Member Spotlight – Josh & Kasia Dinen
Meet one of Breakaway Training’s dynamic duos: Josh and Kasia Dinen! Josh is from Northern California (Sacramento) while his wife, Kasia, is from Poland. They currently live in Pacific Beach, CA. Get to know both of them a little more below…
-What brought you to join Breakaway Training?
Our friend Robb Whitehead introduced us to Felipe. The group aspect is what keeps us coming back. So nice to be at a local race and have so many people there you train with. It makes it real fun.
-How long have you been a member of Breakaway Training?
Since June 2008
-What’s your favorite local race?
Kasia – San Diego International Joshua – Ironman California 70.3
-What’s your favorite non-local race?
Kasia – Ironman Hawaii 70.3 Joshua – Xterra Nevada in Lake Tahoe (any Xterra).
-What’s your favorite type of music?
Kasia – Hip hop Joshua – House and Reggae
-What do you do when you’re not training?
Kasia – Working for the man. Joshua – Spending the money that Kasia makes from the man. We love to snowboard in the winter and backpack during the summers. Josh also loves to jump out of airplanes.
-What is the food / drink you can’t live without while training?
Kasia – Peanut Butter Joshua – California Ales
-Do you have a training secret you’d like to share?
Kasia “Have a very patient training partner” Joshua “Run hills and go big!!!!”
-What is your favorite workout?
Blacks beach hill repeats. Track in the rain during the winter when everyone else is at home.
-What is your least favorite workout?
Kasia for some reason does not like Fiesta Island and Open water swim workouts. Josh likes it all, more please.
-What is your favorite leg of a triathlon (swim, bike, run, eat after you finish?)?
Kasia likes the run best and Josh likes the bike the best, especially if it is a mountain bike course.
-What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve seen while training?
The way some people in this city drive their automobiles and how motorcyclists like to rev their engines all the time and go way too fast.
-What training device(s) do you use?
Garmin 310XT and heart rate monitor
-What is the worst rookie move you made at a race before you became a “real” triathlete?
Not getting into the water before a swim. Always get used to water before starting even if it is not a swim start. Hyperventilating is not fun when you realize the water is really cold.
-What race are you most proud of? 
Ironman Texas. That race was the hardest yet. Hot and muggy made for a tough day. The Ironman distance is no joke.
-What goals would you like to accomplish this year?
Our first ultramarthon distance is going down September 24th or 25th. We are taking it to new limits our legs have never seen. We know it is going to hurt but that is what Josh wants for his birthday. We plan on hike/running the Rae Lake Loop in Kings Canyon – 42 miles and 6000 ft of elevation. Coach Felipe even says he is going to do this with us. We shall see. Kasia wants to get better and stop being afraid of mountain biking.
-What is your 2011 race schedule?
5/21 Ironman Texas – Done!!!!
6/25 Xterra Tahoe City Offroad Triathlon
7/4 July 4th One day hike/run up Mt. Whitney CA
7/26 – 8/1 Kings Canyon Evolution Basin backpacking loop 75 miles
8/7 Xterra Snow Valley Off Road Triathlon
8/27 – 9/2 High Sierra trail/loop, Sequoia National Park 7 days 6 nights backpacking 90 miles
9/11 Superfrog
9/17 San Diego Traithlon Classic
9/24 Rae Lake Loop – 1 day, 42 miles Hike/Run/Ultra length/Crazy
10/2 Mission Bay KOZ
12/4 California International Marathon Sacramento
-Is there anything else you’d like to share?
We love to train together. It is amazing to be married to someone that likes to do the same things you do. We both really love fitness and seeing what our limits are and being able to do it together really makes it amazing. Backpacking in the summers is one of our favorite things to do. They are extremely difficult fitness wise but rewarding in so many aspects. I cannot begin to explain how amazing some of our trips have been. We have dreams for very big things in the next few years. We shall see what happens. All I know we are going really BIG!!!!
Thanks for sharing a little more about you both, Kasia and Josh! -Breakaway Training
