Together We Go Round and Round- Years and Years

In March 2008, Patrick started our journey from 5K to Ironman.  A journey we never thought would have such a path; a journey that really started in the Fall of 1994. 

The vest days.

This was when Patrick and I first met.  Neither of us was a runner, or a cyclist, or a swimmer; we were just kids- kids on a walk.  Yep, those were the days when Patrick was a walker!!!  
He would pass by my house causally walking his dog.  I would see him from the branches of the magnolia tree and jump down, run in the house, yell to my mother that I was going for a walk, and out the front door I would go.  Sometimes it was my dogs we would walk, sometimes his dogs, sometimes a combination, and sometimes none.  We walked miles around that neighborhood- never counting or tracking, not caring about speed, in any shoes that were near the door.  We walked and walked; we talked and talked. 

Second to last short hair cut!

This was the first time Patrick ever tried to hold my hand.
This was the first time he made me laugh. 
The was the first time our parents embarrassed us (calling out nicknames or driving backwards in the neighborhood). 
This was the first time I knew our journey would be longer than the miles we walked. 
We only had a brief time together to take these walks before Patrick moved away and we only saw each other when in neighboring towns.  But our steps taken together had already created a connection to something bigger than I would have been able to comprehend at that young age.  We each had our own lives and our own interest.  We grew to be better friends, supporting each other through the teenage years.  

In college we decided to give in to what it was that was bigger than us- we started back in our relationship (with more miles between us).  We became engaged still living 500 miles apart from each other- I guess it didn't seem like many miles since we had already walked as far in our youth building the path of this relationship.  In 2003, we became husband and wife.  While I am sure we walked some in those years it took time for us to realize that our path would come full circle to walking around the neighborhood together (granted now it is more like me chasing him around the neighborhood).  
As we are soon to celebrate 11 years of marriage and 20 years of knowing each other, it is exciting to look at our journey and a worn path.  

 While the journey to Ironman will challenge my body, my mind, and my soul; this journey will take me to the brink of breaking, but my heart will be protected and will be my strength through the last mile.  Because no race can take from me what Patrick and I have built together.  
Thank you, my love, for journeying through life with me (and for being willing to journey to Ironman with me).   

Yep, he deals with this kind of crazy every day.