I DID IT!!!!!

My triathlon journey started on Saturday, June 23rd. The Subaru Women's Triathlon Series was held in Naperville, Illinois. They have an EXPO where you can go and get your packet and your numbers put on. They also have a lot of sponsor booths you can go to. Here I am getting my numbers put on. Lucky number 164.

Here I am at the EXPO after getting my numbers marked. I am so proud to call myself a Triathlete. I'm still pretty amazed.

Here I am just a couple hours after meeting my friends Wylee and Siren in person. We have been friends online through our blogs for sometime now. It was great to finally meet them in person. Wylee's blog is at www.wyleesworld.blogspot.com and Siren's blog is at www.hitmystride.blogspot.com Check them out. They are a lot of fun!! Here we are showing off our Tri numbers outside of Olive Garden. We were getting ready to carb load before hitting the starting line in the morning.

The red head is my friend Wylee and the dark haired girl is my friend Siren.


My hubby and kids couldn't make it today, so I had them write notes on my arms and hands. Here is my arm graffiti from Parker and Keith. Keith drew a heart and a smooch because today was our 13th wedding anniversary. Keith, thanks for your unconditional love and support. I couldn't do all this without you. I love being married to you every minute. Happy Anniversary.

Here is my arm graffiti from Tricia. She is always really proud of me. What's neat is now my kids want to start doing kid's triathlons. I'm so glad that I'm starting to get healthy, so they can be healthy too. My friend Darlene wrote on my right hand too. It said, Breathe, Pedal, Pray. U can do it. These notes really helped me along the way. It made me realize just how much people love and support me. Thanks guys.


Here I am in transition with my bike. I love triathlons.

Here I am waiting for my wave to start. I was in wave 18. Some of the elite athlete's were finishing the race before I even got in the water. Way to go ladies.

Right before my wave a friend of mine walked up to me. She is a trainer at the YMCA where I work out. I see her all the time and what is cool is I have bumped into her at the last three events I have done. I bumped into her in a stairwell while climbing the Sears Tower. I bumped into her at BIKE THE DRIVE with 10,000 people in attendance and now today she bumped into me. She is always so encouraging at the gym and at the events I see her at. Just want to let you know with all that bumping no one has been hurt. :-)


Here I am coming out of the swim. I had just crawled out of the water. Just kidding, but it did feel like it. I encouraged a girl not to quit and she stuck with it. She thanked me later. It was a good feeling to be able to talk someone into not giving up. Later I saw her on the bike leg with her pedal in her hand. She was having bad luck. I hope she stuck with it.

Here I am starting off on my bike. The bike was hard because my leg really cramped in the swim and I had gear shifting problems, but overall it went well.

Here I am crossing the finish line. Every other year I didn't think about a fun finish. This year I remembered to put my arms up and after crossing the finish line and knelt down and kissed the ground. The professional photographer took a picture of it,so I will post it when I get it. It got a good laugh.

Here is Wylee and Teri right after they finished the Tri. This was their first Tri. You girls Rocked it!! Good Job!!

This is my friend Siren finishing the Triathlon. She is 4 1/2 months pregnant. Wahoooo to you and Baby for finishing strong. You ROCK!!

Here are my three friends right after they finished the race. L to R Wylee, Teri, and Siren. Way to go girls.

Today was a great day. It was difficult at times during the triathlon, but I knew that I would finish. Here I some thoughts I had along my journey today.
* I have a great support system. I have so many family members and friends that love me no matter what size I am or what event I am doing. They love me for who I am and that means the world to me.
*Because of it being my anniversary I realized how much I take my husband for granted and how much I truly love him. I don't know where I would be today without him. He completes me. Keith, I love and respect you so much. Thanks for being here for me with school and with all my crazy adventures. You are incredible.
*I have been through a lot of different things this year and one had me really analyzing what a good friend is. I thought I had more friends in my life and then I was hit with a hard situation. It made me realize that I don't need to have a lot of friends. I just need to have quality friends. Today my friend Darlene, whom I have known now for 21 years, was by my side. She couldn't race with me this year, but got up at the crack of dawn and came to cheer me on. I realized even more on this race how much I appreciate her and love her. It's friends like this that only come alone once in a lifetime. Thanks for your support Dar. It means the world to me. We are going to kick some Tri butt next year. :-)
*Because my kids wrote all over my arms I thought of them a lot today and decided that today is the day I start a REALLY healthy lifestyle to get this weight off. They are my inspiration. I want to live a long life and see my grandbabies grow up. Today was really a turning point for me.
*Because it was Sunday and I was missing church I realized how my relationship with Jesus Christ has been on the back burner. I could not have done this triathlon without his strength. I am renewing my relationship with him too.

Today has been a great day in more ways then I can even describe here. I look forward to many more athletic events in my life and look forward to where God will lead me next. I'm feeling very satisfied today. Now tomorrow when every muscle in my whole body aches I'm not sure how I'll be feeling. :-)

Gotta get to bed I'm about to keel over.