About

Me on my 41st birthday. I was a few weeks away from my 70.3 tri.

About Me

I love to run. It’s part of who I am. Over the years, I’ve run thousands of miles, many of which were for fun, many were chasing horses, cats, kids around, and many were also training for and then running races. I became a marathoner in January of 1999, which seems like a lifetime ago, and have now completed eight full marathons and eleven half marathons.  In 2015, I became an Ironman. The funny thing is that I haven’t tired of running, I continue to thirst for it. I just love it.

• I’ve been married to my best friend, Andy, for 15 years, and we now live in Wilmington, NC.
• I have a degree in Business Finance with a minor in Sociology. I wish I had a degree in Exercise Science. Or Veterinary Medicine.
• We have two boys, one in elementary and one in middle school.  They are VERY good boys, but they are, well, I’ll just say “spirited”.
• We have four annoying cats and one mangy dog, all rescues. No, I LOVE them, but one cat eats our iPod and computer cords, one cat drags our clothes all over the house when we leave, another cat drags the kids’ toys all over the house and thinks they’re her babies, the last cat bites me when he’s tired of being bored, and the dog won’t eat when she thinks you’re upset.
• I grew up in rural Iowa on 30 acres. It was a great way to grow up! I had horses until we moved to the “city” when I was in high school.
• I quit my corporate job as a mortgage underwriter when my son was five months old.   I’ve never regretted that decision.
• I started the blog because I like to write about running, going beyond running, and life in general. I don’t do it to make money, get free stuff, or any other reason beyond sharing my experiences.
• I LOVE the blogger community and have met some wonderful people through it.
• I don’t like the word panties, breasts, or the phrase “we’re working on it”.
• I have three tattoos and will get another one eventually.

Some Running & Triathlon Facts

• I don’t remember a time when running wasn’t in my life. I started racing a few years after college.
• I’ve run 8 marathons, 11 half marathons, and many 10k, 5k, and “other” distances.
• I ran* the Boston Marathon in April 2013.
• I never thought about doing a triathlon until I was in my upper 30’s. I resisted so many years because I wasn’t ever a swimmer. I mean, I could keep myself alive, but I couldn’t really go anywhere. I started swimming October 4th, 2013.
• My first triathlon was the Beach 2 Battleship 70.3 in October 2013.

Almost to the finish of my first tri, B2B 70.3.

• It’s hard for me to race without having a time goal, which is one reason why I decided to do a triathlon – just DO IT and relax about the time.
• My third triathlon was an Ironman. 11/7/15 Ironman Florida 13:09:30  It changed me in a good way.

Other Useless Factoids About Me

• I’m an “under the radar” rebel. I follow the rules, do what I need to do, but in certain areas, I’ll do exactly the opposite of what I’m supposed to do or what everyone else is doing.
• I met my husband by a very crazy chance in a bar. Yes, I met a good, decent guy in a bar.
• I hate reading manuals on things, especially for things I really need to read them for, like my camera, video program, and how to use my Garmin 910.
• I’m terrified to fly.
• I had an eating disorder for many years in late high school through college. It messed with my ability to see eating/myself in a “normal” way for a very long time. I have repaired my relationship with food/my body to where we get along quite well now. I thank God for that.
• 99% of the time when I type triathlon, it comes out triathlong. It’s not like I go around typing “thong” all the time so not sure why…

In January 2013, I ran the Houston Marathon in hopes of qualifying for the Boston Marathon. Read the recap HERE.  To make a long story short, I found out about 15 minutes after I was done that I had, in fact, fulfilled the dream of a BQ. The day was amazing and I will never EVER forget it.  Fast forward to September 2013…. Nine months after I actually qualified, I was able to register for Boston. That was an amazing moment. It was also ten days of high anxiety waiting to see if I would actually get in. Then I got THE email. Read THAT story HERE.  I was in. I made it!!!! I actually get to run the 2014 Boston Marathon. Amazing.

*See above story and Boston Marathon Race Recap linked above.