My fundraising total is now just over $5000!! That's amazing and such an honor!! I feel so blessed by all of you who have made this possible for me. I just can't even say 'Thank You' enough, but I will try...here's some of my newest 'Miles'
Mile #17: Matt and Paula Porrier, "Just Married Mile"
This mile was claimed by my cousin, Paula and her new husband Matt in honor of their newest status, 'Just Married'. Thank you for the support and I'm so happy to welcome Matt into our family, too!
Mile #49: Linda Gremillion Chandler
Thank you to my other Aunt Linda for claiming Mile #49! Linda is my dad's older sister and she lives in Wisconsin, so we don't get to see her nearly as much as we would like. Despite the distance though, she has always been an amazing support system for our family and is one of the first to show up in any time of need, or just to play with her grand nieces and nephews. She definately has a knack for finding the coolest Green Bay Packers trucks for my son, too - he still plays with the one she gave him several years ago! Thanks again Linda! We can't wait to see you again!!
Mile #99: Robin Mazeikas, In Memory of Her Father
My amazing mother in law donated again! Thank you, Robin!! This mile is in memory of her father who passed away in 1999.
Also, special thanks to Judy Vogel for Mile 61, thanks to Geoff and Heather Burke, Gary and Betty Ann Fillette, and Dad (again!)!
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Miles and Miles and Miles...Have Been Taken!!!
Here's some special thanks to my latest mile sponsors and donors:
Mile 16: Jill and Mark Pearsall, "Mile Sweet 16" - THANK YOU!!!
Mile 19: Mitch and Ann Young, In Honor of the Baranowski Family
Mile 91.5-91.75: Laurel Burrin - THANK YOU!!!
Mile 80: Dave and Lynell Harris. Lynell says this Mile is in honor of all 'her' girls birth year. Dave and Lynell's daughter, Christie is a wonderful friend of mine (see Mile #1). Lynell is her amazing mother who has gone out of her way and above and beyone to reach out and be a part of so many of Christie's friends' lives. She treats all like we're one of her own and we love her for it!! - THANK YOU!!!
Mile 113: Kristine Anthony's Mile for Sheri. Kristine is also doing IMTX with me and has already claimed Mile 111, "The Thin Blue Line Mile". She's also decided to claim Mile 113 for her friend Sheri who is a cancer survivor and an inspiration to all of Kristine's racing. - THANK YOU!!!
Also, special thanks to Julie Miller, Monique Grandinetti, James and Ula Knoepp, Peter Dawson, and Amy Henthorn!!!
Mile 16: Jill and Mark Pearsall, "Mile Sweet 16" - THANK YOU!!!
Mile 19: Mitch and Ann Young, In Honor of the Baranowski Family
Mile 91.5-91.75: Laurel Burrin - THANK YOU!!!
Mile 80: Dave and Lynell Harris. Lynell says this Mile is in honor of all 'her' girls birth year. Dave and Lynell's daughter, Christie is a wonderful friend of mine (see Mile #1). Lynell is her amazing mother who has gone out of her way and above and beyone to reach out and be a part of so many of Christie's friends' lives. She treats all like we're one of her own and we love her for it!! - THANK YOU!!!
Mile 113: Kristine Anthony's Mile for Sheri. Kristine is also doing IMTX with me and has already claimed Mile 111, "The Thin Blue Line Mile". She's also decided to claim Mile 113 for her friend Sheri who is a cancer survivor and an inspiration to all of Kristine's racing. - THANK YOU!!!
Also, special thanks to Julie Miller, Monique Grandinetti, James and Ula Knoepp, Peter Dawson, and Amy Henthorn!!!
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Two Weeks and Counting...
I have two weeks until Ironman - AGHHHH!!! (Breathing heavily into a paper bag)
Two weeks.
Two weeks?
Oh my gosh, TWO WEEKS!!!
Okay, let me stop focusing on that for a second and let me focus a little bit on what the last 16 weeks have been like. AMAZING, to say the least. HARD, hardest thing I've ever voluntarily put myself through. EMOTIONAL, hey I'm a girl...it's almost all emotional. A SACRIFICE, A JOY, AN EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME, A GIFT, A MOMENT IN MY LIFE I WILL NEVER FORGET!!! And that's just the training....
I can only hope May 19 can live up to half of what the training has made me out to be.
More than a certifiable Ironman, I hope, this training has made me so much stronger physically and mentally. It has made me more passionate than ever to do what it takes to change ovarian cancer. The training has made me disciplined and helped me figure out some things about myself I really needed to face. Yes I got all that from 16 weeks, 7 days a week (well, most of the time) of swimming, biking, and/or running. Let me tell you, the training for this event is NO JOKE either!
19 weeks of training has also given me the opportunity to see how lucky I am to have the people that I do in my life. This journey has shown me so many blessings, especially in the form of my friends, family, their friends and family, and even some complete strangers who I feel privelaged to join me in some special way on this trip.
This trip has also brought some amazing people into my life that I cannot thank God enough for. I have to say thank you to my coach, Karen, for just getting me through these weeks without the need for a straight jacket and a loony bin (which I thought I might need at some point).
Thank you God, for one of the most inspiring people I've ever met, Carol - an ovarian cancer survivor, 62 year old triathlete (who looks maybe 50!), and one of the most positive, upbeat, and encouraging people I have ever had the privelage to know.
Thank you God also for the random good lucks, congratulations, and words of encouragement along the way. The friends I've made, the bike shop who keeps me believing that my bike really is okay, the running store stocked with my favorite shoes and socks, the nutrition store who keeps my 'needs' in stock. Thank you God for towels...I never thought I'd need so many in my life!
Thank you God, too for my husband because without him this would not be possible. You gave me the most amazing supportive man in the world and I can't talk enough about how lucky I feel to have him on my side; or in the car bringing me new tires 30 miles in to a bike ride; or at home cooking dinner because I'm too tired to get off the floor; or standing by me as I decide to buy another article of clothing, compression socks, bike tires, water bottle, sports drink, or electronic monitoring device that you don't understand, but you know it will make me happy. I just love you, Kyle Mazeikas!
So with two weeks left, I'll leave you with a note from my coach:
"Like I’ve said before, you only get one “first” Ironman. It is a life changing experience indeed. Out on the course you may learn things about yourself that you never knew! You may come to grips with something from your past, figure out your future, you will overcome fears, and will discover the true joy of completing 140.6 miles all by yourself, but most important, you will become and IRONMAN!"
Cheers to that!!!
Two weeks.
Two weeks?
Oh my gosh, TWO WEEKS!!!
Okay, let me stop focusing on that for a second and let me focus a little bit on what the last 16 weeks have been like. AMAZING, to say the least. HARD, hardest thing I've ever voluntarily put myself through. EMOTIONAL, hey I'm a girl...it's almost all emotional. A SACRIFICE, A JOY, AN EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME, A GIFT, A MOMENT IN MY LIFE I WILL NEVER FORGET!!! And that's just the training....
I can only hope May 19 can live up to half of what the training has made me out to be.
More than a certifiable Ironman, I hope, this training has made me so much stronger physically and mentally. It has made me more passionate than ever to do what it takes to change ovarian cancer. The training has made me disciplined and helped me figure out some things about myself I really needed to face. Yes I got all that from 16 weeks, 7 days a week (well, most of the time) of swimming, biking, and/or running. Let me tell you, the training for this event is NO JOKE either!
19 weeks of training has also given me the opportunity to see how lucky I am to have the people that I do in my life. This journey has shown me so many blessings, especially in the form of my friends, family, their friends and family, and even some complete strangers who I feel privelaged to join me in some special way on this trip.
This trip has also brought some amazing people into my life that I cannot thank God enough for. I have to say thank you to my coach, Karen, for just getting me through these weeks without the need for a straight jacket and a loony bin (which I thought I might need at some point).
Thank you God, for one of the most inspiring people I've ever met, Carol - an ovarian cancer survivor, 62 year old triathlete (who looks maybe 50!), and one of the most positive, upbeat, and encouraging people I have ever had the privelage to know.
Thank you God also for the random good lucks, congratulations, and words of encouragement along the way. The friends I've made, the bike shop who keeps me believing that my bike really is okay, the running store stocked with my favorite shoes and socks, the nutrition store who keeps my 'needs' in stock. Thank you God for towels...I never thought I'd need so many in my life!
Thank you God, too for my husband because without him this would not be possible. You gave me the most amazing supportive man in the world and I can't talk enough about how lucky I feel to have him on my side; or in the car bringing me new tires 30 miles in to a bike ride; or at home cooking dinner because I'm too tired to get off the floor; or standing by me as I decide to buy another article of clothing, compression socks, bike tires, water bottle, sports drink, or electronic monitoring device that you don't understand, but you know it will make me happy. I just love you, Kyle Mazeikas!
So with two weeks left, I'll leave you with a note from my coach:
"Like I’ve said before, you only get one “first” Ironman. It is a life changing experience indeed. Out on the course you may learn things about yourself that you never knew! You may come to grips with something from your past, figure out your future, you will overcome fears, and will discover the true joy of completing 140.6 miles all by yourself, but most important, you will become and IRONMAN!"
Cheers to that!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)