First TRI & Being 18

We are more than half way done with our Tri training and things have intensified to say the least. This past Sunday we completed our first official Tri event - King Tut Sprint Triathlon.

For those unfamiliar with Triathlon distances:

Sprint: 750 meter (.47 mile) swim, 12 mile bike and 3.1 mile run (the swim can actually range from 400-750 for some sprint events)

Olympic: 1500 meters (.93 mile) swim, 25 mile bike and 6.2 mile run

Half Ironman: 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run

Ironman: 2.4 mile swim, 110 mile bike, 26.2 mile run

Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate with us and our event was shortened due to the rainstorm. So instead of the above sprint distance we did 300 meter swim, 6 mile bike and 2 mile run. Our team crossed the finish line right and about 15 minutes later the downpour came. It was still an awesome experience and it makes me even more excited for our Olympic event in Austin. Granted swimming 1500 meters in open water still concerns me a bit but I'll get there. At least I have no fear of the lake zombies anymore : )

The photos above are before the start ready to swim and Sharee, Karen and I at the end of the race. A quick note as you might have noticed Will not in his wetsuit...he was hit with a virus late last week and unable to eat for 2 days. It wasn't wise for him to compete like that, so he cheered on the sidelines with Coach Kelly. But don't you worry we are going to do another Sprint event in two weeks together!

Changing subject.

Most of the folks reading this blog are probably 30+ I'd have to guess. So I have a question...do you remember being 18? I do! I remember being so excited to BEGIN. MY. LIFE. Not the life that someone else intended me to have but MY. LIFE. And I have to say that the years between 18-25 really defined me as a person. That doesn't mean I didn't make mistakes but that was my time to enjoy being young and carefree with fewer responsibilities than those you have later in life. Granted you usually don't see this until you are older : )

Allie turned 18 about two weeks ago. We celebrated by having dinner and opening presents...the traditional birthday celebration, but we were all together as a family and that was special. I really enjoy being with her and Andrew (her younger brother) mainly because they are such awesome kids with good hearts but also it continues to show me what is in store for me as a mother as my kids get older. And all things I have to look forward too. This past week she had her annual visit with her pediatric oncologist. She still goes once a year to see him and thankfully she continue to get an AWESOME bill of good health! God is good. Life is good.

Another 18 year old teen whose Aunt (Tammy) I am friend's with...has a bit of a different story today and I ask for your help in sending prayers her way. Alanna was recently diagnosed with Lymphoma and TODAY marks her first chemo treatment.

My final thought on "18"...a fellow Tri teammate Robert was also on the same Tahoe cycle team with me back in 2000. Furthermore he ran his marathon with TNT in 2010 (same as me but a different race) and therefore we will Triple Crown together after our Tri event in Austin! I don't know what to say about that except sometimes parts of your life come full circle. On Allie's birthday I donated $18 to him in her honor. In his thank you note, he shared something new with me...the number 18 means "chai" or life in the Jewish religion. It almost took my breath away when I read that because that $18 donation was exactly a celebration of life!

So if you ask why I do this...why I continue to ask you for donations, sign up for more events, wake up at 4:45 several mornings a week...its because no child should know what it feels like to get chemo AND every child should have a life filled with many many celebrations!

"The more your praise and celebrate your life...

the more there is in life to celebrate!"

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