A Big Thank You!!

The big day is just about here and want to take the time to say thank you to some very important people. This has been an exciting journey, but I couldn't have done with the help of so many wonderful people. 

First and foremost, I have to thank my North Texas Multisport friends.  You guys made me feel so welcome from day one.  I wouldn't have made it through my first triathlon, much less my first season, without you guys.  Thank you all for inspiring, teaching, and encouraging me. There is nothing I love more than training and racing with you. Each and every one of you mean so much to me. You are more than just training partners, you are my friends. I also have to thank Triple Threat Tough.  I've enjoyed training with and getting to know so many of  you over the last few months.  You guys are awesome.  I feel truly blessed to be part of such  an amazing triathlon community. I am so excited to be surrounded by so many of my NTM and TTT peeps this weekend.  You all have definitely helped keep me calm this weekend.

I want to give a special thank you to Jeneen Connolly.  Thank you for doing so much of my training with me.  You definitely made it easier to get up for 5:30 AM swim practice, and I certainly wouldn't have made it though, or had as much fun, on those epic 4+ hour training rides.  You are an amazing athlete and friend.  Not only do you have a positive attitude, but you're a kick ass bike mechanic. You definitely have made this whole experience even more incredible.  I cannot wait to train with you for your first half.

I have to thank Tommy and Kristen for teaching me how to swim.  I had no idea what I was doing in the water back in January when I attended to your swim clinic.  Thanks to all your coaching over the last few months, swimming is now my strength!  You guys are amazing!! Another swim coach  that I absolutely must thank is Carlos, my swim coach at Cooper during the first half of the season.  Thank you Carlos for not giving up on me.  There were so many days I just wanted to get out of the pool and never return, but you assured me that I would get it.  You believed in me even when I was hanging on to the ropes because I couldn't swim the entire length of the pool.

A big thank you goes out to Kyle and Aaron at Plano Cycle for taking such good care of me and my bike over the last few months.  Aaron, thanks again for getting my bike figured out and putting my race wheels on for me. You guys rock!!

Of course, I must thank my chiropractor, Ron Tribendis.  Dr. T, I'm not sure my body could have carried me this far without your help.  Thank you for undoing the damage this sport has done to me. I swear there is a bit of magic in your hands.  You've given me so much great advice, and you have been so supportive of me.  Thank you for everything!

My biggest thank you goes out to my coach, Tommy Johnson. I have LOVED working with  you. I could not have picked a better coach, and there is no way I would have made it to this point without you.  You not only put together a stellar training program for me, but you helped me to develop a solid race plan.  I would have been completely lost on my own.  You always seem to know just what I need, and just when I need it.  You have no idea how much I appreciate all that you  have done for me.  Because of your preparation, I feel completely ready to take on my first half Ironman.  I should have know that a fellow St. Landry Parish native would be just what I needed!  From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

"Sometimes winning has nothing to do with being first across the finish line." John Bingham