New Beginnings

I was trying to think of a name for this post and several came to mind... 'The Game is On', 'Let the Season Begin' and in honor of this weekend's Kentucky Derby, 'And I'm Off'... but since this year is probably the most special, I wanted to have a less tongue-in-cheek tone.  It is indeed the new beginning of the 2013 triathlon season but hardly the beginning of this campaign.  In fact, it is the beginning of the end of what started as a whimsical idea to race around the country in celebration of my life.  Clearly it has turned into something much bigger than that.
Even though the campaign is winding down, my 50 states are almost complete and I am likely to raise the $100,000 I aimed for, the work is far from over.  Although scientists are closer than ever, there is still NO method of early detection for ovarian cancer.  But you probably already know that.  My official campaign may end this year but the mission to tell women about signs and symptoms and early detection is endless and will continue.
With that said this weekend is Alabama, representing state #43.

Circus Act



Flying through the air with the greatest of ease.... well, that was me this morning.  And similar to this little girl in the photo, I have a bandage on my elbow.  Not quite sure what happened but somewhere about mile 3, I tripped on something and went flying into the air.  Took the brunt of it on my elbow which is ripped up, black and blue and swelling quite nicely, thank you.  Also abrasions on my hands and hip.  My running team quickly came to my aid, made me sit still and assess and once cleared by them, we resumed our run.  I can't help feeling humbled and annoyed by the whole thing.  Next week's event weighs heavy on my mind and this kind of thing just plays tricks with my head.  It could have been so much worse so for that, I am grateful.

 

An Afterthought

Great shoes, right?  I couldn't agree more.  I attended a professional conference this past weekend and the event peaked with a rockin' party on Saturday night.  Three hours of dancing in these babies and I could barely walk the next morning.  New blisters in places I usually don't get them... what on earth was I thinking?  Two weeks prior to my first race of the season!  So as an afterthought, perhaps I should have chosen different footwear or chosen to dance barefoot.  But then again, they looked so cute with my outfit and I had such a good time dancing in them.  What fun!!!  The blisters will heal in time. 

Survivor Sisters



What an amazing opportunity to be surrounded by survivorship and TEAL.  I was honored at the TEAL Brunch this past weekend.  If you've never heard of this organization, you should Google them.  Nothing short of incredible in the five years they've been in existence.  They've brought TEAL and ovarian cancer to NYC in a big way and have talent, spirit, energy and tenacity to bring it to the next level.  I was thrilled to be part of their first brunch event.  With a magically decorated room in TEAL, 360 in attendance, vendors, raffles and guest speakers, this day was a huge success!  Kudos to the board and volunteers for a first class event.
At one point all the survivors were asked to stand up.  Unfortunately there were not many of us.  As you know, not many survive OC but I was fortunate enough to be next to this dazzling woman.  Mother of Miss Staten Island (seated between us), this impromptu high-five was captured by photographer, Sonny Maxon.  Thanks Sonny for sharing this image with me.

A Pre-Season Tuneup

Call it a vacation, call it triathlon training camp or just call it a week at the beach.  I was out of touch for a full week and it felt great.  Traveling with my husband's family for my mother-in-laws 80th birthday, I spent a week in Long Boat Key on the west coast of Florida... heaven!
This might turn into an annual event as it was timed perfectly with my season.  With three weeks to go before my first event, I was able to get in double workouts each day, improving my fitness but more importantly, boosting my confidence.  This year's training has been sub-par due to work and life in general so the lift in confidence was mucho-appreciated.  I rented a bike from Ryder and rode with the folks from Village Bikes and swam with the Sharks at the Sarasota YMCA. Both provided the company and kick in the pants I needed and well, the running I was able to do on my own.
Back to reality now but with a solid base and ready for this year's season. Bring it!

Ride of a Lifetime

Heavy into logistics now and starting to confirm details.... The bike is always the most stressful part.  I contacted the bike shop in Alabama where I will race next month.  The shop manager had some good news and some bad news.  This is what he wrote:

We sold the Cervelo S5 we spoke of last time, and you'll now get to ride a 2013 S5 with Sram Red. It'll be a memorable bike leg for sure!

Not knowing anything about the bike he alluded to, I ran to the computer to check.  OMG!  What a sweet ride.  I probably won't do it justice but I will try like heck.  SOOOOOO excited (can you hear the squeal?).

In the meantime, I am off to Long Boat Key for a week for a family vacation and have been fortunate enough to connect with a local Masters swim club and a local cycling club.  Both are taking me under their wing and I've got some great workouts planned.   What a great season this is shaping up to be.  Back at 'ya after vacation.

I am excited to have been asked to speak at this upcoming event for TEAL (Tell Every Amazing Lady).  This is the first time TEAL has sponsored a brunch and rumor has it, registration is already over 300.  TEAL was started in 2009 by two sisters; one of whom had ovarian cancer.  Since its inception, over $287,000 has been raised for ovarian cancer research.  My introduction to TEAL was through their first annual 5K walk in Prospect Park.  I was instantly blown away by the crowd, energy and effort these ladies put in to make this event a success.  The walk has only gotten bigger and as far as I know, is the only walk in NYC dedicated to ovarian cancer.  Unfortunately one of the sisters for whom the foundation is named, Louisa, lost her battle with ovarian cancer but her sister, Pamela, has continued what they started.  It is a wonderful story with highs and lows and I am thrilled to be a small part of it.  Join us on April 14 if you can.