In My Wildest Dreams

*Last Week Ironman.com requested my "story" for qualifying for Kona at IMTx. Here it is...

Thanks for asking about my journey! I'm still pinching myself, not quite believing that I've achieved an accomplishment that was truly in my "wildest dreams" - and so close to "little incident" I had by getting KO'd by a car!

Three years ago I traveled to Kona with friends as they worked the Ford Ironman World Championships and we helped, spectated, and cheered local Austinites that were there competing. Every year prior to that and since then, for truly as long as I can remember, I would sit on my couch every December to watch my "super bowl", with TV blaring, family staring, I would watch, with a catch in my throat and tears in my eyes as "others" achieved their dreams in Kona. Their feats were amazing - those it took to get there and those that they were accomplishing there - and I knew that particular journey was pushing their personal limits to be more than they could ever imagine, physically, spiritually and mentally. I had done triathlons in the past, more to stay in shape than compete, and I understood and appreciated their endeavors.

When we returned from Kona in '08, I had the "bug". Its hard to explain to others that don't have it (yet;-) but I'd caught it. I am an athlete of many endeavors, I coach and I participate in many disciplines: competitive water skier, stand and paddle, rowing, wakeboarding, wakesurfing, wakeskating, mountain biking, court sports, etc. The list goes on. But there's nothing that could ever push me the way triathlon does. I believe that "push" is what helps all of us become more of who we were meant to be. My life motto is: Relentlessly Pursuing a Life Full of Purpose and Passion that is Bigger than Myself! Triathlon plays a big part of that.

So I got a little more serious about it. I created a schedule, a goal and coached my own plan - while coaching others (because I love seeing other people grow into themselves as well ;-). For two years I began "stepping up to the plate" participating in a couple 70.3's. Then I started studying my "Bucket List" and knew that I needed to experience a full IM in my lifetime. I signed up for and completed the inaugural St George IM. It was a great experience! But I knew I could do a little better.

IMTx opened up soon after that and I decided that as a born and raised Texan, if I was going to do another IM, this should be the one. I got the blessing of my husband and two boys (8&12) and signed up. Three months later, two weeks before my first 70.3 Worlds, I was hit by a car while training. My husband witnessed it from his typical "drafting" position and later that night as he walked out of ER with me, we were both humbled that I had walked away when so many others do not.

After three months of healing I began 3 months of training for IMTx. My perspective of the event had changed from not only "doing my best" but "experiencing" the day - enjoying the sensory aspects of it and taking it all in - just as I had applied to all parts of my life after the bike accident.

I had asked my husband to keep track of my time and placement during the event; if there was any chance that I was going to podium, to let me know so I could try to dig a little deeper and give it what I had - as a podium finish at a full IM was certainly a "dream" finish for me. I had gotten very bottlenecked in the swim and came out of the water about 20 minutes behind schedule. At this point, I knew I needed to deal with the hand I'd been dealt and now make the most of the bike and run. I had an exceptional bike for me and pulled myself up a great deal through the rankings. And with most IM experiences, now it was all about the run.

Well, as with all good relationships my husband was there cheering me on the entire way - but no word that I was "doing good". So I had settled in to doing my best and make all the hard training (that my coach Kelly Williamson had kicked my butt with) count. As she told me, dark times would come, and dark times would go....and they did come and go...but I kept moving through all of them. I found my toes curling under into club feet in the last 6 miles on the run - but onward, one foot in front of the other. "Don't stop moving" - and I didn't.

When I finished and found out I had placed it was bittersweet (and surprising since my husband never TOLD me I was doing well ;-) I had planned on enjoying our typical summer of skiing and surfing and stand and paddling in the Texas heat - not training for tri's. It was like someone moved the light at the end of the tunnel - and now I have farther to go to reach it. I am humbled, honored and thrilled to be participating in the running of the 2011 Ironman World Championships. I still cannot believe I will be participating in the event that has touched my core in life like no others. As a wife, mother, coach, athlete of many sports and friend to wonderful friends, there are many things in my life that take precedence over triathlon - but there are also many things in my life that are greatly enriched by the strength, perseverance, discipline and determination that triathlon has given me. In this capacity, I'm certain Kona, in all of its prestige, difficulty, tension and spirituality, won't let me down!