I am a triathlete!!

It's official!!! I am a triathlete! And I LOVED every minute of it.

I want to thank all my family, friends, and coaches for their love and support.  You guys are awesome.


So many people want to hear how I did.
So, here is a brief recap of the race. I hope to get a more detail one with pics later this week.

I started our the day with 3 goals. Goal one was to have fun.Goal number two was to finish. Goal three was to finish in under two hours. Tada!!! Completed all 3!!!

Final time: 1:58:42

So Marc, the swim coach at the Y, said a 20 min swim time was a respectable time, when i told him i was doing Danskin he said I better add 5mins. Well, i didn't need the 5 mins i hit the swim 20 mins on the nose (20:00min)  Honestly, i could have picked up the pace but i had no way of gauging my swim pace. I thought I was swimming on the slower side and with the dang waves and weaving around some slow, I just wanted to finish and finish without having to breast stroke (again accomplished) But the swim was AWESOME!!! It was my favorite out of all three. I loved passing people!! Sighting was easy and I never had to redirect myself. I swam as straight as can be. It felt sooo good when I looked at my watch coming out of the water I had to do a double take!! Really? Oh and thanks to Joel's little tidbits of knowledge, I happened to notice that the inside lane was deserted!!! I was able to have a nice relaxed start with no one around me as well as a direct line to the buoy.

So T1 was one heck of a doozy. The 30-34 were racked in the absolute farthest corner of the transition station. Geez!! I jogged from the water and it took me 1:30 just to get to my bike!! Pretty smooth transition though once i got to my bike. I spent an extra 20-30 secs to put on bike gloves which came in handy when your all wet!!!Final T1 5:26.

Off on to the bike! I was told by a million people about the super steep hill on the bike to get onto 90. And you know me and hills? I HATE them!! We are not good friends. A lot of people have to walk it. So I made a mental note that I would just walk it. Honestly I really never planned to bike it.When I neared the hill I tried to increase my speed and and get ready to drop my gears on by one. Made it half way up on speed and planned the dropping of the gears perfectly. The last bit of the hill was hard (but super short) but I stayed on my bike!!!!! Hit 90 and found a good cadence. But my speed was so slow (11mpr) I found out on the way back that what I thought was flat was actually a slight incline. Loved flying on the hills!! Hit 30mpr! Such an adrenaline runs!! Bike goal was 45mins to 55min (heck anything under an hour. Final time Bike 48:27

Transition 2 was super smooth. But given my timbucktoo location T2 took me 2:18.

Off on the run! Ugh. The first 200yds were tough! But I made a joke (okay I think I groaned super loud) and she laughed and we made small talk. Turns out our running paces were a spot on match! So I had a running buddy (Tarra, 35, from Seattle, just finished her masters in nursing). Hehehe I know. I'm a chatty Cathy. We made a goal to only walk the water stations. Oh, thank you to who ever said grab a cup to dump on your head. I would have never thought of that!! It helped in the very toasty weather! (oh course Seattle was going to have a heat wave this weekend ;) chatted back and forth. It was a great way to pass the time put also track our exertion. Too easy to talk, step it up!! I had run a 5k in December in 40:41 so my goal was to be close to that. I
Ran a 42:29. SWEET!!!!  I actually could have gone another mile or two. I was feeling good on the run. Steady pace. Each mile within 10 seconds of the mile before.

Break down

Swim 20:00   953/3313 sweet!!!
T1 5:26
Bike 48:27 (avg 14.8 mpr) 1801/3313
T2 2:18
Run 42:29 (avg 13:42 per mile) 2557/3313

Total 1:58:42  finished overall 1813/3313 not half bad!!! And to think I was scared I'd be last!!

I loved it!! And surprise, surprise can't wait to do another one!!!

And another treat was running into Joel (one of my tri coaches from the Y) at the finish line! Thanks for the hug!!!

Thank you all again for everything! This has been such an amazing journey that I can't wait to do again. Maybe Olympic distance? ;) let's do it!!!

I think I'll try Defying gravity

You know how before a MLB player goes up to bat, they play a little song? Something to get him pumped up and in the mood? Well, I've been looking for "my" song. Something that encompass this journey and my emotions. Something to get my "motor running." Since the rules of the triathlon, ban the use of personal music players, I needed something to keep my mind "busy."

I've played around with a few songs, but none seemed to completely fit. But then the right song, just dropped in my lap. Okay, more like crossed my tv screen.

This week, I stumbled across the BEST show ever this week, Glee. If you haven't seen it, DVR it!!!

Well, during the episode untitled "Wheels." a certain song made my mouth drop.

(Note: I did not record this. It's the only version I can find.)



the words just hit me like a ton of bricks.


So this is my new "pump up" song. If you hear me humming this weekend (and you most likely will), it will be this song.

I'm through accepting limits cause someone says they're so. Some things I cannot change, but till I try, I'll never know

I think I'll try Defying gravity and you won't bring me down

Angels on the Sammamish RIver Trail

Do you remember that movie "Angel in the Outfield?" where a young boy witnesses angels helping the California Angels win? It even included a very young Matthew McConnaughey.

Well, I have been seeing angels lately. No, they don't look like Christopher Lloyd and no they don't have halos or wings, but they are angels none the less.

When I began this triathlon journey , I knew I would need a lot of support and encouragement. I knew my family and friends would be there for me and they have. You guys are the best!!!

But what I would have never have expected is all the angels that have appeared. First there are my tri angels. People who have taken the extra time to give me the much needed push from doing the hills in Bothell, to finding the motivation for a workout, to sending me some facebook lovin'. Thank you for sharing your love of tri with me!

But the angels that have surprised me the most are the anonymous ones. For these past few weeks, i have been getting words of encouragement from strangers while I bike and run on the Sammamish River Trail. "Looking good." "Keep it up."and my favorite "You go Girl!." At first I thought they were yelling at someone one else, but I slowly started to realize it was me they were yelling at.

Why me? I don't know but what I do know is those "shout outs" always seemed to come at the moments I needed them the most. Coincidence? I don't think so.

They are the angels on the Sammamish River Trail. My angels and I am thank for them and all the other angels in my life.

Now, I just hope all my angels are preparing for next weekend cuz I'm going to need them!!!!