The Places You Can Go...

Oh the places my sports life has taken me over the years. I was just thinking about my career the other day and I realized at this point it is about 17+ years and counting since I started competing. It's been everything from running around a cross-country course in bun-huggers in high school, as we sometimes called them, competing as an athlete at Big Tens all over the country in college, to traveling all over the world doing triathlons after literally teaching my self to swim in 2005.

It hasn't been an easy road at times, but it's been more fun than I would have ever imagined. Oh the people I've met, the places I've gotten to go and the experiences I've had... I'm just so utterly grateful for each and every one of them.

From not sleeping for what seemed like weeks at a time in college (I had some sort of serious anxiety issues back then, and still sometimes now!), to now being a two time Ironman World Championship finisher. Life sure is a blessing!!

We found this guy pictured above on a beach while we were exploring and I named him "Brian" because he looked like a Brian to me!

Kyle and I hung out after the race and just had fun.. in this picture we had just woken up after napping under a tree on the beach.

I just couldn't think of anything else except for how even when races don't go the way we planned, it's just never a bad day to finish and Ironman.. standing and for a good cause like Ballou Skies.

These other pictures are just some of the other places my life has taken me.. including this fun picture that my Mom finally sent me of us doing a 10k when I visited her over Easter. She hadn't run competitively in years (no road races since back in the day!) and I said I would run the whole thing with her and low and behold the women is just as stubborn as I am :) She wanted to walk, but just wouldn't give in even though she really hadn't been running that far lately. I was so very proud of her!! I guess this competitive spirit may be somewhat nature AND nuture!!!

Lastly, I've been spending some great time with my girls, having fun and taking a break from sport lately. I almost had a completely different ending to this season.. but it ended up not working out.. so, I'm just dealing with some things in my own way.. and getting used to the idea that it really is over for 2011. It's taken some time to let it rest that way, but it is, and you know what.. I'm good :) Life is good :) and I am just beyond thankful for all the blessings of this year!!

How about you? What are you thankful for about 2011??