Where it all began

I just submitted the following in my application to be a sponsored triathlete at raceathlete.com. I was so proud, I had to repost. I can't really imagine that I'll be selected. If I were picking the athletes, I'd probably go for the cancer survivor and the couch potato turned Ironman over myself, but what the hell...why not try!

After spending four years at college during which I was always on the go, settling into the working world was no small feat. Every day, I would go to work, sit at my desk and stare at my computer. I could feel my behind widening -- evolving to fit it's new use of permanent perch -- and my mental state began to deteriorate. Fortunately, I was living in Colorado at the time, so it wasn't long before I found a goal - a means to give myself that physical challenge I'd been starving for.

The Boulder Peak!

For someone who'd publicly sworn to loathe running for all eternity, this required some backpedaling, but earning the title of "triathlete" would be worth the temporary loss of face. So I bought my first road bike for $450, a pair of $80 running shoes and some really great sports bras and I began to train, one 5 minute running interval at a time.

Several months, one diagnosis of patellofemoral syndrome, and a much firmer, happier behind later - I climbed my way up Old Stage Rode and, eventually, across the finish line.

And that was all it took. The addiction had taken hold.

Since then, I've moved to New York City, joined a cycling club, an open water swimming group and volunteered to be a workout leader for the first NYC Danskin Team in Training. I've also done a 5.85 mile swim in the Hudson, several bike tours and, most proudly, completed the New York City Triathlon having shaved over 30 minutes off my Boulder Peak time.

And I still have that $450 bike.

I would love to have more resources (ie better equipment) to feed my addiction, but I know, either way, I'm going to stick with it. I've managed to balance a career in environmental non-profit work with tri training thus far. I know I'll continue to maintain that balance because I'm determined to do so, and when I'm determined, nothing is going to stop me.