If you want to feel inspired, look no further than Coach Joy Miles. She is a fitness instructor and triathlon coach based in Chicago and has a palpable passion for helping members of her community be the very best version of themselves. She guides athletes through every step of their training journeys, from getting comfortable in the deep end of a pool to finishing their very first triathlon.
Her success as an athlete and a coach didn’t come easy, though. As a black woman training in the city, she has faced adversity that most endurance athletes never have to grapple with. She has a story that calls for acknowledgment and leads us to notice what we can do to make the triathlon community a safer and more welcoming place.
Stand-Out Quotes
- “They were like, ‘Hey, we’re doing an all-women’s triathlon. You should come with us.’ [I] sent in my money and then I realized, I don’t know how to swim.”
- “My whole philosophy is you try to tell me I can’t do something, watch me! I’m a little stubborn.”
- “I meet everyone where they’re at because everyone is in a different place, a different experience, a different skill level. I try to reassure anyone I meet that, ‘I’m here with you. I’m going to help you. You are not going to fail.’ And it’s about helping people get comfortable, which will help build that confidence over time.”
- “I wear my hair natural only because I work in fitness. I work out a lot. You learn what hairstyles will work for you. You learn what conditioners will work… I mean, I do wear lip gloss in the pool or lipstick in the pool or when I’m racing, you can still be glamorous.”
- “But my whole mindset is, training is not canceled. Races may be canceled. Races will return, but training continues.”
- “I live two blocks from Loyola University, Chicago. I was running and I actually was followed by the cops. I don’t look intimidating. I run in a running skirt. I have my hydration…And it was very disconcerting.”
Resources
Joy’s Youtube Channel (In Progress): @jreneemiles
