Ok. Hi there. I am going to use this blog to hopefully inspire people out there that POSSIBLY want to try something new but may be afraid to give it a shot, like sushi, or chocolate covered ants, or a triathlon :-).
Although I have never tried chocolate covered ants, I do love chocolate, but usually squish ants. (sorry "Z").
I have to back up a bit and give a little brief dream type sequence/flash back. A few years ago.. well ok.. a few, few years ago, my parents threw me into a pool and said... GOOD LUCK!! Fortunately I had eaten only the marshmello's out of the Lucky Charms and had a LOT of energy to scramble to the surface of the pool with out drownding. I Loved it! I signed up for Bermuda Swim Team when I was 5 and one of my first memories was filling in for some girl in a relay where I had to swim 25yds Butterfly. Someone graciously distracted the stroke judge because I made it with out getting a Dairy Queen slip. YAAY! The rest... well, that's history.
My friend and chiropractor Lisa Norris and I worked at the same YMCA. I would often go into her office for adjustments and help with some problems I was facing when I was trying to run, including and trust me, not limited to: plantar facitits, shin splints, stress fractures, pain in my lower back, loss of feeling in my feet, pain in my feet, pain in my ass.. oh wait.. maybe that was in hers...My running partner was a very very sweet and inspiring lady who was incredibly patient with me when I would whine about running an entire mile. She signed us both up for a 5k. I was determined to run it, pain or not.. but holy hell, how was I going to run an entire 3.2 miles.. WITH OUT stopping? Cha!!! Somehow, I made it.
The theme throughout my life has been determination bordering on pure stubbornness. I SAID BORDERING! With a 5k down, I wanted to see what I could do at a longer distance. I had participated in a team triathlon, doing the swim portion, but somehow felt left out that I couldnt do the rest of the legs. I WAS GOING TO DO A TRIATHLON.. alll by myself. (what a big girl eh?)
So I borrowed my 6.4ft friends Specialized Mountain bike and signed up for a sprint tri. I was kinda running with out too much pain at this point, and took the bike around the neighborhood a few times, and knew I could handle the swim. Holey Moley was this thing hard. But I finished even with two semi flat tires, hugs to my parents on the course, taking probably 3 minutes in transitions changing clothes, and I wasn't even Last!.. close, but NOT LAST! (MAN did I look like a goober out there)
Lisa has since passed away from a disease called TTP which affects how her blood coagulates. My goal while I was being treated by her was to somehow, some day run a half marathon. I made it my mission to figure it out after she died and dedicate it to her while raising money for TTP research. I do miss her very much, but know that each and every race I am in.. she is right there with me and in her totally chilled out voice.. saying: .. "Hey man... you can do it.."
(I'm a girl btw,...just in case)
To date of this post, I have completed 4 half marathons, 1 marathon and 2 half ironman's. My point isn't to brag at all, because EVERYONE KNOWS that I still run like a turtle, however, if you work hard, and believe even harder... and DONT GIVE UP, you can do anything!
YAY! I like it! :-)
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