From Backstroke Beginnings to Pro Triathlete: A Journey of Perseverance
From an unexpected introduction to triathlon in middle school to earning her pro card, Cammy Manes’ journey through endurance sports has been anything but linear. Her path has been shaped by perseverance, self-discovery, and the relentless pursuit of improvement.
Along the way, Cammy found FORM and her goggles have become an integral part of her swim training, helping her analyze, refine, and engage her swimming to compete at the highest levels.
A Rocky Start
Cammy’s first triathlon experience was far from love at first stroke. As a middle schooler, she entered a pool-based triathlon with little experience, starting the swim with backstroke to avoid putting her face in the water. She quickly realized that wasn’t the fastest approach and adjusted mid-swim. The bike leg—on a mountain bike—felt torturous, and she ended the race vowing never to do another triathlon again.
Instead, she pursued soccer, playing through high school until repeated concussions forced her to stop. From there, she transitioned to track and cross-country, eventually running in college. But the one-size-fits-all training approach in collegiate running led to injuries, pushing her back into the pool for cross-training. While swimming was never her passion, it became an essential part of her athletic development.
Returning to Triathlon and Discovering FORM
After college, Cammy found herself back in Colorado, surrounded by a thriving triathlon community. She decided to enter a race on a whim, with no formal training or real triathlon gear—including no bike of her own. She won her age group but was unsure whether she was just up against a weak field. A second race victory followed, and she started to take triathlon seriously, seeking out coaching and structured training.
It was at this time that she first heard about FORM from her coach, who encouraged her to try FORM goggles. As an experienced runner, pacing comes naturally, but in the pool, Cammy mentioned she struggles with gauging her effort. FORM goggles eliminated that frustration, allowing her to focus on her technique rather than mental math.
“Counting laps is my least favorite part of swimming,” Cammy admits. “In running, I know how fast I’m going. But in the pool? No clue. FORM has changed that.”
Training with FORM: Metrics, Insights, and Performance Gains
For Cammy, her FORM goggles have transformed the way she approaches swim workouts.
Her go-to setup includes:
- Clock & Interval Time – To stay on pace
- Heart Rate Monitoring – To ensure she’s pushing at the right intensity
- Strokes Per Minute – To improve consistency and efficiency
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Distance & Lap Tracking – To eliminate guesswork
At first, she used FORM simply to track distance and lap splits, but over time, she has integrated features like HeadCoach™ for technique refinement. “I use HeadCoach Skills to fine-tune my body position in the water,” she says. “I find HeadCoach helps reinforce technique-based improvements that I wouldn’t be able to catch on my own.”
The Challenges of High-Level Competition
In 2023, Cammy earned her pro card, stepping up to race against the best in the world. But her first Continental Championship race in Miami was a wake-up call. The aggressive swim start left her unable to recover in the race. It was a turning point—she knew something had to change.
She switched to an in-person coaching setup that enables her to train with fellow pro triathletes, while also prioritizing her swim development - particularly take-out speed - and mental resilience. With her new coach’s background in collegiate swimming and women’s triathlon, she now has a training program that focuses on swim-heavy training blocks, while still balancing her bike and run.
Cammy previously used FORM’s TrainingPeaks integration to receive remote swim coaching while training mostly on her own. Her coach, based in Colorado Springs, would input workouts into TrainingPeaks, which seamlessly integrated with the FORM app and goggles. This setup allowed Cammy to follow structured workouts without manual input and provided her coach with detailed swim data for analysis.
Now, with in-person coaching and Masters training, she primarily uses the "Free Swim" mode. This lets her focus on her strokes per minute (SPM), pacing, and technique (with HeadCoach™) while still collecting swim data for later review.
Balancing Training, a PhD, and Overcoming Setbacks
Juggling a demanding PhD program alongside pro triathlon training hasn’t been easy. Mornings and evenings are packed with workouts, and weekends are dedicated to long training sessions. However, Cammy’s biggest challenge came after a car accident that left her with a severe concussion. Unable to train or attend school for months, she struggled with the mental toll of losing her athletic and academic routine.
Her recovery involved extensive vestibular therapy and a slow return to training, starting with hiking. When re-entering the pool, FORM also played a role in monitoring her progress. “I would look at my heart rate and realize if I could push more,” she recalls. “The goggles definitely helped me get through mental blocks in the quest to regain my swim fitness.”
Looking Ahead: 2024 Season Goals & Advice for Athletes
This season, Cammy is focused on accumulating Continental Cup points and proving to herself that she belongs among the pros. She’s working on improving her swim so she can stay with the front pack. Above all, she’s determined to race with confidence.
For athletes planning their season, her advice is simple: Have fun and be consistent.
“So many people lose sight of why they started,” she says. “You don’t have to do this. You do it because you love it. Keep that in mind, and the results will come.”
Cammy’s journey—from a reluctant middle school triathlete to a professional competitor—is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and the power of the right coaching and tools. With FORM, she’s found a way to optimize her swim training, remove distractions, and focus on what matters most: getting faster, stronger, and more confident in the sport she’s grown to love.
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