Folks, I’ve been saying it for years and years. If you want to recruit great female talent into Olympic weightlifting, look for ex-gymnasts. (Actually, a lot of people say that. But I’m old, so I’ve been saying it longer.)
 
Mary Peck is exactly the kind of example I’m talking about. When I contacted Mary for this interview, I mentioned that I remember her from a local meet in Sacramento back in 2013. Her coach, Tom DiStasio, was/is a strength coach at Sacramento State, and we knew some of the same people from the old days. He mentioned to me that he was working with a pretty talented new gal, so I kept my eyes open for her during the meet. She hadn’t hit the big time in weightlifting yet, but it was pretty obvious Mary Peck was going someplace.
 
Here we are just four short years later, and Mary has won the National Championship, competed in the Olympic Trials, medaled in international competition, and established herself as one of the top female athletes in the United States. Obviously, we all know most great weightlifters start at a young age. But if the athlete has enough ability, it doesn’t take a lifetime with the barbell to win championships. Let’s take a look at the life and career of the 2016 National Champion.
 
Tell us about your background. Where are you from, where do you currently live, what’s your occupation, family life, what kind of sports background do you have outside of lifting, etc.
 
I am originally from Napa, CA and in 2008 I moved to Sacramento, CA to study at Sacramento State. Prior to weightlifting, I was a gymnast for 18 years. I trained at a gymnastics club called North Bay Athletic Association in Vallejo, CA and then went on to compete at the Division I level at Sacramento State. We used Olympic weightlifting as supplemental training for gymnastics and once I retired from gymnastics in 2012, I decided to try weightlifting. It was then that it became my passion.
 
Outside of weightlifting, I work at a gym called Fitness Rangers. I am the assistant manager and handle class schedules and help man the front desk. I also coach several barbell classes and train clients one-on-one.
 
My family lives in Napa, CA. I have two older siblings, one sister and one brother. One lives in Napa and the other here with me in Sacramento. My parents are very supportive in everything I do and travel as often as they can to my weightlifting meets.
 
Describe your weightlifting history. When/how did you start? Who have your coaches been? What are your proudest accomplishments?
 
I began weightlifting in May of 2012, shortly after I finished my career as a gymnast. My current coach, Tom DiStasio, is the Associate Head Strength & Conditioning Coach at Sac State and ultimately was the one who got me into the sport. He was my strength coach during my senior year of gymnastics and offered to coach me in Olympic weightlifting once my gymnastics career ended. I was previously unattached, but then was recruited by both Kevin and Paul Doherty to become a part of Hassle Free BBC. Kevin and Paul have helped me out immensely and I am very grateful for their support! Tom DiStasio was my coach when I started and is still my coach today.
 
I would say that my proudest accomplishment thus far was qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Trials. Competing at the Trials was the greatest and most emotional experience I have had in this sport yet. The other accomplishments I am proud of are making the 2015 Grand Prix team, becoming the 2016 National Champion, making the 2016 World University Team, getting gold in snatch at World Universities and breaking the American University snatch and total records.
 
Please give a basic description of your training method. Just tell us as much as you can about your program, weekly/yearly planning, etc.
 
I use the basic strength movements to get stronger, which allow me to practice the Olympic lifts at a higher level, eventually helping to boost my performance in the sport. We have certain goals in mind for each year/quad and plan accordingly to those goals. Further out from competition I tend to do more volume and also work on the things that give me trouble. The volume decreases, the intensity increases, and the exercises become more specific leading up to competition.
 
Describe some of the obstacles you face, or maybe some things that frustrate you in your weightlifting life. What kinds of changes would you like to see, either personally or with the sport in general?
 
I would say the biggest obstacle I have faced and still sometimes face today is the ability to trust and believe in myself. It is very easy to get discouraged in this sport, especially when there are periods when you are only adding a kilo here and a kilo there to all your lifts. I think the major thing I changed to help with this was my mindset. It is easy to get side tracked, but as long as I work hard and focus on improving every day, I am more likely to trust in my abilities and believe in myself and ultimately perform well on the competition platform.
 
What are your plans and goals for your weightlifting career? How do you see your future in the sport?
 
I plan on competing through 2020 or further if the quad goes well. I have many goals for this quad, which include making the Pan American Championships/Games and World Championships, breaking the American records in snatch, clean & jerk and total, and making the 2020 Olympic Team. There is a lot of talent in this sport, but with the right determination, I believe I can do really well these next four years.
 
Who are some of your major influences, people you look up to, etc.? Who are the people you want to thank for your success?
 
The lifter that has inspired me the most in this sport is Jenny Arthur. I first met her while attending a camp at the Olympic Training Center in 2014. Jenny is very humble. She showed up early to every practice, worked hard every day and got the job done and for that, I looked up to her. I knew I wanted to be the same type of lifter and hoped that one day I could have the same impression on other female weightlifters.
 
There are a lot of people that I can thank for my successes. The person that I want to thank the most is my coach and boyfriend, Tom DiStasio. He has taught me how to believe in myself, how to be tough, and how to work hard day in and day out. He has invested so much of his time and effort into helping me grow in this sport.
 
There are many others that I want to thank as well. I want to thank my parents and also my sponsors—Hoffart Chiropractic, Total Nutrition, and Tim Collom Realtor. I am very grateful for all of the support they have given me these last few years.
 
Best of luck in the coming years, Mary. The Performance Menu appreciates you sharing your journey with our readers. We’ll be watching your success!