Tracy Pengilly

Tracy Pengilly spent most of her adult life as a sports mom — on the pool deck, living and dying by her daughters' race times. When their athletic careers ended and the pool deck went quiet, she didn't know who she was without it.

In 2012, she stumbled across a Facebook post about a triathlon class. Everything changed.

Since then, Tracy has gone from crying in the bathroom before her first super sprint triathlon to completing five full-distance triathlons, four half-distance races, and many other “real” triathlons. In 2024, at IRONMAN® California, she came closest to reaching her goal of a qualification slot.

Her dream is still alive.


She now has four grandchildren and is hoping the pool deck (or maybe transition) may not be quiet for long.


Transitions is her debut novel. It is, in every way that matters, a true story.
Tracy lives in Northern California with her husband Mike and writes about training, racing, and the pursuit of finish lines at closetathlete.com.