Today’s spotlight is on our board member and truly great person, friend and athlete: Jeff Cottrell.
WHEN DID YOU JOIN VALHALLA + VALKYRIE RACE TEAM?
2019, though I wanted to join once I started riding out at Benders Landing and saw the cool kits!
WHEN DID YOU START TRIATHLON?
2018 Kemah Olympic triathlon was my first race. Unfortunately, the swim was cancelled and replaced with a 5k run. In true newbie fashion I went out and ran my fastest 5k up to that time. LOL
TELL US ABOUT YOUR TRIATHLON JOURNEY:
I started walking and running to lose weight. After a knee injury, I bought a bike and eventually found myself at the Tuesday Thursday Starbucks rides and at Benders Landing. Once I saw how amazing and driven everyone was I knew I needed to embed myself in this community, for my health. While running a half marathon every month in 2018, among other local runs, I became familiar with Ron and Cheryl Stitt and discovered the Bayou City Triathlon series. I added swimming into my routine and signed up for the 2018 Kemah olympic triathlon.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RACE?
Cypress World Championships!!! I also love Ironman Texas and driving to Waco for Ironman Waco 70.3. Who doesn’t love a good road trip?
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THIS SPORT?
I must mention two things. First, the bike course at the 2019 IMTX was a mental shift for me in a positive direction and has changed who I am as a cyclist. When I was wrapping my first loop on the Hardy, which had been a mental disaster, I knew I had to prep for the second go round. I told myself “You get to do this, it’s going to suck. However, you’ve lived in this city your entire life and have never been able to experience it in this way. You’re riding your bike on the freeway!!! Stay low, keep spinning, and be patient!” Since then strong winds on a ride haven’t really bothered me that much. I DNF’d that race on the run which brings me to my second accomplishment. I became and Ironman at IMTX 2022!!! Woot!!
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE?
Staying consistent and nutrition. I really do love to chill and love to eat, hahaha!
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE POST RACE FOOD?
Toasted everything bagel with cream cheese and lox, or pizza.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY.
I have the most amazing beautiful bride on the planet. Val. We share two outdoor cats with our neighbors. I have a Sister who lives in Chino, California and various Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins in the greater Houston area. We also have family in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL/PERSONAL LIFE.
I am an ICU nurse for Memorial Hermann. I started with them in 2014 in the ER at the Northeast campus. I moved to the medical ICU at the TMC Campus in 2017. I currently fulfill a role where I can work at any ICU at any Memorial Hermann, wherever staffing needs arise.
I am a musician as well. Genetically gifted as I am one of those folks who can pickup almost any instrument and get “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” out of it almost immediately. I mainly play bass guitar these days but started on guitar in 1994. I also love the Piano and feel Rachmaninoff’s third piano concerto is the height of human music composition.
I’ve lived in Houston all my life.
WHAT IS SOMETHING NO ONE WOULD EVER GUESS/KNOW ABOUT YOU?
I lived in a Christian boys home in Hockley, Texas during my high school years and graduated from Waller High School in 1995.
I was a Strip club DJ for eight years from 1998 to 2006, including being The DJ at La Bare from June 2002 through the end of 2006. My DJ name was DJ Hugs. Yes, I have all the stories, LOL.
I am a Freemason.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT THIS TEAM?
The willingness to connect that is displayed among its members. When Val and I were inadvertently placed on a coaching centered team in 2018 we regularly felt the love from members of Valhalla, more so than from the “higher ups” on our own team. I will say we met and maintain relationships with some amazing people from that group but we are so thankful for everyone on Valhalla + Valkyrie for letting us hang out.
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE AUTHOR?
Marcus Aurelius. In my opinion “Meditations” is the most important book ever written. I’m particular to the Gregory Hays translation.
“Choose not to be harmed-and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed-and you haven’t been”
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT?
I don’t typically do “Favorites”. I tend to have a threshold and will say something like “I like ______ as much as I can like any restaurant, or song, or beer. etc.”
I will say the best sushi experience I’ve ever had was at Sushi by Scratch restaurant in Austin and the best pizza experience was at Lucali, in NYC.
WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION?
The people I spend the most time with.
My beautiful bride and myself would be a symbiotic inspiration, of sorts.
After us it would be one of my best friends on Earth, his name is Dobber Beverly. He is such a great individual, has excelled at a craft and genuinely pushes those he loves to better themselves.
If I choose to hang out around you with any sort of regularity there is something about your existence which I seek to instill into my own and I thank you for that.
WHAT EXCITING PLANS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE NEXT YEAR?
I am almost done with my Bachelors Degree in Nursing, yay!!!
I am currently seeking a more Monday through Friday 9-5 type of gig in the nursing world, so hopefully that will happen.
I want to volunteer at more races that I do not participate in.
Learn more on bass guitar.
Travel.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE?
I just want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for allowing Val and me to hang out throughout these years.
Here’s too many more, cheers!!!
