This is a story of a girl who in 1992 dreamed of doing a triathlon. Fear of the open water swim held her back. A few years later, with three marathons under her belt she thought to herself " if I can run 42.2 kms I must be able to brave 300m in Raby bay". So she signed herself up for a Sprint distance Tri. The swim experience proved more terrifying than imagined and fear reigned in her house of bravery for many moons. The dream was dead or so she thought...
Flash forward to September 2012. The girl, now technically a woman, awoke bleary eyed one Sunday morning (too many reds around the modfire the night before). As she lazed in bed with her ipad, peeping facebook friends, she found a friend who was just about to do Ironman 70.3 Muskoka. "What?!! she screamed. That is amazing!!!" Her foggy brain started googling Ironman 70.3. The idea was born! She was going to do a Half Ironman. She searched - some where too soon, some too far in the future. The goal needed to be immediate but still attainable, just. This woman needed a challenge, a positive focus, in her life. And then there she saw it! Ironman 70.3 Auckland on January 20th - the day before her Father's 69th birthday. PERFECT - that was her Ironman!
She grabbed it and ran. Her husband shook his head, her friends smiled and said "go girl" but no one ever questioned her ability to complete her goal. She even managed to inspire family and friends along the way. Her 7 year old son is in training for his first triathlon on March 10th.
She dreamed big, she trained hard and she will enter the water for a 6:42 am start on January 20th for Ironman 70.3 in Auckland New Zealand. She knows she will hyperventilate, she knows she will have panic attacks but she also knows that she has done her training, she is strong of mind and of body, and she will complete the 1.9km swim in the Auckland harbour. When she emerges from her swim and jumps on her bike to do a 90km bike ride, a distance she has never done before, she will work hard but try to relax and enjoy the scenery. When she trades her bike for her running shoes she will be tired and will have to dig deep to run 21.1km. She will be thinking of all of the support she has received from her husband, son, family and friends along the way. Those thoughts will carry her on weary legs to the finish line, where she will claim her prize - the ultimate satisfaction of a dream realized and a fear conquered.
Live streaming on www.ironman.com Think happy, strong & brave thoughts for number 324. If you see her, cheer her on she will appreciate your support. xo
