OKONA INSPIRE

I’m probably the worst blogger on the web ha . . . last update was TOO long ago!!! Life has been a little upside down for me though, no excuse but it’s a lot to juggle a full time job, being a single mom, training for triathlons, finishing degree #2 and now studying for my PMP. Full plate would probably be an understatement but I love my life, where I am and am ever so thankful for the support I have

So here is to a quick catch up and more consistent posts

February: First race of the season – Augusta half marathon with three weeks of training!!! AWESOME right it was a great race and loved having the opportunity to run it with my dad – it was his first official 13.1! Best part of the race was when he passed me at mile 12.5, tapping me on the shoulder saying “keep it up” and finishing a min before me haha!!! I will NEVER live that one down, but in my defense my hip flexor acted up at mile 11 making for a painful last 2 miles to the finish. Regardless I still had a PR …

AND … I am VERY PROUD of my Dad!!!

The day after the race I flew out to Cali for the week for work to meet my soon to be new team with the new position I’m transitioning to end of May. I was in Newport Beach, stayed at a resort, ran along the ocean and got to do some exploring in between meetings and on my travel days . . . It was a great time but the trip home became quite the adventure . . . long story short – My flight was delayed in Newport which put me in San Francisco 30 min before my connecting flight . . . needless to say I missed my connection and had to sleep in the airport b/c the next available flight wasn’t until 7:45am the next day. That was a first and a VERY long night.  Took me 24hrs to get home from Cali – you would have thought I flew overseas ha!!! Life’s an adventure and never a dull moment when I travel!

March: Race #2 – Georgia Publix Marathon/Half Marathon and a great weekend trip to ATL . . . Race was on St. Patrick’s Day (main reason I wanted to run it and for the awesome medal ). I had a good race over all and I was one of very few who dressed up for the event. Helped me stand out and I had a blast with it. My 2hr monkey jumped on my back around mile 10 and sure enough, I hit the same wall I always hit at mile 10 and missed out on breaking 2hrs. Oh well . . . Pace was consistent and another PR :) evem from Feb’s race  . . .  I WILL get that monkey off my back soon enough!!! More travels after this race only this time it wasn’t warm and sunny Cali . . . instead cold and snowy Ohio!

April: I was planning on running the Palmetto Half Marathon with the TriAugusta crew but decided to drop this race. Between traveling every three weeks for work, my LCL acting up after Augusta half marathon and feeling fatigued; my body needed a rest. I knew if I raced I would push myself and I wanted to turn my focus to Rev3 Knoxville 70.3 that was coming up in May. No travels, no races

Speaking of Rev3 Knoxville . . . Perseverance is all I have to say about that!!! Really not sure how to describe that day . . . It was a physically and mentally tough day! An epic race and unforgettable Birthday (race day was my bday – Happy Birthday to me )

Rev3 Knoxville: leading up to the race I was feeling confident in my fitness and kicking off my tri season with a 70.3. The race however tested me beyond my limits.

Highlights: Water was 59 degrees race morning; it was 52 degrees out and pouring down rain. I was nervous about the swim b/c I freaked out at the practice swim with how cold the water was (I’ve never swam in water that cold … and a huge thank you to Chris, my teammate Elizabeth’s husband, for helping me through it). I owe my Rev3 teammates Kate and Laura for giving me a good laugh before the start of the race and getting “Call Me Maybe” stuck in my head haha (I will remember the words next time Laura)!!!

The Race: Rev3 Knoxville half was not only a day of physical endurance but mental toughness pushing through a very cold 1.2 mile swim, a wet/chilling 56 mile bike and a rainy 13.1 mile run. Weather conditions were not the best but it was still a FUN day. One Word: Perseverance!

~Hebrews 12:1~ …”and let us run with perseverance the race set before us”

The Swim took 45 min ; with the rain I had a hard time sighting and the water was freezing. I was a Popsicle coming out of the water. My feet were frozen which made for a painful walk to T1 – I started to cry at one point.

The Bike was a whole new experience. My legs were so cold, I had no power. I actually stopped at one point to make sure nothing was wrong with my bike. Not even 10 miles into the bike course I was struggling and wanted it to be over. I decided to embrace the hilly course and go for it on the descents. Fearless on the bike and knowing how to handle my bike, thanks to Crit racing/training, I trucked into aero position and flew down the hills. I figured if fate had it for me to not finish the race I would fall and it wouldn’t hurt b/c I was numb ha – not the best way to look at things but I wanted off the bike. As miserable as I was, I kept a positive attitude! A guy who I played leap frog with thanked me a little over half way through the course for lifting his spirits with my positive outlook on it. He said I kept him from quitting and was his new best Friend (which made my day) … SO if my blog gets passed around the web and Charlie reads this – I hope you had a strong finish and CONGRATS on enduring a tough day!!! Rock Star!! ! … At mile 42 I started a climb and all I have to say about that portion of the bike is – I cried. I had nothing left to climb that hill with. I couldn’t stand and my legs felt so heavy, I was frozen. Nutrition was off b/c I was soooo cold and numb I had a hard time getting my gels and remembering to drink. 3.5hrs later going into T2 I about crashed, I was shaking and numb – I had a hard time unclipping. Thankfully I didn’t fall though. In transition my hands were numb so taking off my helmet and putting my running shoes on was a struggle. I couldn’t think straight, I put back on my wet socks from the bike and almost put my helmet back on instead of my visor lol. Finally got it all together and started out for the run with a little encouragement from my Rev3 Teammates who were in Transition picking up their gear! Thanks Beason and Summer!!!

The Run was something else. The course started to flood (there was one part flooded on the run course where the water came up right above my knees coming back in from the course). The run felt more like an adventure race minus the fire and obstacles they have. I had fun with it, Momma Bear (Carole) caught me at mile 5 and saved my race with sugar due to the lack of nutrition I had on the bike, I was fading fast. Met a guy around mile 8 and stuck together until close to the end. We joked/talked, jumped around in the puddles and took it for what it was, having fun with it .

. . . Finishing strong 7hrs after the race began!!! 

Rev3 Knoxville was a struggle for me both mentally and physically . . . It wasn’t my best performance nor my strongest but it’s not how well you perform – it’s your attitude on the course. I stayed positive for those around me and to life my spirit. I had fun – I sang and danced in the rain and met some great people. I FINISHED strong and with a smile . . . That is ALL that counts

LOVE MY REV3 FAMILY/TEAM AND HAD A FABULOUS BDAY WEEKEND IN KNOX WTIH THEM!!! <3

Next race on the schedule is the Bolder Boulder 10k followed by Rev3 Williamsburg 70.3!!! In between – two weeks of traveling from Colorado to Ohio to Texas … let the adventures continue

On a side note . . . in one week my promotion finally kicks in and I start my new position!!! Excited and nervous about it but looking forward to a new chapter in my career!!!

Ta ta for now …

• Perseverance is commitment, hard work, patience, endurance.
• Perseverance is trying again and again.
• Perseverance is a positive attitude.

And with that . . .

The power of a positive attitude is simply amazing. It turns things around, gives hope, shows light and makes life simple. Hiccups happen, we all get them. They are annoying and not always easy to get rid of but they do eventually go away. Just like any obstacle we are faced with.

OneWord365 . . . Perseverance

A few nights ago I came across a site called OneWord365, It is an outside of the box way of taking on a new year. Not setting a resolution that will be a list of things you may or may not get to. One word that sums up who you are and how you want to live all year long; it is always easier to focus on one thing verses 5 or 6. The word I chose to sum me up is perseverance . . . 

In a Nut Shell:

Whether you’re new to my blog or have been following from the beginning . . . here are the pieces to my story and why I chose perseverance as my word:

Everyday Life:

I’m a single mom with a beautiful 9 yr old daughter who is my life, my guardian angel and my partner in crime, I work full time as a project manager, I go to school part time completing my second BA degree – 9 months until Graduation YAY . . . but then on to my Masters. I squeak by on a, work in progress, budget. I am a 3x cancer survivor and battle a nutritional roller coaster ride pushing through fatigue on a daily basis, especially after being diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2010. I’ve had my fair share of heart breaks, hurt and loss. I’ve battled with depression without realizing I was depressed until after the fact and have struggled with an eating disorder (not something many know). 

Athlete Life:

I grew up running, however in 2009 I was introduced to triathlons  and quickly became addicted to the sport. I race because I am a survivor proving to those who don’t believe it that anything is possible. The sport also became my outlet in my everyday life (my way of meditating I guess you could say); a way for me to step away from the stress, chaos and everything in between. Though my  Triathlon journey hasn’t been easy. . . I completed my first half ironman a day after my first round of chemo in 2009 and 8 months after completing treatments all together I did my first full ironman – 140.6 miles in 2010. To sum it all up over the last three years, I’ve completed 2 full Ironman races, 4 Half Ironmans, a handful of short course triathlons, 5 full marathons and a few half marathons. I’ve, for the first time in my triathlete career, placed in my AG (repeatedly) last year (2012) and qualified for USAT AG Nationals all while on treatments again (yes, I beat cancer twice in the last three years while racing)! I’ve overcome several injuries, one in which left me on crutches in 2011, 7 months out from my second full Ironman, having to learn how to walk and then run again. Impossible doesn’t exist in my books. 

… I know what it feels like to give up on something, it was my way of life for the longest time until my life was flipped upside down 9 years ago (when my daughter was born and I was first diagnosed with cancer) . . . With the help, love and support of my family and friends (who I am EXTREMELY BLESSED to have in my life) . . . I’ve learned to perseverance and not give up on my dreams/goals regardless of the hurdles put in front of me. I’ve learned that the obstacles are not the end of the road; they are simply hiccups that need a glass of water or possibly a moment of holding your breath to get rid of them.

I’ve been on my own with my daughter for the last 8 years and have had quite a few obstacles to overcome to get me to where I am today, not only as a person but as an athlete as well. I will continue to persevere; overcoming the hiccups life gives me . . .Having faith –> leaning, growing and training hard to be successful as an individual and to crush the goals I’ve set.

Perseverance is that positive attitude that can give you the silver lining in every situation.

“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” ~ Epictetus

Perseverance . . . is who I am and why it is my word for 2013.

What is your word?

“…And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” -Hebrews 12:1

Reflecting back on 2012, where do I begin?! I’m amazed at where I am today, going into another year with new goals to be met.

Looking back to where it all took off . . . Three years ago on New Year’s eve (2009), at 11:30pm I sat on the kitchen counter in a good friend of mines kitchen. I was on his laptop filling out a form for a race that would change my life. I signed up for my first full Ironman – Ironman Louisville. I hit the submit button right before the ball dropped bringing in the New Year – 2010 with a bang . .  . The catch to all this, I still had 3 days of treatments left. Yes, I was still on treatments from the relapse I had in August and I committed myself to a race that less than 1% of the population completes. Crazy?!? Maybe, but remember I did do my first half Ironman (Augusta 70.3) a day after my first round of Chemo that same year.

Cliff notes version stepping back in time for a min: I completed my first Full Ironman in 2010 – IMKY but it wasn’t easy. I did go back into remission after the New Year and was cleared to begin training for the race. Training took off but a few months into it got very rocky for me. Couldn’t figure it out until 6 weeks before the big day – I was diagnosed with Celiac disease. Another hiccup for me to overcome; and a whole new nutrition plan to come up with for race day. I was told by some there will always be other races, which is true but I was too invested in this goal and determined to cross that finish line. Giving up wasn’t an option for me, stubborn yes, but with reason . . . I took it for what it was and kept moving forward. I did something all athletes know NOT to do. I did something new on race day, at an Ironman at that, I came up with my plan for nutrition the day before my Ironman and it saved my race. On August 29^th 2010 I became an Ironman and finished all 140.6 miles under 15 hrs, after throwing up 7 times by mile 80 on the bike and pushing myself beyond my limits to have a negative split marathon, only to not remember crossing the finish line to the race that changed my life as an athlete, proving to myself – ANYTHING is possible. Since then, I completed my second full Iron distance race in 2011 – Rev3 Cedar Point …

The journey from New Year’s Eve 2009 to today (New Year ’s Eve 2012) has been amazing and sometimes leaves me speechless with all that I’ve accomplished in between.  I’ve taken chances, I’ve accomplished goals, I’ve grown stronger and have learned that with patience, trust, hard work & with God’s help anything is possible!

Jumping back to now and reflecting on another incredible year, 2012 became the year of opportunities and more accomplishments. I learned in 2010 there is no limit to your dreams or goals. If you work hard enough you will accomplish anything and that was proven again in 2012 especially with the opportunities that fell before me and goals I crossed off my list.

Opportunity at its finest:

•  Racing on the All3 Sports AG team and so grateful for it.
• Going to USAT AG Nationals after completing my first Olympic race to qualify.
• Running the Mother of all Mother relay’s – Hood to Coast.
• The chance to piece together my story with this blog and the things I overcame to be where I am today.
• To inspire others and one day make a difference.

Goals that set the stage to greatness:

• Placing in my AG for the first time and continuing to do it throughout the season.
• Qualifying for something big – AG Nationals
• Breaking 3hrs on the bike course in a Half Ironman - Augusta 70.3 I went 2:52 YAY!!!
• Taking an overall win for a race series - Tri the Parks

My Hard work paid off. The funny thing about all of the accomplishments this past year was going through another relapse. Yes, you read that correct – going into 2013 I’m a 3 time cancer survivor. Guess I need to do another Ironman to be 3 for 3

2012 it’s been fun … Had a lot of good times together, we had our ups and downs but we accomplished a lot of goals and grew stronger physically and emotionally! You were a year of opportunity …

Its time to bring on 2013 – a year of good health, stepping outside our comfort zone, testing your limits, taking on new challenges, new opportunities and new goals that will crushed! As a friend posted on Facebook, a year for breaking walls –> Feed Your Crazy!