would like to do a 1/2 Ironman, of course there are many baby steps in between to reach that goal. I also want to continue to lose weigh, since that was my initial reason for training for a Tri - - I'm down 10lb so far.

One Dirty little secret...I drink 3- 4 Super Big Gulps of Diet Coke a day. (Yes, that is 132 oz-176 oz a day). Something else to work on.