When I first read that swim practice would be at 5:30am, I thought it was a typo.  I’ll clear it up for those with similar concerns-it’s not a mistake.

Yesterday was my first swim practice.  I’ll admit was nervous-I haven’t swam since getting my life guard certification in ’02, and I wasn’t exactly looking forward to getting in a swim suit far sooner in the season than originally anticipated.  But as I entered the pool deck, I came to realize that it’s not the beach or a beauty pageant (thankfully I left my high heels at home) and I am not the only person concerned with whopping their lap partner in the nose with a loose stroke.  

After a brief introduction of terms, workouts and the upcoming swim season, the coaches and team captains successfully helped us complete our first workout.  Even though I felt awkward at times and swallowed more water than the average doctor would recommend as a daily requirement, I left feeling proud knowing that I will improve with each practice.

Any suggestions for ear plugs?

So, TNT's Fall Kickoff was this past Saturday and if you weren’t one of the 400+ participants there, you missed out. I have never been in a room at 9:00am on a rainy Saturday with so many enthusiastic (yet not annoying) people. Maybe it's because we knew we didn't have to work out that day, maybe it was having the TNT Founder-Bruce Cleland-share his story, maybe it was knowing that we were participating in sold-out events (Nation’s Tri, Marine Corps Marathon and Nike Women’s Marathon) or maybe it was the Marriott coffee.  Whatever it was, I left inspired and excited.   

This is my first posting, but hopefully I will have many adventures along the way to share.  I have been training since January, but I would have to say I had my first REAL adventure yesterday.  Jennifer Devlin, the PR rep for the Nation's Tri contacted me on Monday saying that Channel 9 wanted to do a story on the Nation's Tri.  I had submiited my story to Jennifer and she passed it on to Sara who decided to do a piece on me.  What a wild experience for a girl who has NEVER been an athlete and has come a long way on her journey to the Nation's Tri.  The story should air in the next couple of weeks.  It will be very exciting for me to have my story recorded.

I am a 36-year-old software developer by profession, mother of two boys that I adore, wife of the most AWESOME husband, MS sufferer for 12 years and stroke survivor.  In 2001, after my stroke I wasn't able to make words, read or type.  The doctor's discovered a hole in my heart that they think caused a blood clot to get to my brain while I was giving birth to my second son causing a stroke to occur 3 days later.  I had heart surgery to repair the hole.  The docs said I had to wait 6 weeks before any exercise especially since I wasn't exercising before the stroke.  It was 6-9 months before I was really able to resume a normal life.  I was nervous about getting my heart rate up, but I vowed that I would never spend another day being ungrateful or unhealthy.  Six weeks after the heart surgery, I began my journey to today.

I was diagnosed with MS when I was 24 and that battle is unlike the stroke recovery.  It's an everyday thing.  MS is a chronic disease.  It effects my nervous system and my brain.  The disease causes my immune system to go into "hyperdrive" and attack the healthy protein lining of my spinal cord and brain.  It causes me to have strange sensations (like pins and needles and electical pulses) in my skin, it effects my peripheral vision and color vision when I am stressed.  I am lucky that it has not progressed to the point of stopping me from moving.  But, it could someday.  I take daily injections to slow the progression of the disease and keep my immune system in check.  The medicine I'm on now has no real side effects other than irritating injection sites.  So, I have been very happy to be able to train with ease.

I have never done anything like the Nation's Triathlon before.  I have ridden in the MS Bike Ride last year and will this year again (in fact it's this weekend, 100 miles in two days, WOOHOO!!) and I've competed in two mini sprint tris last year.  I was totally hooked on the triathlons after that and can't wait to take on my biggest physical challenge yet.  I will not be in the race to be on the podium, but I will WIN.  If I cross the finish line, it will be a personal win.