300 days until I turn 30!

I guess I better start working on a bucket list...

2 Minutes is better than No Minutes

Sometimes it is really hard to get to the gym…I know!  Sometimes I tell myself, ‘2 minutes is better than no minutes,’ and that is how I get to the gym.  99 times out of 100, I do more than 2 minutes.  However, there is the rare occasion I have to keep the workout very short.  I am a big believer in listening to your body…if your body is telling you to back off: BACK OFF!  BUT, sometimes it is our MIND telling us to back off, not our body.  In that case…KEEP GOING!

Rev3 Williamsburg Bike Check-Drop

There was a bit of a walk through some rough trail to get to transition with our bikes from where we parked.  Alan was worried we were going to puncture our tires, so he decided to carry our bikes!  The big one is Tina's bike...it is a tandem because she is a visually impaired athlete.  He also carried mine.  Yep...he is pretty awesome!

Bike MS: Ride the Riverside

 I had the opportunity to Ride the Riverside today with Team Strike Out MS.  I think it is an awesome organization, and supports a very important cause that is near and dear to my heart.  

One eventful thing happened on the ride...my bike cleat broke!  I could only use my right leg!  This is slightly ironic since most of the time it is my right side (including my leg) that doesn't always work right.  Thankfully I was able to finish what I set out to do...and ended up getting a medal as well!  I sure do love race bling. :)

UPDATE: Did I ever complete an Ironman?

I recently received 2 emails asking for an update on my triathlon training status!  They caught me a little off guard because I hadn’t updated this blog since spring of 2011!  I couldn’t even remember what my password was!  But here I am, updating it…hope to do a little more of that over the coming months.

The biggest question I get is:  Did you ever complete an Ironman?

The answer is a little complicated.  The easy answer is yes…in November 2011, I finished all 140.6 miles of an Ironman Triathlon.  However, I injured my ankle coming out of the swim portion, and it slowed down the rest of my day.  I’m not sure how much you know about Ironman, but for it to count, and be official, it must be completed in less than 17 hours.  Unfortunately, it took me a little over 20 hours…making me an unofficial ironman finisher.

I am currently training to do the same race again this November.  Hopefully it will turn out a little better!  The good news is I don't turn 30 until May of 2014 so there is still time to make it official!

One thing I will say about training for triathlon and suffering from fibromyalgia is that I feel a million times better when I am training!  Training helps me to sleep better, which helps me to feel better!  Training also helps my joints and muscles to stay moving!  If I take more than a day or two off, my body starts to really lock up…and hurt a lot worse than it does when I train. 

I can honestly say from personal experience, I know how hard it is to make that first step and start training!  Your body hurts, and it tells you that lying in bed will feel better…but your body is playing tricks on your mind.  The opposite is true!  The less your body moves, the worse it will feel!  So as hard as it may be to get out of bed some mornings, make it happen!

I HIGHLY recommend triathlon training to anyone with fibromyalgia.  It is great because of all the cross-training.  I think with fibromyalgia, it is important that we mix things up.  Some days will naturally be better than others…by training for triathlon; you can substitute a swim day for a run day if you are in more pain than normal.  But again…get to the gym, and get your body moving!  Especially on the days you are hurting really bad!

I really hope to be better at updating this thing…and hope other people with fibromyalgia will stumble across this blog and be motivated to start moving…and maybe even motivated enough to pursue triathlon!

I wanna see you be brave!

I am in LOVE with Sara Bareilles' new song - Brave!

"I wanna see you be brave!"

Here are the lyrics:

You can be amazing
You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug
You can be the outcast
Be the backlash of somebody's lack of love
Or you can start speaking up

Nothing's gonna hurt you the way the words to when they settle 'neath your skin
Kept on the inside and no sunlight
Sometimes a shadow wins
I wonder what would happen if

You say what you wanna say and let the words fall out
Honestly, I wanna see you be brave.
What you wanna say and let the words fall out
Honestly, I wanna see you be brave.
(I just wanna see you) x3

I wanna see you be brave!
(I Just wanna see you) x3
I wanna see you be brave!

Everybody's been there
Everybody's been stared down by the enemy
Fallen for the fear and don't start dissapearin'
Bow down to the mighty
Don't run
And stop holding your tongue

Maybe there's a way out of the cage where you live

Maybe one of these days you can let the light in
Show me how big your brave is

Say what you wanna say and let the words fall out
Honestly, I wanna see you be brave
What you wanna say and let the words fall out
Honestly, I wanna see you be brave.

Innocence, your history of silence won't do you any good
Didn't think it would
Let your words be anything but empty
Why don't you tell him the truth

Say what you wanna say and let the words fall out
Honestly, I wanna see you be brave
Say what you wanna say and let the words fall out
Honestly, I wanna see you be brave
(I Just wanna see you) x3

I wanna see you be brave!
(I Just wanna see you) x3
See you be brave
(I Just wanna see you) x3
(I Just wanna see you) x3

I actually RAN 2 miles today! (as small as this seems, it is huge)

On Saturday, I attempted to run a 5k. I signed up weeks ago with the intention of using it to qualify for the DC half marathon. However, I still had not figured out a solution to the pain my feet are causing me and was therefore forced to walk most of the race. My friend Chance came with me, and he did great!

I was starting to get really frustrated! Plus the last doctor I saw said I needed to have an MRI on both feet and ankles. But I would have to cut my grandmothers rings off. She put them on my hand right before she died…they didn’t fit, but she forced them on. They haven’t come off in the eight years since. I will eventually need to have them cut off, but I am not ready for that yet. So I decided to put having the MRI done off until after Christmas.

Anyway, long story short…today my personal trainer cancelled on me so I decided to head to the track for the TeamZ workout. The coach was a little annoyed that I hadn’t been to any of the track workouts. I told him it was because I am unable to run due to injuries on my feet. I showed him what the problem is. He asked why that was a problem when I run…anyway apparently my form was wrong. We tweaked it a little, and I ended up running 2 miles! It was a little uncomfortable, but it didn’t hurt! I think as I get used to it, it will all work out.

I am really excited about this! I hope to continue to build up my distance and continue training. Maybe even in January I will be able to sign up for another 5k…and maybe use it to qualify for the half marathon if registration isn’t filled up by then. Keeping my fingers crossed…

Extremely Thankful for the Challenges in Life...Why the Ironman?

SORRY...this should have been published November 16th, but for some reason I only had it saved as a draft.


It is the challenges we are able to overcome that bring about the greatest blessings.




Yesterday I was truly humbled, both physically and spiritually. I was in a lot of pain, more than usual. While I was attempting to run, my body wasn’t working. So I attempted to walk. That wasn’t working too well either. I started to cry…in the middle of a sidewalk in downtown Alexandria. “Why won’t my body do what I am trying to get it to do? Why can’t hard work and faith be enough to make this pass? Am I going to be ready to finish an Ironman triathlon come November 5, 2011? Why does it have to be this hard?”



So as I was having this breakdown, I was comforted by the spirit. I was prompted to get a Priesthood blessing. It made me think about the power of the priesthood. I questioned myself as to why I hadn’t asked for a blessing sooner?! I have the faith in the power of the priesthood. I know that ANYTHING is possible! My heavenly father has blessings he wants to pour out unto me…all I have to do is ask for them! I called my dear friend, Dawn. I asked if her fiancé, Michael, and another friend, Chance, could come over and give me a blessing.



After a very long and surprisingly emotional day, I was able to get the blessing. It was exactly what I needed to hear. I am thankful for the power of the priesthood. I am even more thankful to have friends that are worthy to hold the power that comes from God, and are able to bless me with it.



This is a short video that helped me get through my day:







The thoughts that really hit close to home were the following:



“In the hardest trials, as long as you have the power to pray, you can ask a loving God, ‘Please, let me serve this day.’ It doesn’t matter to me how few things I may be able to do, just let me know what I can do. I will obey this day. I know that I can, with thy help.”



“As hard as things seem today, they will be better in the next day if you choose to serve the Lord this day.”



The reason I want to be an Ironman is because I always want to challenge myself. I can’t think of a bigger challenge than the Ironman Triathlon. I want to serve and motivate other people suffering from fibromyalgia. Doctors recommend that people with fibromyalgia exercise, no matter how hard it may seem. By doing an Ironman triathlon, I hope to show those people that fibromyalgia may slow us down, but that we don’t have to let it stop us. Yes, some days are really hard! Yesterday was a really hard day for me! But today was a new day. It was a new day for me to prove that I am stronger than fibromyalgia.



I know we are NEVER given more than we can handle. In some ways, I am thankful for the challenges I get to overcome. They make me super strong! My challenges teach me different things. Yesterday, my challenges taught me humility. I needed to be humbled literally to my knees to see that I had too much pride…so much so that I didn’t think I needed the help that would come from asking for a priesthood blessing.



The rest of my thoughts can be summed up in a talk I was able to give in church last year. The topic was “Finding Joy in the Journey” and I was asked to focus on President Monson’s Spring 2009 Conference Talk. Just for the record…I love the journey called life. It is awesome, and even in those humbling moments, I know that I am here on earth for a reason, and there is a lot of work to do while I am here. 



Here’s some of the highlights from the talk I gave…




The Apostle Paul declared, “God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”


This is how we will be able to overcome anything and everything that comes our way. Will it remove our troubles? Of course not. But it will enable us to face our challenges, and as President Monson said, “we will meet them head on, and emerge victoriously.”



One of my favorite quotes from the Book of Mormon is from Jacob. Jacob talks about some hard stuff. He comments on it a few times saying I wish I didn’t have to say these things. But two of the most comforting scriptures come from Jacob. Jacob 3:2-3 says “But behold, I, Jacob, would speak unto you that are pure in heart. (That’s us….the one’s that make Jesus Christ the center of our lives) Look unto God with firmness of mind, and pray unto him with exceeding faith, and he will console you in your afflictions, and he will plead your cause, and send down justice upon those who seek your destruction.



O all ye that are pure in heart, lift up your heads and receive the pleasing word of God, and feast upon his love; for ye may, if your minds are firm, forever.” Jacob 3:2-3



There are so many stories in the scriptures about those who have overcome and persevered through the hard times. Look at Nephi, from first Nephi. As John Bytheway (he's awesome) once said…Nephi had what you would call a dysfunctional family. I mean his brothers tied him up, tried to kill him. Hello?! In yet, he knew his father was a prophet, and he obeyed. He lived by faith, not fear.



One day I was driving down a street in the Boston area, and I noticed the car in front of me doing quite a bit of swerving. Although it was only 3 o’clock in the afternoon, my initial reaction was that this person was driving under the influence of something and that I should notify the authorities. But, as I looked a little closer, I noticed he was trying to avoid some of the potholes and bumps along the road. He had a very small car that sat low on the ground. Occasionally he would miss, and his car would have to take on the pothole.

This is not something I immediately noticed, because although I was familiar with the rough pavement on the road, I had a mini-SUV and was less concerned about a little bump or bruise along the way.



Let’s face it the road in life can get a little bumpy.



I have noticed that some people handle the little bumps (challenges) along the road better than others. Since joining the church I can certainly attest that I feel I can handle the bumps much better than I ever would have been able to before converting. Again, when we make Jesus Christ the center of our lives, we can handle every bump and bruise along the way, all while standing steadfast, and holding firm to the iron rod.





I don’t know how many of you are interested in football…but I am hoping this story will touch your heart as much as it did mine. Sean McHugh. Him and his wife had just bought their first house, and were expecting their second child. He had just survived final cut day with the Detroit Lions, and was expecting to start at fullback and would play for the league minimum – of about $520,000 for his experience level.



Then he was summoned into the team president’s office. As you can imagine, this is not the dream of any player. He got cut, fired, laid off by Detroit. Just like that, Sean McHugh was deemed not good enough to play for the lowly Lions, who would go winless – the first 0-16 season in league history.

Getting fired hurt for more than economic reasons. Being a football player wasn’t just a job, it was an identity. This was humiliating, hurtful, and confusing.

“One of the hardest things you have to deal with [is] failing and feeling that you’re not good enough,” he said.

“I left all my stuff in my locker. I didn’t want any of that stuff any more. I got in the car and called my wife. She was as shocked as I was. I went home. I was mad and complained a little bit.”

One night a couple months later, he received a call: “Hey, the Steelers want to bring you in and check you out,” the agent said.

He went from getting cut from the Detroit Lions and thinking life was over, to playing in the Super Bowl. There’s never been a story like McHugh’s in the NFL because there’s never been a team as bad as the Lions this season. This wasn’t just worst to first, it’s worst-ever to first.

Him and his wife were able to handle the bumps and bruises that took them from Detroit to Pittsburgh. There were some severe bumps during that journey, but they made it. I hope that if I were ever put in a similar position, a position where I hit the lowest of low, I would have help from Jesus Christ. I have the gift of the Holy Ghost that will comfort me when I get a bump and bruise along the way. And I will be of good cheer.


Currently I am the only one in my family who is a member of the church. And when I first went through the temple I was sad. It was such a special and indescribably awesome experience, don’t get me wrong. But I was sad that I couldn’t share it with my parents. It is such a holy place, and there is so much peace that floods my heart while I am there. I don’t think it is possible to have a single doubt about the truthfulness of this gospel, or the love of Jesus Christ while I am in the temple.



I just couldn’t go an entire talk without mentioning missionary work. I know that there has been a big push for missionary work in our stake, and throughout the church. It seems to come up all the time. I once even heard somebody complain about it’s frequency. I don’t know about you, but I’d listen to lessons on missionary work every single week if it meant not having to hear one about marriage. But that’s just me.



But seriously, because of member missionary work my life has changed. I know now, how to be of good cheer. I once explained my life before the church vs. after joining the church as an oreo cookie. Let’s face it, those things are awesome. They are so good. The outside, then inside…it’s just a little taste of heaven. Well, before I joined the church I was happy. I was even more sarcastic than I am now, but I was happy. However, when I joined this church, it was like my oreo cookie being dipped in milk for the first time. I mean if you thought it was good before, it’s even better than you could have ever imagined when you dip it in milk.



We need to be sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with those around us. We can’t be afraid. I love D&C 68:6 “Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the son of the living God.”



The reason there is such a push for missionary work, is because it’s not happening enough. I can’t imagine a convert ever complaining about hearing another talk on missionary work. We know how important it is, and how life changing it can be. So please think about that next time it comes up in Sacrament meeting, or Priesthood/Relief Society….anywhere. We have reason to be happy, and have faith which helps us get through the tough times. We need to share that so that others may also be of good cheer and have that faith.

I am so thankful for this church. I am thankful for the knowledge that I have of Jesus Christ and his atoning sacrifice. I am thankful for my relationship with him. I am thankful for prophets, including President Thomas S. Monson, who is able to serve as a prophet, seer, and revelator.

I am thankful for the challenges in life I have been able to overcome. While I am not quite humble enough to be thankful for the challenges I am currently facing, I know I will be thankful for those as well. I know that as hard as life sometimes seems, and as low as it appears I am sometimes, there is a super bowl in my future.

Let’s work hard to not get busy trying to live the life we planned instead of the one that was meant for us. Because as soon as we get comfortable, chances are, during our journey on the road of life, we will hit a pothole.

I'm in! Ironman Florida 2011 here I come.

Last week, I succeeded in registering for IM Florida next year. These races fill up extremely fast! It was important for me to get into this race because it is one of the few Iron distance races in the United States that takes place on a Saturday.

I have also officially joined a Triathlon Team. I am still a member of the DC Tri Club, however I am now also a member of Team Z. I am really excited about the coaching that comes with Team Z.

I have booked my hotel (which is actually a 2 bed/2 bath condo located in a resort with a waterfront Gulf view) for race week. It looks amazing! I am really excited to stay at a resort…I have never had that luxury before.

That’s it. Training is getting really intense really fast. Also, I have 3 doctors appointments this week (with 3 different doctors). So hopefully one of them will be able to figure out what is wrong with my feet.

My 3 Goals for the week!

Sunday is a really good day for me to outline my goals for the week. I love using it as a day of reflection. I want to start using it to not only setting spiritual goals, and reflecting on those….but also other goals as well. Here are my top 3 Sunday goals for the week:


1. This week I want to spend more time studying my scriptures than I do watching TV. (A few months ago in church, we were given a survey. It asked us to estimate how many hours a week we do various activities. I don’t think I watch a lot of TV. Probably around 4-5 hours a week. However, I know that I don’t spend more than that studying my scriptures.) I always study my scriptures daily, but this week I want to put more effort and time into it.

2. I have a HUGE problem with wasting food. It is really sad. So this week, my goal is to eat all of the produce I bought yesterday before it goes bad. I spent $100 on grocery’s yesterday (85% of which is produce), so this is a big undertaking. Might need to have a dinner party at some point this week to make sure it gets eaten. 

3. I want to wake us when my alarm clock goes off. I am a snooze button gal. It is a really big problem. If I know I need to be out of bed by 4a, sometimes I will set my alarm for 3:15a just so I have enough time to actually get out of bed. But not this week…as soon as the alarm goes off, I am going to get out of bed!

That’s it. Those are my top 3 goals for the week!

Post-Race Report (Steelhead 70.3 Ironman Triathlon July 31, 2010)

I had posted this to facebook a while ago and just realized I hadn't posted it to my blog.  Sorry!


On race day, I woke up about 5 minutes before my alarm went off at 3am. It was perfect. I felt relaxed and calm. I got dressed and pulled everything together. My dad and I checked out of the hotel and headed for Jean Klock Park.



We arrived early enough that we didn’t have to worry about a long line catching the shuttle bus to the race site.



Around 5am is when the rain started. It actually started pouring! I had already set up my transition area, but luckily I covered my shoes and stuff with plastic bags so they would stay relatively dry while sitting there by my bike. I then went and sat in the pavilion with my dad so we could stay dry. By 5:30 there was an all out thunderstorm in action. I was starting to get super worried they were going to cancel the swim.



By 6:30am they were still saying the race was going to start on time and in the water. So I started getting ready. It took me about 10 minutes to get my wetsuit on half way. I sure do hate putting that thing on.



I wasn’t planning on walking the 1.2 miles down the beach until about 7, but upon my dad’s insistence we left at 6:45. I am SO glad we did! That walk took forever! It is hard walking in sand….with a wetsuit on! I made it to the starting line about 10 minutes before my wave started at 7:39. The walk in the sand really hurt my feet and tightened up my calves. So I tried stretching everything out (to the best of my ability with a wetsuit on).



The excitement at the starting line was really cool. There were a lot of nervous faces around me….hopefully they weren’t thinking that about me. I honestly didn’t feel nervous…I felt ready.

I tried to start in the middle of my wave. I know I am not a fast swimmer, but I am a strong swimmer, and compared to most triathletes….I am a super strong swimmer. Well that didn’t hold up this time…not only were they all strong swimmers, they were all super fast swimmers. I definitely got kicked and hit along the first 400 meters or so but then it started to clear out. The water gorgeous! I could see the bottom of the lake while I was swimming. The temp was perfect as well…at 76 you almost don’t even need a wetsuit.



I felt good the entire swim. My goal time was 50 minutes, and I finished in 51 so that is pretty good if you ask me. I was disappointed everyone else was so fast…but my time was exactly what I wanted so I can’t complain.



After the swim, we had to run about 200 meters up the beach (yes more sand running is great for the feet). They didn’t have anything to wash our feet off at the top so I was worried about sand. Luckily I was on the other end of the very long transition area so by the time I made it to my slot, most of the sand had shaken off.



Transition went well. Technically it was 7 minutes long, but that includes the run up the beach because the timing mat was there right when we got out of the water. So I think that is pretty good. My wetsuit came off without any problems. I removed the trash bags that were covering all of my stuff and threw them into my bag. At this point the sun was shining so I wasn’t worried about my stuff getting wet. I sat down to put my socks and bike shoes on. I know they say not to do this, but it is easier for me to just sit down really quick than to try to balance getting everything on.



The hardest part about transition was getting on my bike at the mounting line. All of the guys around me made it very difficult to start going. I took my time and let them pass before starting. I am really glad I did! One guy crashed while getting clipped in, and another lost his water bottle.



The first part of the bike leg was awesome! I was making great time. Some of the hills I had been worried about were not a problem for me. I felt really strong. Around mile 10, the pros started passing us on the other side of the road. So I enjoyed watching them for a couple of miles until we had to turn onto a different road.



A lot of the side roads had super rough pavement. Apparently the course has never looked this great, but looking at some of those back roads I find this really hard to believe. A lot of the other riders were awesome. Instead of saying “on your left” when passing me, they would say “great job Belinda” or something like that. Our name was on our race bib, so they all knew my name. It was very motivating. That being said, I just appreciated it when the other riders would call out something instead of just flying past. On some of those roads it was hard to hear them coming up on me so if they didn’t call it out, it would scare me as they flew past. I went off the road two times because of this….so please guys, call it out next time!



By the second half of the bike course my feet were really hurting. I was hoping all of the work the Physical Therapist did on my bike would have helped more. So unfortunately I did not make very good time the second half…which is supposed to be the easier part of the course. My feet felt like they were on fire, and my toes felt broken the entire time. Every pedal stroke was agonizing. But somehow…by strength beyond my own power…I was able to make it to the bike finish. I wasn’t sure I would be able to keep going, but with some very encouraging words from my father, I pushed along. I had a great transition, and set out for the 13.1 mile run (which was indefinitely going to be a walk). I had a little over 3 ½ hours to complete the half marathon so I was feeling confident that I would be a finisher by the cut off time.



The volunteers at all of the aid stations were amazing! The athletes on the other side of the course were awesome! They were on their way back while I was on my way out. I love it when the courses are set up like this. Several of them crossed the line to give me a high five along the way. That is one of the things I love most about the sport of triathlon….the camaraderie between everyone. You don’t find that in very many sports, but it is definitely there in this one.



My feet were hurting pretty bad at this point, but I had decided to keep going no matter what. I knew I was close to last, if not the last person. However, I also knew I was making good enough time to be within the cutoff times. I kept telling myself the last person is still the person that finishes before the person that quit during the race….and definitely ahead of the person that never even tried. I thought I was doing well. Unfortunately a couple of medics thought otherwise. According to them I was staggering. They pulled me from the course and wouldn’t let me finish. I like to think it is because they were truly worried about me, but at the end of the day, I can’t help but think they just wanted to go home and they had to hang around until the last person finished.



So clearly my day came to an end earlier than I had hoped. It was disappointing because I felt ready. I knew I had trained hard, and done everything I could to make it a great and successful day. I felt good after the race (that is everything but my feet). I wasn’t even sore the day after the race which is a further testament at how hard I have trained. If you train properly, race day shouldn’t totally wipe you out.



So here are some of my afterthoughts:



I know that I am going to finish an Ironman before I turn 30. I know that there will be bumps along the road, but those bumps are going to make the finish line that much sweeter as I cross it one day.



I know I am doing what my Heavenly Father wants me to be doing. He has a plan for me. I don’t know exactly what that plan is yet, but I know that for whatever reason, I needed to be humbled at this race. I needed to see what not finishing felt like….especially given the unique circumstances. It was out of my control. I am thankful to have had the strength to have made it the 65ish miles I did. Unfortunately I needed to make it 70.3 miles to be considered a finisher.



I am thankful for doctors. While I have been to 3 different doctors so far, I am confident that one day soon I will find one that knows why I have the problems with my feet and muscles that I have. I am also confident that one day there will be better treatment options for fibromyalgia.



I am extremely thankful for the support of my friends and family. I can’t not even begin to count the emails, text messages, phone calls, etc…from all of you. It helped motivate me in so many ways. I hope to one day be able to help encourage you on your endeavors.



As for the biggest question everyone keeps asking….when is my next attempt? I am not going to sign up for anything until I figure out what is going on with my feet. The last thing I want is to spend a bunch of money on registration fees and then find out I need surgery or something. I promise to keep you updated.

12 days to Steelhead!

When I first started this thing, I knew I would struggle in keeping it up to date. It appears my thoughts were prophetic because here I am 2 months later without a blog post. :)


I can’t believe my half-ironman is only 12 days away! I promise to give a full report of how it goes shortly after the race.

Until then, I should probably give a quick update on the last couple of months. This has turned out to be a rather difficult year. Once I recovered from my surgery, my dad was in and out of the hospital with respiratory issues. Turns out he had a blood clot in his lung at one point…but even now that his blood is thin, he still has difficulty on occasion. At the end of June, he was taken to the Emergency Room since he could not breathe. He stayed overnight. The next day, while my sister Lauren, and her fiancé, Brian, were on their way to see my dad in the hospital, they were in a serious motorcycle accident. They both have a long road to recovery ahead of them….but they will live! At the end of the day, that is all that really matters.

While I am not going to go into all of the details of all the various hospitalizations, I will take this time to express things I am truly grateful for:

• My family! We don’t always get along (actually most of the time we don’t), but in difficult times, we always manage to be there for each other. It is times like this that I am thankful to have such a big family.

• My faith in Jesus Christ! It is the hard times in life, when I am humbled to my knees, that I feel his love the most. Without that love, it would be very difficult to have a positive outlook on life during the bad/hard times.

• My mom and dad! I know I already said I am thankful for my family, but my parents are in a class of their own. I truly am the luckiest girl in the world.

• My Job. I have a job that I enjoy, and a paycheck that pays the bills. It doesn’t get any better than that.

• My dog. I have the craziest little dog, but I love her so much! She is a welcome distraction when life gets hard…she loves me no matter what!

• My health. Despite the few medical issues I have, they don’t stop me from doing the things that I love! I love triathlons! While it is frequently difficult to run, and sometimes it is even difficult to bike, I know that the bad days will be followed by amazing days in the near future. That gives me hope and makes the good days all the better.

• Sundays! With all of the different things going on with my family, it had been a while since I had been to my Ward at church. But I was able to go yesterday and it was fabulous! I did quite a bit of scripture study before hand, and even took a nap. Church isn’t until 3 in the afternoon, so I had a lot of time. :) I love that I don’t train on Sundays. It is a day of relaxation and spiritual fulfillment. While I like to think I am spiritually filled every day, there is definitely a difference on Sundays.

• IRONMAN TRIATHLON! Obviously I am training for an Ironman Triathlon. Having this goal has kept me focused. It drives me to work harder at the gym. It has forced me to figure out some of my medical issues. It gives me something to look forward to…I know that I am doing something with my life. I have a really big goal, and I am working incredibly hard at achieving it. How many people can say that?





 

Bike + Me + Pavement = My First Fall! :)

I have officially had my first fall! I know this sounds weird, but I am really excited about it. I feel like a real athlete now...or something like that. Everyone thought it was strange I hadn't fallen off my bike yet...especially now that I am using pedals that you have to clip in and out of.

I was trying to take a hill at too high of a gear. I began slowing down and eventually couldn't go anymore. I knew I was going to have to get off the bike before it started going backwards. I was able to unclip my left pedal...but unfortunately gravity pulled me to the right.

I must say though...they were right! Everyone will fall at some point when you use these kind of pedals. They were also mostly right about the only thing that will hurt is your ego. I definitely have a scraped up leg, and bruised thigh and shoulder...but I guess the biggest thing hurt was certainly my ego. We all need to be humbled from time to time. :)

The only other downside is that the fall messed up my timing. On my old bike I was very good at fixing the chain when it would come off. However, on the new bike I had never had to do that. So it took me quite a while to get it back on. So my 20 mile planned bike ride became 12. Oh well...still a great morning, and some great lessons were learned.

Lessons learned this morning on my bike:

• Keep your mouth closed when going at high speeds...keeps the bugs out.
• Wear sunglasses...even if it isn't sunny...again, keeps the bugs out.
• Downshift before you hit a hill...even if you think you can make it.
• If you begin to slow way down on a hill...get off your bike and walk it. If you try to keep going, make sure you can clip out before you start to roll backwards.
• Learn how to unclip from the right side first...just in case you fall on that side.