Saturday, November 28, 2009

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving was spent just the way it should be: amongst friends and family consuming far too many calories. Thanksgiving is my most favorite of holidays. I love the turkey and all the trimmings and the start of the holiday season. I love the smell of gravy and stuffing and dipping ham into cherry sauce and finishing off my already overstuffed self with fruit pies and pumpkin pies and pecan pies with dollops of whipping cream saturating the already sweet flavors. I even tried "cookie salad" this year. I don't know what it was, but anything with "cookie" in the title was sure to get my attention.

My grandparents came to visit as did other relatives from Utah, so the table was full.

Friday I spent nursing allergies and some very unwelcome blood blisters left over from my Ironman race (which was a small price to pay for one big accomplishment).

Saturday I headed to the mall and when I pulled into a very lucky parking spot, Wham's Last Christmas came on the radio. It is a pure sin to turn off this wonderful "Christmas carol" (if you consider George Michael's song a Christmas carol, which I do). So I sat in the car and listened and realized I felt very happy in that moment. It was one of the happiest moments I have ever had. I finished Ironman, I got my braces off, I am back to blonde, it is the start of the beautiful holiday season and my favorite time of year, and I have been eating delicious food for days straight. I don't know what it was about the song that made this moment so deliciously happy for me, but it is a happiness I haven't felt in a long time.

I have had a rough year in terms of some people leaving my life, some friendships came to an end, including a 9-year friendship, so this moment sitting in my car was something to savor and relish.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009






"Jennifer: You are an Ironman!"

These were the words I have been waiting to hear for years.

I did it! I set out to accomplish a very particular goal and I successfully crossed the finish line. Ironman: 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run--all in succession!

It was awesome! It was hard! It was an experience of a lifetime!

My feet are sore. My feet have blood blisters all over them. All my toe nails are black. My right calf is sore. I can barely walk. And it was all worth every step.

I am now an Ironman for the rest of my life, which is something no one can take from me.

At 8:58pm on Sunday, November 22nd, 2009, I became an Ironman, something few women achieve. In 13 hours and 58 minutes I reached my goal and celebrated down the finish chute.

I love triathlons! I love what my body is able to achieve with just a healthy dose of motivation and a lot of heart.