I remember my first race like it was yesterday. The summer after my freshmen year in college, my teammate asked me to do the swim part of the Great Lakes Triathlon in Ann Arbor, MI, with her cycling and running friend. I swam the 1/2 mile, no wetsuit, water about 82 degrees, as fast as I could cause I could not see anything and was a little anxious about being in a large body of water. The following year I completed the 1/2 mile swim, 12 mile bike and 4.5 mile run solo.

It went something like this:

Swim: I wore a speedo, no wetsuit, exited the water with a good size lead.

Transition 1: I had a bath of water to rinse the sand off my feet. I pulled a large LaLa Palazzo cotton T shirt and cotton spandex over my swim suit. I sat down in a lawn chair to put my socks and running shoes on before I mounted my mountain bike.

Bike: I rode a $200 mountain bike that I commuted on campus with, wore my mom’s gigantic helmet. I got passed by someone every mile along the 12-mile course.

Transition 2 : I had my cloths and running shoes on, my bib number was pins to my T-shirt. Transition to the run was quick after I re-racked my bike.

Finish: first in my age group, age 19, 14th overall.
I was hooked, and spent the next month searching for a road bike. A friend advised me not to purchase the first road bike I demoed, which, to this day, is my advice to athletes getting into the sport of triathlon. My first road bike was a purple Miele steel frame.

Highlights 

• In 1995 I moved to CO to train under 300 days of sunshine
• In 1997 I completed my first Ironman in Kona, finishing 10th in my age group (20-24).
• In 2004 I won my first overall race at the Spring Chill Olympic Distance held at Boyd Lake, CO.
• In 2007 I applied for my my first sponsorship with PowerBar.
• In 2008 I won the overall Amateur title at the Kona Ironman World Championships
• In 2009 I road my first triathlon bike
• In 2010 I got on Team Timex
• 2011 My first Ultra Run Rabbit Run
• 2012 My first 100 mile trail run attempt
• 2013 My first 100 mile finish
• 2014 Qualified for Kona at the Inaugural Boulder Ironman
• 2015 Struggled with Anemia
• 2016 Moved to GA still mandated racing
• 2017 Ironman Cozumel
• 2018 Qualified for Kona at Ironman Texas
• 2019 Started training for Ultras Again
• 2020 COVID, still raced one triathlon at Tugaloo Start Park, all other events canceled
• 2021 Ran The Crewel Jewel 50 mile trail run and qualified for Kona at Ironman Florida
• 2022 Ran the Geagia Death Race and in training for Kona 2022

I have the greatest friend and family support to keep me going for another 30 plus years!