Wow, the day is fast approaching, and to be honest there have been days in this process that I felt like it would never get here. There have been so many struggles, but many many more successes. Through the pain, the blood, the sweat, and joy; I have come out so much stronger than when I started. In 14 days, I will complete one of the first goals I set on this journey. I knew at around 480 lbs, that one day I would do an Ironman, and that in order to do that, I would have to first do many triathlons. In January, I could barely run without pain, I couldn’t sit on a bike for more than 4 miles without extreme pain, and I couldn’t swim. 2 years ago, when I had lost enough weight to no longer float, I became terrified to go above my waist in the water. I had never been able to put my head in the water without plugging my nose. In fact, I often tell people I was more of a nose plugger/doggy paddler swimmer. These days, after more than one mini panic attack, I can swim with my head in the water, in full swimmers form. I cannot even begin to express everything I have learned and experienced. I cannot describe everything I overcame, or every thing that I thought would set me back for good. Through all of these things, I had one goal in mind, and it was making it to the goal that is now 2 weeks away. I cannot wait to be in that moment, and experiencing it with the love of my life. Jeremy will be swimming at my side while he films it all. He will be riding on that bike, and running right alongside as we complete this first of many triathlons. I highly suspect, that we will shed some tears together, as we cross that finish line. Not only will we be completing it together, but we will be doing it in the city that changed our lives forever. Coming to Coeur d’Alene, was one of the catalyst’s that helped me have the courage to walk into the door of Weight Watchers for the first time, and that of course changed my life forever, and in fact the life of my entire family.
So 14 days away, from a major goal of mine, I decided to get out the door early to head to Weight Watchers, as I do every Saturday. Only this Saturday, I donned my running clothing, and ran there for the first time ever. As I ran, I thought about everything I have learned and where I started. I ran and walked it, as with my leg injury, that’s how I roll these days. (More on that injury in another post *G*) I slowed, as I reached the place where I took my first steps on this journey. I was somewhere in the 480’s, as back in those days with WW’s, they recommended that you wait till week 3 to become active, so you could focus on your diet. On that Saturday in July 2004, I stepped out the door with my husband, and 3 year old daughter, weighing 498 
lbs. It’s a story that I have told more than once, but I will tell it again. I walked rather slow in those days, as you can imagine, and running I was not. I had severe back pain, and two very large fat rolls on my back, that rubbed together and made it impossible to stand up straight, as well as causing me extreme pain. I also had a hip flexor that popped in and out as I walked, an injury that I have mostly overcome at this point. Though today I am for sure feeling it after the week I put in. *G* Anyway, on that first walk it took me just about 45 minutes to walk a block and back, and this was not a large block by any means. With tears streaming down my face, I stopped frequently to catch my breath, and fight the pain. My husband and daughter watched helplessly, and did their best to encourage me. I am not sure if it was that moment that planted the seed to do triathalons, but it was near that time that I decided that I would one day do a Ironman, starting with a triathalon.
Here I am many hundreds of pounds lighter and indescribly healthier. In 14 days my daughter, husband, and son will encourage me and be there while I complete this. They may even watch me fight through the pain and struggle to catch my breath, but this moment will be very different from that moment at 498 lbs. Today, as I ran I thought about the coming race and everything I have just written. I stopped to take a selfie, in the exact spot that I 
stepped out onto the blacktop to take those first steps, to the race I will soon be completing. It was a poignant moment for me, and I may have shed a few tears as I RAN away from that spot. Not walked but ran, and headed to WW’s to hopefully encourage others to make changes, that could one day lead to moments like these. To top off a great run, my amazing husband joined me at WW’s today. He has been asking for months and months if he could join WW’s. Not only so he could lose the last of his own weight but also so that he could encourag,e and be a part of something that’s important to me in another way. It was so cool to have him there laughing along with me and encouraging others as he does with me. What a great start to my 14 day countdown to the CDA Triathlon. Can’t wait!!!