I'm All In! Ironman 2012

I'm all in!  Ironman 2012 is just over one year away and I have made the commitment, mentally, and soon physically as well.  I've come a long way over the last two years and want to prove to myself that I have it in me to keep pushing myself to achieve great things.  I have it in me to do more than I ever dreamed possible.  I have it in me to succeed at one of the greatest endurance events out there, Ironman!  I've been in awe reading fellow athletes stories about training for and competing in this event.  I've admired from afar the ability of these athletes than quite honestly I never dreamed I could ever achieve.  I was wrong and have learned a lot over the last couple of years.  Not only do I have this dream, I WILL achieve this dream!  I will compete in the Florida Ironman in Panama City November 3, 2012 and I will FINISH!

Wow.  I've said it.  Again. Outloud.  In a public way.  It's not the first time but as I am approaching the true start to this journey, it is becoming more real.  I leave in a few days for this year's Florida IM event.  I will be watching in awe the athletes that will be reaping the reward from all the hard training they have put in over the past months.  I have volunteered to work and will be handing out finishing medals from 9 pm until midnight. The excitement is building as this coming weekend approaches.  I will have the honor of handing medals out to athletes who will be like me.... the end of the pack.  There will be stories and tears and such JOY that will be felt.  I am honored and proud to have the chance to be a part of it.  I can't wait.

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share in this new journey with my new friend Jennifer.  She will also be competing in her first Ironman.  So together, we will be sharing this experience.  We will train together and apart.  We will both be blogging our ups and our downs.  We will have each other to pick up when the training gets tough.  We will laugh, we will probably cry and I can only imagine whine a little along the way.  But no matter what, we will have each other to drag through to the bitter end, until it is ourselves that we are bringing over that finish line on the beautiful evening of November 3rd, 2012!