New Year, New Goals

Image by Johann Schwarz

Happy New Year to everyone! It’s been a few months since I last blogged. I have an exciting year planned already, and I am looking forward to sharing it with all of you!

I finished 2015 on a high note. I was able to get two out of three races in towards the end of the season (I got sick during the first triathlon, so I wasn’t able to participate). The last two races, however, were good for me. They weren’t PRs, but the goal is to have fun, and that’s what I did. Although last year didn’t end the way I had planned, I had to accept that things happen that are out of my control, and I can’t let that get me down. All I can do is train hard and do my best this year!

I have a couple races in which I want to participate this year. I have a 15K race coming up this month called the Hot Chocolate Run (not kidding!). They do a 5K and a 15K race, and one of the cool things about this race is what happens at the finish line. The 5K racers get a reusable finishers mug that contains hot chocolate, fudge, and some snacks to dip into the fudge. The 15K racers get a finishers medal that looks like a chocolate bar and the mug filled with goodies. Who wouldn’t run for chocolate?!

In May, I am participating in a training camp with my team to help me train for Texas Man X-50. It’s not quite a Half Ironman, but it follows the same idea. I would be doing a one-mile swim, a 40-mile bike ride, and a nine-mile run. Our team training camp is a three-day weekend event in Arkansas. There are some BIG hills to climb over. We do everything from swimming in the pool and the lake, as well as cycling and running. I did this training camp in 2014 for my Half Ironman. It’s definitely helpful!

I don’t have any races planned for June just going to be training. I will have a race in July, which is where I’ll be swimming my first 4K in Lake Lewisville. After that, in August, I have plans to be at an endurance training at an event called Hotter ‘N Hell in Wichita Falls, TX. I’ll be riding 100 miles and it will be very hot!

All of these races culminate to the biggest one I’m working towards this year: Ironman Maryland in Cambridge, MD on October 1st. My year-end goal is to complete my first Ironman, and do it in 16 Hours and 30 Minutes!

I was born with this disease Hypoparthyroidism, and the type I have is rare, but there are many of us that struggle with this disease day in and day out with various forms of this disease. We don’t even make 1% of the world’s population! I think it’s important that we bring more awareness to this disease that can be very debilitating. I have decided that while I am training for my Ironman that I would like to try and raise $5,000 for the Hypoparathyroidism Association. It would be even better if we could BEAT that and raise more! My goal for this triathlon season is to meet or beat that goal and bring more awareness for this disease! Help me pass the word on!

Keep your eye out for more updates on my training, and how you can support my goals by supporting the Hypoparathyroidism Association’s work. Talk to you all soon!