Leslie grew up in Ipswich, Massachusetts with her parents and older brother. She started swimming at age 9 and while briefly running track and XC, stuck with swimming throughout high school.  In college, she decided to walk onto the Bucknell University swim team and, despite the coach’s warning she would likely be cut from the team, she chose to swim regardless and swam competitively for four years.

In the lull between graduating from college and moving to Virginia to start her first job, Leslie decided she wanted to train for an Ironman because she was “bored”. At the time, she only knew one person who had completed an Ironman and asked him to be her coach. One year later (in 2008) she was toeing the line at Ironman Wisconsin.  Since 2008, Leslie’s triathlon career skyrocketed – she is a 4-time Ironman World Championships Qualifier and will be racing at the elite level in 2015.

2016

Galveston 70.3 – 18th

Wildflower Long Distance Triathlon – 8th

Ironman France – 4th (Fastest Run Split, 3:05)

Vineman 70.3 – 16th

Timberman 70.3 – 10th

Ironman Wisconsin – 2nd

Ironman Malaysia – 9th

2015

Ironman 70.3 Puerto Rico – 7th

Challenge Knoxville – 10th

Ironman 70.3 Raleigh – 12th

Ironman Coeur D’Alene – 6th

Ironman 70.3 Timberman –  21st (Mechanical)

Ironman Wales – 6th

Amateur Career

4-time Ironman World Championships Qualifier

2014 Ironman Lake Placid
Amateur Champion

2014 Rev3 Maine Half
Champion

2014 Rev3 Knoxville Championships Race
Female Champion

2013 USAT
#1 National Ranking Female, 25-29 AG

2013 Ironman World Championship
#4 Ranking Female, 25-29 AG

2012 Ironman Arizona
2nd Female Amateur

2012 70.3 Poconos
Female Amateur Champion

Leslie’s Birthday
March 21, 1985

Organizational Affiliations
Smashfest Queen

Favorite Food
Goat cheese and honey, but I’ll eat anything as long as I see someone else eat it first!

Favorite Recovery Activity
Watching TV

Biggest Fan(s)
Mom and Dad

Pet(s)
My baby Kitsey…she’s a cat

Race Day Secret 
I love racing, but I despise the hour right before the actual race.

Proudest Athletic Moments
Beating my brother in our annual middle school 4 mile race to the beach when I was 12 and he was 14.

Little Known Facts
I played Clarinet for 10 years.
I have a deep hatred for race-day rituals.