How I Started Running:
My parents put me in sports as a kid and I loved riding my bike and running around with my friends. I only did sports until freshman year of high school, mostly soccer and basketball. I was never in track, or swimming, and I am not much of an athlete. Then in 2013 I was having heart problems and I was sent to a cardiologist who said, “You are obese and you should try to lose weight”. I took up running in October of 2013.
I ran my first 10K in April 2014, my first half marathon in May of 2014, and my first sprint triathlon in July of 2014. Training for my marathon in was a tough time. Losing so much weight so fast left me sad, and I really did not recognize the person in the mirror. I struggled to accept that I was out of control. I looked up all my training online (I can be a bit obsessive) and trained at least 95% of 2014 on my own. It was pretty obvious I was over training. I felt alone and isolated. I fainted/passed out after a long 20 mile run in the August heat here in Kansas. My face hit the stone hearth in our living room, resulting in a broken nose and chipping two teeth (subsequently earning me two root canals). I went by ambulance to the ER as it hurt to move my neck, and I was really dehydrated. Suffice to say I scared my family. Being too stubborn (read “dumb”) to quit what I started, I still ran my first marathon in October 2014 (and I was about 90 pounds than the previous October. I was having a great race until about mile 16 when my right leg felt like someone was stabbing me keeping me from doing much running for the rest of the race (looking back I think it was an IT band issue). I actually stopped on the course and was stretching on the ground trying to figure out what was wrong. I think runners have these weird moments where you are trying to figure out if you should stop and having no clear data (or often medical training) to figure it out. I was not sure what to do after my first marathon, so I started swimming (because I was so gassed in the 500 yard swim at my first triathlon, and I was not sure about running long distances after my IT band issue. The group I met up with to learn how to swim was a triathlon group. I did my first Olympic Triathlon in May of 2015 (Kansas City Triathlon) and my first 70.3 triathlon (Legend Endurance Ad Astra) in September of 2015.
I am an only child, and my mom passed away from a heart attack in January of 2005. I think fear got me in shape (fear of dying); however, the people I meet at races, online, and on their journey is what keeps me going (more about that below). I was working out with a tri club in 2016-2017 preparing for Ironman Lake Placid in July of 2017 when I met (online) Mr. Scott Riecke and the “ordinary marathoners”. I am a pretty quiet and introverted person, yet the interactions through social media opened my world to a group of ordinary (read “great”) people who were just trying to accomplish their goals. I instantly felt a connection with the other people who were training and supporting each other, no matter what races they were doing. Scott and I met at the Ironman village in July of 2017 (I recognized him because of the OM logo shirt he was wearing), and it was great seeing him on the Ironman course, this person who previously I only interacted with online. Ironman was an incredible and unbelievable experience; however, connecting to the ordinary people who take on their challenges is what is truly priceless to me.
Favorite Moments / Biggest Achievements:
My favorite moment is a difficult question. Please do not get me wrong, I love being an Ironman for the training and resiliency it took to do a full 140.6 mile race. I love wearing the gear, and I created a special Ironman tattoo which I proudly display on my right calf.
I should just wear a shirt that says “Ask me about my Ironman”.
My favorite moments are the people I meet on the race courses. I LOVE “slapping five” (high fives) and cheering on people. I don’t care if you are passing me or if I am passing you. I am just thrilled to be out there doing our “racing thing” together that day. I have made so many great friends through these events and the training. My biggest accomplishment is just getting an opportunity to be there when others are struggling OR obtaining a new personal best. It is a really special moment to see people strive to do their best on some of their best (and “not so best”) days.
I have done: 1 mile race, 4 mile races, several half marathons, 1 full marathon, a few virtual races, a few sprint triathlons, a few more Olympic triathlons, three 70.3 triathlons and one full Ironman (Ironman Lake Placid 2017).
Fun fact: I have never done a 5k race.
Future Goals:
I will be running the Prairie Fire Half Marathon (in Wichita, Kansas) on October 13, 2019.
Ordinary Marathon Spring of 202o!
I will probably have a few other tune up events because…. I am signed up to race the inaugural Ironman Tulsa on May 31, 2020