My association with triathlons began in 1997 shortly after the birth of my second child. I was looking for a sport that could take my level of fitness higher. I liked the lure of the three disciplines in one race so I set out to do what I once thought impossible for me. I entered the Danskin Women’s Triathlon in Maryland and it was the best thing I ever did physically. That race started me out on my quest to become an endurance athlete.
The journey of all athletics teaches us to take risks and challenge ourselves so I started out with one horribly hard mile on a treadmill and the rest became history. I am the person and parent I am today because of triathlon and what it taught me all those years. I hope to instill in all five of my children that sports compliment everything else you do and as you grow, you learn. There is meaning and value in everything you do. Remember where you came from and be grateful for your accomplishments.
It’s quite simple to follow your dreams, train for the pure enjoyment of it and capture the energy of the moment. The best feeling I ever got out of racing triathlons came when I did my final Ironman. It was then that I realized there isn’t an external reward in this sport. It is all internal and the real value exists in the doing. Triathlon was such a huge part of my life for ten years and I was able to race four Ironmans, several half Ironmans and numerous short course events. Looking back, I now see how triathlon was a bridge to a whole new world. It has brought me to the sport of adventure racing and I am aware, confident, determined and ready for anything.
It took my co-ed racing partner, Mike Spiller, nine days to convince me to cross to the “dark side”. He had already ordered my race jersey before I said yes. Secretly, I had been waiting for the opportunity to present itself. I was hesitant only because I knew it would be something I would want to pursue on a more serious level than triathlon.
I need the ultimate in physical endurance to quench my thirst of harder core competitiveness. In sports, you have to have passion and commitment. It is important to remember that you should always stay true to your goals regardless of what others say. You must go confidently in the direction of your dreams and then anything is possible. Do you remember when you first discovered your sport? Nothing should get in the way of play – keep that at the center of your being and you’ll create more opportunities for yourself in all aspects of life.
I like expecting the unexpected; quite the opposite of triathlons. Adventure Racing is living through the most intense experiences possible while not getting lost, injured or left behind. When you race with the best guys you know, all that is possible. What I have found to be true so far is that the races are representative of many emotions and training variables. The opportunities present themselves and once you have your strategy set, you just go up and over until the finish line comes. If you’re lucky, you won’t see the actual finish line at all because this voyage has no finish line in sight.
I’m ready to exceed my known limits. I am an Adventure Racer.
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