It all started...
Back in 2012 I was struggling with my weight and my overall self-esteem. I weighed over 260 lbs, and realized I needed to make a change. Little did I know, this would ultimately become the launching pad for my journey into triathlon.
In 2013, I made a new year’s resolution to make that change. The goal was to simply lose enough weight to get me back to the weight I was when I got married (205lbs).
At the start of all this I simply wanted to lose weight. After droping about 30lbs I was asked by a friend if I wanted to join her in a 5k mud run. While at first I thought to myself, “I’m not even sure I can run 3.1 miles let alone in the mud”, I went ahead and accepted the challenge. After completing the race, I was shocked at just how much fun I really had...and I had to do another one! After a little searching, I found a second race and asked my friend to join me once again. Little did I know her response would change my life for many years to come. She responded to me with, “Sure, I’ll race with you if you do a sprint triathlon with me”. While I knew nothing about triathlon, I once again decided to take the challenge.
My first race was AMAZING! It was a local sprint triathlon, and I had no idea what to expect! I didn't even own a bike, and hadn't swam in years, but I trained the best I could and showed up for the race. The commradery of the athletes, and the excitement of the spectators drew me in to the sport. I knew this was something I could definitely become a part of. I never looked back.
Since then I have not only raced in many sprint and Olympic races (combined 20+ races not inculding my Ironman races), but also 14 Ironman 70.3’s and 2 Ironman 140.6 races. I can’t imagine my life without this sport. It's been 5 years now since I made the resolution to change my life, and my weight is still below my original goal weight and I've got more endurance then I ever thought imaginable. The relationships I've made with this sport is unlike anything else, and honestly one of the main reasons I continue to push through all the pain...see all my pictures below.
So now I have a new goal. I am gunning for ALL the Ironman 70.3 races offered in the United States. Follow my journey as I take on all different types of terrain, altitudes, weather, and competitors to achieve my goal. While I don’t know how long this will take, I know I will do it…no matter the time. This is my journey.
