One Year Ago

A year ago today, I woke before dawn in a place far from home and prepared myself for the biggest physical challenge of my life. Actually, the real preparation had been going on for the last twelve months in order to get me to that predawn morning.

I remember the first triathlon I ever did- a sprint called The Grandman on May 31st, 2008. I rode a commuter bike with my running shoes. It was my first open water swim. It was the first time I'd run three continuous miles since my injury the previous winter. And I LOVED it. I remember crossing the finish line and thinking to myself, "I am a triathlete!". It was the biggest feeling of personal accomplishment I'd had in a long time. I knew I had to have more of this sport.



In the days that followed, I thought about what I wanted to do next. I was looking around on the internet, talking to my new triathlon friends, and learning about this whole new world of sport. Sure, I had run before, but this was different- the sense of community, the oppenness and welcoming of other triathletes, how much FUN everyone seemed to be having. I started reading about Ironman. Wow, I thought, that is a whole other level. But I talked to some people who had done them, and they were very... normal. They didn't wear capes like superheroes, they went to work and had lives just like I did. I started thinking- why couldn't I do that? That turned into "I bet I could do that" and then "I wanna do that!". I talked about it to my friend/coworker Adam, who happened to be contemplating his first Ironman at the same time. And that was enough to put it over the edge. At the stroke of noon on a June Monday, the instant the general entry opened, he and I both signed up for the 2009 Ironman Coeur d'Alene. Twelve months to get ready- the countdown was on.

I knew I couldn't do it by myself. I knew I needed help. I had only done one tri, I could count on one hand the number of times I'd swum laps in the pool, I didn't even have a bike besides my hybrid, and I was just coming off of an injury that had sidelined me for a few months. I didn't know how to find a coach, but I knew I needed one. It ended up happening mostly by accident. I read an article on Beginner Triathlete that I liked, and I clicked on the link at the end for the author. I found the name Jennifer Hutchison, read a little about her, and thought she could be a good fit. We scheduled a chat, I told her my story and what I wanted to do, and did she think this was possible? She told me yes. We must have talked for about an hour. It totally clicked- I could tell right away that she "got" me. My Ironman roller coaster ride was starting, and I was strapped in and ready to go!

Over the course of that year, I did a few more races, bought a bike, eventually was healed enough to run faster than Granny and her walker, faithfully rode with GNOTri on the Saturday Rides of Pain (I only cried a few times), figured out how to fit more and more training time into a week, made a lot of friends, and had a lot of fun.







There are many memorable moments that stick out:

-My first 100 mile ride, which was by myself in the blazing heat, doing four 25-mile Hayne loops (I HATE Hayne loops).

-Running 16 miles (at the time my longest ever) at the crack of dawn so I could be ready in time for Easter brunch.

-Almost getting run over by drag racers on Hayne at dusk. I had started my ride too late and was running out of daylight, when all of a sudden headlights across the whole road were screaming towards me. That was probably my scariest bike experience ever.

-Finally breaking 1:30 for 100m in the pool, after it had eluded me for a long time.

-My super-brick workout of 4 x (20 mile bike/4 mile run), also in the blazing heat, which ended up taking me about 8 hours.

-My training trip to CA, on the Wildflower course. So much fun, even though just the thought of Nasty Grade made me cry before we even got there.

And there are many more.

So back to that morning. It's June 21st, 2009, and I'm standing in the kitchen of our rented house in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, spreading peanut butter on a bagel. It's barely 4:30 AM and the sun is already coming up. I can see the predawn glow through the window over the sink. I'm ready. My transition and special needs bags are packed, my bike is checked, my swim gear is by the door. And more importantly, I have the training in the bank and I know it. I've done the work my coach has given me and my trust in her plan is complete. If she says I'm ready, then I am. I don't know exactly what will happen out there today, but unless there is some major accident I know I'll finish.

And right about now, back here in NOLA around 11 PM Central time, is almost exactly one year to the minute since it happened. I did finish. I am an Ironman. I'm still moving forward- there's been a lot more racing since that day and a lot of changes. I've set my sights on some new goals, gained more experience, and I continue to have a great and rewarding relationship with my coach. But that day one year ago is a day I will always remember.