Here we are a little over a day away from Ironman Wisconsin 2011 and I wanted to post a quick note to tell the viewing public just how proud I am of The Triathlife's better half and all that she has accomplished this year.
On my run this morning I was reflecting back not only on this year but just how the heck we got to this place.
Anyone who knows us as a couple would naturally assume that it was me that blazed the endurance path we now happily walk down hand in hand. Well, you'd be wrong.
Way back in the early days of Jen and Jon, Jen had a client that sponsored a pro mountain bike team. Upon returning home from a road trip with the team, Jen announced that she wanted to start mountain biking - and we didn't even have bikes. A few days later the bike sponsor shipped a new red bike right to our door and boom - we were mtn bikers. Cross country, single track...we even raced and joined a club (and I learned that lycra spandex doesn't at all protect you from poison ivy - ah, good times indeed). And after our move to the Windy City in 2000 as we watched the marathon pass beneath our balcony, it was Jen that decided we too were going to join the Chicago running masses. And in 2002 we did. I do, however, take a little bit of credit for being the first to race a duathlon and then triathlon...but here we are in 2011 and it is Jen once again leading the way, this time to Ironman glory.
And she did it with gusto and quite honestly a lot of bravery and courage. I watched in amazement all summer as someone, who until this year hated to ride alone, spent a considerable amount of saddle time on her own. She confidently kicked sand in the eyes of early morning swim sets and ate 2 and 3 hour runs for breakfast...before breakfast.
She has done the work and done it on her terms. Which is to say, that she did her homework and knows her shit.
Good luck Jen. Its yours for the taking. Have at it.
Love, Him.
On my run this morning I was reflecting back not only on this year but just how the heck we got to this place.
Anyone who knows us as a couple would naturally assume that it was me that blazed the endurance path we now happily walk down hand in hand. Well, you'd be wrong.
Way back in the early days of Jen and Jon, Jen had a client that sponsored a pro mountain bike team. Upon returning home from a road trip with the team, Jen announced that she wanted to start mountain biking - and we didn't even have bikes. A few days later the bike sponsor shipped a new red bike right to our door and boom - we were mtn bikers. Cross country, single track...we even raced and joined a club (and I learned that lycra spandex doesn't at all protect you from poison ivy - ah, good times indeed). And after our move to the Windy City in 2000 as we watched the marathon pass beneath our balcony, it was Jen that decided we too were going to join the Chicago running masses. And in 2002 we did. I do, however, take a little bit of credit for being the first to race a duathlon and then triathlon...but here we are in 2011 and it is Jen once again leading the way, this time to Ironman glory.
And she did it with gusto and quite honestly a lot of bravery and courage. I watched in amazement all summer as someone, who until this year hated to ride alone, spent a considerable amount of saddle time on her own. She confidently kicked sand in the eyes of early morning swim sets and ate 2 and 3 hour runs for breakfast...before breakfast.
She has done the work and done it on her terms. Which is to say, that she did her homework and knows her shit.
Good luck Jen. Its yours for the taking. Have at it.
Love, Him.
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