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Jan

Region:

N. California

Sport:

Triathlon

Age Group:

50-59

Description:

Mother, Grandmother, Public Works Manager

What surprised me about training:

How strong I am!

What gave me the most pride on race day:

My daughter was there to see me cross the finish line!

Most valuable lesson learned:

I love my coaches!

I've always been active, but then I got into an accident on my horse that left me in bed for 2 months with a serious hip injury. Inspired by my daughter's journey to do her first triathlon, I signed up with the Santa Rosa Jill B. Nimble team the following spring. I had gained a lot of weight, and lost a lot of strength and endurance… I had no idea what to expect.

After training with my team for over two months, I felt prepared for the June event. However, the last mile and a half brought me some surprises.

The weather on race day was perfect, with a little morning fog to keep it cool for us. I thought the swim would be difficult, but I just did one stroke at a time, and somehow, I made it! I didn't care about my nose plugs looking funny, I knew I made it and it felt great.

My steadfast but heavy bike wasn't easy to ride, but my coaches had helped me have the mental ability to get up those hills, and I did, surely and steadily.

I started out the final leg knowing that I would walk most of it, and as I walked, I was overwhelmed by everything I saw — women helping each other and encouraging each other. I thought back to my team and how our coaches guided our training journey together, and I was overcome by waves of emotion. About halfway through that last leg, I started feeling some aching in my hip, and I had to slow down to a walk. The biggest hill of the course was ahead of me. I just took one small step after another, but it felt as if time had stopped.

I began to hear a voice — a voice that had laughter in it, so that it sounded like a bell. I began to wonder if I would pass out. Then, as I looked up the unending path going uphill, I saw a face, the one that went with the coach who had helped get me here. As soon as I saw her smiling face, I knew I could make it.

I shouted, “I knew you’d come for me!” and we shared a big hug. The rest of the way back seemed very short, although time slowed down again, as I ran the last 100 yards. After topping the last hill, I saw the finish chute, and my teammates all lined up along the way. I ran all the way down and gave everyone of them a high five as I ran to the finish. It was the best feeling. I can't wait to do another team with my teammates again.

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