Beach 2 Battleship

It's amazing what can happen in a year!  Now that I am a year plus into my journey, it's becoming fun to look back and see how things have changed; it spurs me forward and keeps me going.   Last year this time, I was about a month into my weight loss program.  I had lost almost twenty pounds and was starting to feel a lot better. Even so, I was a little nervous then about volunteering for the Beach 2 Battleship Iron Man Triathalon, because it meant over three hours on my feet, something that I had not been able to do in a long, long time.  Last year I made it through my first triathalon volunteering, learned all about Heed versus water, managed to get myself covered in electrolyte gel and thus attracted the attention of nearby bees, and accomplished making it through those hours on my feet, though at the time it was very hard for me.

Fast forward a year to today when I headed out to volunteer again at the aid station for the Beach 2 Battleship Triathalon.   This year my table was at the top of the hill and I found myself with the job of making sure the cups stayed full of Heed and water and that we had an ample supply of electrolyte gel and pills.  Not only was I on my feet for over three hours, but I made countless trips up and down the hill with jugs of water, sleeves of cups, and several trips with a 5 gallon cooler full of Heed.  At one point I was heading up the hill with some water and Jeff jogged up next to me saying, "Let's run." So I ran because as I've said before, I do everything my trainers tell me to do.

It was inspirational to see all of those athletes who, if they were doing the full Iron Man, had swam two miles, biked over a hundred, and now were running a twenty-six mile marathon. There were people of all shapes and sizes, as well as all age ranges, including some senior citizens.  Just goes to show you that with determination, you can do anything. Whether it's completing an Iron Man or sticking with a diet and workout plan for over a year, if you keep plodding away, you can cross the finish line, and it feels amazing.

2011 Beach 2 Battleship with my friend Kim, sporting our pink for breast cancer awareness.

Me and my friend Heather, who is a champ and a fighter herself!