Why I Started Running:
Well that’s easy… in middle school I was really competitive and was really bad at running long distance. I signed up for Cross Country and was nearly dead last all season. Then in the off-season I went to the high school practices uninvited and started running with them daily. I got a lot faster and enjoyed the thrill of 11:30 for 2-miles in my last race of the season. So much so that my older brother and I took to the Martian Marathon the next year and finished in a blistering time of 6:54.00. And then the racing stopped.
Fast forward 17 years: out of college and just completed my 3rd fundraiser bike ride (2nd century ride) and my friend asks if I want to do a metric century bike race with him one week later. He promised to stay with me the whole time. The thrill of racing albeit slowly was so fun that I kinda got hooked. As soon as he finished I signed up for my first sprint tri the next weekend. From there 2-Olympics.
As soon as I received word from my husband that his work offered to relocate us out of Alaska to the “real America” I knew my options for racing increased dramatically. So happy to have options!!!!
My Favorite Moments / Biggest Accomplishments:
My favorite moment in racing is seeing my husband at the finish line. He sacrifices so much so that I can train and even enjoys riding along on some of my long runs just to do circles around me. To this day I believe if it weren’t for him being an amazing person my parents would still have a hard time with my being gay. Now they prefer talking to him on the phone and in person they’ve now become huggers!!!
My goal in racing as is my goal in everything is to educate and help those around me. My passion is not in winning the race rather getting others to be healthier happier versions of themselves along my journey of doing the same. Inviting neighbors and friends and loved ones to join me for rides, runs, walks in the park….maybe even a swim at the pool. All while balancing the joys of training with the commitments of being the best husband and dad to our 4-legged children that I can be.