IronMan with an IronHeart

Please click play below...only 2 mins and 50 secs

I finished my first IronMan triathlon (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run) in 14 hours, 32 minutes and 33 seconds!! Jumping into the water that morning with more than 2,500 other competitors, I took each mile one by one; just hoping to finish before the 17 hour race cut-off. More than 400 people dropped out of the race.  They trained for so long, just like me.  So, wow. I fought past the pain and crushed my goal of 16 hours, crossed that finish line with a smile on my face, and made everyone including myself proud.

Most importantly, I crossed that finish line with the support of my family, with the emblem of Team Grace on my jersey. Team Grace raised $14,399, and recieved $750 from the Janus Charity Challenge for our sixth place finish, for a total of $15,149. The money raised will fund medical research of heart defects, and will benefit the lives of children and adults born with heart defects around the world.  My sister Grace and I are very appreciative for your donations to The Children's Heart Foundation.

Thank you to my family and friends, and to my partner Kali, who stuck by my side when I was a social outcast training 20+ hours a week. Thank you to my sponsors who became dear friends throughout the journey, the crafty, kind, and brilliant owners of :

• Dirty Tease (Angi and Alis, your support was inspiring, your friendship lasting),
• Parkside Bicycle Boutique (Lance and Ben, thanks from the bottom of my heart),
• V02 Multisport (Rick and Jeff, you guys helped me cycle hard and I thank you dearly),
• 732 Social (Jayson, your mentorship and encouragement was invaluable),
• mperfect designs (Jason, you made Team Grace shine), and
• An.Automaton Designs (Samuel, my brother, you are the glue that holds it all together, I love you and your talents).

Thank you to the tons of you who believed in me and the mission of Team Grace enough to contribute.  And, thank you to my sister Grace, whom I will always look up to.  Grace, so you were born with a life-threatening heart defect, but after four surgeries in 16 years I see that your heart is a role model for my own; strong, resiliant, courageous, creative and compassionate.  Grace, you are my hero more than you know.

My hero: my sister Grace (emotions at the finish line)

PICTURES OF THE EVENT
(Click below, then on "Slideshow" top left. Album created by Kali, Sandra, and the imfamous Media Pass)

Worth a Tri

VIDEO
(This video was played at the Lousiville IronMan closing Awards Ceremony --they interviewed a few athletes before the event...I made the final cut!)

NEWS

(The Courier Journal, Louisville)