Half of the Bonifas power couple, Anette Bonifas is a powerful force in her own right. Today we shine a spotlight on this amazing Viking teammate.
WHEN DID YOU JOIN VALHALLA + VALKYRIE RACE TEAM? 2018
WHEN DID YOU START TRIATHLON? 2017
TELL US ABOUT YOUR TRIATHLON JOURNEY: Started off with running & cycling, decided to go for Cypress sprint tri 2017. Quickly found out that open water swimming was completely different from a pool. I stuck with a few local sprint & olympics until Jeff talked me into AZ 70.3 2018. I had a huge panic in the water, DNF going over time with the swim. Decided that I’d focus more on swimming, and started swimming with PGK. Peer pressured into Oilman 70.3 2022 at a team social and made it through the swim. After that I continued to swim 3 days a week and signed up for IMTX 2023. Best day ever! T1 was 20 minutes long trying to get over my emotions that “I just did that swim”. 2023 also included going back to AZ 70.3 for their final year and finishing 9th in my AG after that DNF.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RACE? Cypress Sprint. I try to make it back where it all started every year. Actually made it to the podium this year too!
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THIS SPORT? IMTX swim
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE? swimming (of course) & maintaining that balance of endurance with weightlifting
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE POST RACE FOOD? chocolate milk, hamburger & a beer
TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY: Most of you know my husband Jeff, but I also have two sons. My oldest is 19 & a sophomore at UH. The youngest is 16 and a Jr at Magnolia High School. We also have three dogs, one old lab & two german shorthair pointers.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL/PERSONAL LIFE: I’m an L2 certified CrossFit trainer, USAW weightlifting coach. Pre-COVID I coached at two gyms full-time. After the shutdowns and one gym didn’t reopen, I took the advantage and started coaching small groups out of my garage. I now coach completely from my garage and enjoy spending more time at home. I enjoy swimming, biking & running as it gets me outside of the gym & outdoors.
WHAT IS SOMETHING NO ONE WOULD EVER GUESS/KNOW ABOUT YOU? I have a blackbelt in TaeKwonDo. I can snatch 145lbs, deadlift 315lbs, clean & jerk 195 & squat 275.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT THIS TEAM? The encouragement and support. I’ve never met a group of people that are so supportive in helping each other reach their goals. I was always on the other side of encouraging others in the gym. Doing my training between my classes, meant being alone to push myself. It’s great being able to get together for a bike ride, in the pool or for a run and having someone else push you along.
WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE AUTHOR? I don’t really sit around to read much
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT? Anything with a good hamburger
WHO IS YOUR BIGGEST INSPIRATION? My mom
WHAT EXCITING PLANS DO YOU HAVE FOR THE NEXT YEAR? round two of IMTX
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE? You’re lucky to get this much out of me
