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7 days to go

Three years is down to seven days. In those three years I have...

  • Finished five more 70.3 distance races (GR twice, Muskoka, Steelhead, and Muncie again), taking 1:45+ off my 70.3 PR)
  • Finished five more marathons (Indianapolis, Detroit, Monumental, Chicago, Carmel) and finally broken 5:30 at Carmel
  • Lost 40+ pounds
  • Completely changed my diet
  • Reduced and then stopped taking diabetes medicine while retaining a healthy A1C
I have worked with an incredible team who has been with me through the good, the bad, and the ugly. Matt has been the "head coach" planning the big framework and specifically bike and run workouts, Doug early and then Sean got my swim from ugly to somewhat respectable, Lindsay figured out race day nutrition in all the various iterations, Jackie figured out how to overhaul my diet, Chris got my head in the right place. Along the way Shannon and Mark worked with me to be stronger and move better. Kristine helped me stretch and chill. Brian, Chris, Ryan, and Joe helped fix me when I was broken. John fixed me with a lighter touch.

Trena and Tom helped make some big practice tris happen and have been constant cheerleaders. The RSG and Team15 and PBT and SFR teams have all been there through some important training. Jill, Jen, and Maria made sure I was safe for key long swims.

My former co-workers rode some of the emotional roller coaster and my new co-workers have been amazing through these last seven weeks.

David has done more gross laundry than he ever imagined, grocery shopped solo for things he's never heard of, cooked things he won't eat, cleaned up after me, traveled with me, and ridden more miles than he would have so that I had a partner for some of my rides. He also took the brunt of a bike crash last weekend.

But in the end, I am the one that made the decision to do this, to talk about it, to ask for help. I am the one that did the workouts and worked hard to get faster. I am the one who ran in rain, lightning, heat, cold, and wind. I am the one who rode hours on the bike trainer, or in the heat or wind. I am the one that spent Monday, Wednesday, and Friday swimming when it was cold, or hot, and moving around to where I could get swims in. I am the one that stopped eating wheat, corn, soy, most dairy, and sugar and started tracking everything I ate. I am the one that sought help and got back up when I fell. I am the one who mourned (with others) the untimely death of one of my friends and cheerleaders, I am the one that bounced back from a car accident, chafed arms (second degree burns), and a hard fall training for Carmel. I am the one that changed jobs during the peak of my training. 

I have done the work. I have done my homework. I am ready.

Now I just need to keep my head in the game for one more week and run what I have trained for. Thanks and blessings to all who have been there and who will be there.

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