Closing Out the TRI Season

Patrick and I will race our last TRI for the 2014 season this Saturday.  The race closing out our season will be our home town triathlon, SRI TRI (Santa Rosa Island Triathlon).  This year has brought many challenges, victories, hardships, and conquests.  During this year we raced most weekends, 5Ks to Ironman.  We completed 10 triathlons before our Ironman- Super Sprints and 70.3s.  Through it all we laughed and cried, we pushed and pulled, we fell and got back up.  We did it all together.
When we signed up for Ironman I think I expected it to change my world on that one day with that one finish line cross.  This was not the case.  When I crossed that finish line I was proud, I was thankful, I was overwhelmed, but I was not profoundly changed.  Why?  Why was I not better, strong, faster, tougher for crossing that single line?  It took a few days to realize the answer to this, WHY.  The answer was not at the finish line, it was in the journey.  The finish line was simply the end of this stage.  Granted my heart leaps with a flurry of emotions recalling that moment, but it bounds with joy thinking about the last year's journey.

We had some amazing moments.

Pensacola Beach Half Marathon

Late in 2013 I broke my foot and admitted my foot was broken.  So I brought in the New Year with a boot!  I had to miss our first race of the new year, a half marathon, but I also had a great opportunity to volunteer during this event.  A great opportunity to stand out in the cold, sideways rain to cheer on my fellow athletes.  During my time I realized how much I LOVE all the volunteers at our races.  5K or endurance event these people are who keep us going.  I was glad to stand amongst them. 

We went sailing for the first time.  They let me steer the boat and yell commands. 

It was COLD!!!

We trained during an ice storm.  Yep, a Florida ice/snow storm.  This year brought some very cold weather.  we spent time spinning inside and time sipping tea and eating sugar cookies in bed.   I got to build a snowman.  He may have only been 8 inches tall but he was a snowman!

In February I was able to run the Double Bridge 15K.  This was my first run back without the boot.  what happened?  Back to the boot I went.  I learned running on a green healing fracture was not ideal for healing.  But I did get some cool new electronics and I was able to place first in my age group in a race walking in the boot!

In March, with no boot, Patrick and I finished the McGuire's 5K.  While I hate this race, too many people, this is the event that started it all.  Once we finished there we headed to Live Oak to run a marathon the next day.  It was the best marathon Patrick and I have ever completed.  He was able to run the full marathon and I made it to mile 22 before walking.  Both of us finished 2nd in our age groups.  This event also introduced us to a wonderful family who put on the race (and would lead us to travel again to race with them). This event showed that one family and a few friends can put on a great event with encouragement and smiles.

At the end of March we ran a half marathon and Patrick's sister, Jennifer, joined us.  I got the chance to run her first half marathon with her.  To see her push through mile after mile was inspiring.  I am sure I drove her insane that day, yelling let's run to this fence post or that street light, but she did it.  Of course she rolled her eyes at me when I suggested a marathon! It has been great this year having family live so close and be involved in our running and us involved in their running.  when we see that she ran today we stomp our feet and go out to run too!  Family Motivation!!!

In April my parents celebrated 38 years of marriage!  every year this reminds me that as Patrick and I go through ups and downs there is always forever to balance things back out.

This year it seemed we traveled a lot for races, including the opening TRI Season race, Red Hills Tri in Tallahassee.  This was a new race for us and our first of many races with more intense hills!!!  This was also the first race where I realized we were being noticed as "triathletes" by others.  It was a "wait when did this happen" type moment.

We traveled to Columbus, Georgia next.  We raced the first 70.3 of the year and then got up and found a random bike ride for a cause the next day.  This weekend taught me that athletes and bike shops are fabulous people and places.  We found Ride On Bikes, a local bike shop and race sponsor.  They fixed up my bike on day 2 so I could use my breaks!  The Chattahoochee Challenge also gave us a glimpse into loop racing on the run.  This side of the river, that side of the river, this side of the river, that side of the river.

It's just a 25K.

As May approached so did the rough Florida weather.  Storms on race day would lead to our first swim cancellation during a triathlon.  Looking back it was a learning moment, during it I was pissed, but now I look back knowing I learned how to adjust and go with the flow on race day (as much as my control freak type A personality will allow me to go with the flow). 
While this event's swim was canceled the Bridge Swims were not.  This year I finished the 25K swim 2nd overall and the 1st female.  I also shaved a few hours off from my time last year.  I had a great friend for kayak support and my loving husband as shore support.  The following day I raced the 3 mile swim and Patrick took on the 6 mile swim for the first time.  In the end both of us finished placing in all of our races for this weekend.  Also for those who don't know this is where my nickname "The Legend" was born.  Turns out another swimmer was talking to Patrick this morning on his side of the bridge about the girl who swam the 25K and was out there to swim again.  Upon realizing Patrick was married to "that girl" he said, "I've heard of her but never met her."  And so the Legend was born.  And for those of you still carrying on this nickname, THANKS (Said with an eye roll and smile.  It does make Patrick laugh, every time.)
For the first time in our local area we had a Ride in Silence.  This was a time where we saw what a positive and supportive community of cyclist reside in our area.  From road bikers to mountain bikers to Sunday riders all of us joined forces to bring attention to the need for 3 feet for cyclist.  

With June came the first time Patrick would beat me in a triathlon!!!  At Marineland Patrick held close to me on the swim (waves and sharks did not stop him), he then pushed hard to stay within minutes of me on the bike, and then he took his moment in the run as I stopped to pee!  And what does he say to me later, "I thought we were racing."  I love this man!!!  I guess at least he didn't go elbow out at the finish line!!!

June also brought our 11th wedding anniversary.  Patrick has put up with 11 years of being married to me (plus 10 years of knowing me)!!!  If the world is facing an apocalyptic meteor I would call him.  He is calm in the face of annoyance and up for anything!!!

We joined forces with our run club, Pea Ridge Run Club, to help at Ronald McDonald House.  A great group of people doing great things for the community.  While this group supports each other and every racer on the course they also take time to pull together to help the community and to bring a smile to those needing a little light in their life.  If you ever fear running/ walking in a group, maybe you think you run funny, or too slow, or you don't have the right gear, you should join this group, because to them you are accepted no matter what!  This group will lift you up, believe in you, and yell for you if you are first or last or somewhere in between.  They also know that running is about a lifestyle but is not your whole life.  This year we got opportunity after opportunity to get closer to members of this group and to learn what a great club we have the joy of having been accepted in to.  PEA RIDGE!!! 

This year we raced some Super Sprints too!  These were fun and a chance for us to work through transition processes.

Once summer was in full swing we started the "2014 Shark Wars" with a friend.  Bringing up shark stories and facts as we went out in to open water, a place she was not going!  Of course this led to us having to ease some nervous minds when we met on Sundays for our Mere Mortal practices.

We even went scuba diving.

On Sundays we participated in Mere Mortals as a part of Tri Gulf Coast. These Sundays were dear to us, allowing us to spend time around people who understood hours on a bike seat, the need for new shoes, the problems with sport bras.  This is again a fabulous area athletic group.  The group contains people of all levels- some who have never swam open water, some who have finished multiple Ironman events, and every thing in between.  These people were an undying support.  The laughs we shared while learning how to be better athletes was welcomed every Sunday.  I will be honest I was nervous a year ago joining this group but here in our second year I would say if you ever want to do a tri or even want to just get out and exercise this is the place to be.

Crash and Run!

Through out the year we went to some great musical events.  We made our way to the ATL for Aerosmith.  While there we convinced some friends to do a 5K while we did a tri.  This would also be the first tri where Patrick would take a fall during an event.  He cracked a rib, hurt his hand, but got back up and pressed on!!! AMAZING!
 
 Late in the year with a hurt rib and a hurt foot, Patrick fought through as Ironman approached. 

Then we shaved the cat. (Just thought you should know.)

Then Ironman happened.  2000 miles later Ironman happened.  Like I said it wasn't about the last 140ish miles ti was all about the journey.

So as we close out tri season, here's to another year on a great adventure; here's to our friends and family who support us through all the crazy; and here's to a love that can survive the adventure of life.