WE DID IT!!!!!

YAY!!!!!!!!!! Whoo-hooo!!

(More pictures to follow...)

Snake in the Lake CAKE!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BARBARA!!!!!

Cake creation by Ms. Patti Sosa

THE HILL

….AND I KNOW I AM MADE FOR MORE.
AND BY BECOMING MORE, I AM CHALLENGED TO CHOOSE SUFFERING,
TO ENDURE PAIN, TO BEAR HARDSHIP…

AT FIRST, THE GENTLE SWELL…
BUT GRADUALLY THE HILL DEMANDS MORE AND MORE.
I HAVE REACHED THE END OF MY PHYSIOLOGY,
THE END OF WHAT IS POSSIBLE,
AND NOW IT IS BEYOND WHAT I CAN STAND.
THE TEMPTATION IS TO SAY “ENOUGH.”
THIS MUCH IS ENOUGH,
BUT I WILL NOT GIVE IN.

I AM FIGHTING GOD.
FIGHTING THE LIMITATIONS HE GAVE ME.
FIGHTING THE PAIN.
FIGHTING THE UNFAIRNESS.
FIGHTING ALL THE EVIL IN ME AND THE WORLD.
AND I WILL NOT GIVE IN.
I WILL CONQUER THE HILL
AND I WILL CONQUER IT ALONE.

7 days and counting...

Trial run through 7/11 at Smithville Lake

We're ONE WEEK away!!!

Lookin' Good

We survived! Saturday was tough but we made it through - even running during the hottest part of the day. But speaking of HOT, Leslie introduced us to a new website - skirtsports.com. Not only do they actually have cute gear for all kinds of sports but the company CEO is an elite triathlete.


We are all fangirls - in fact I just order a tri top today! Because, as Leslie says even if we pass out on the finish line, we will look cute doing it.

It’s just putting it all together…

As I chatted with Leslie last night on our plans for the Smithville run through on Saturday (Paradise Point, Sailboat Cove at 9am ladies) we were cracking up discussing our “readiness”. Les and I mention that we are doing reasonably well with our training – i.e. running one day, biking another, etc… however it’s just the small detail of PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER!

As we are now about three weeks out (see countdown below) the nerves are starting to set in. She and I both have adopted an attitude of “what’s the worst that could happen? So we walk.” I don’t know if this is defeatist, but for now it sounds like a good enough mental strategy to keep me going.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed that we all feel super energized and ready to go after tomorrow. Maybe the sight of Matt in the rowboat will be enough to get us through!!

Barb's new (used) bike !!

No Pain, No Gain

Burning, searing, mind-numbing pain- No, I'm not talking about the bike, or the swim or even the run...I'm referring to the deep tissue massage I had this morning. Although I knew full well what I was getting myself into before we started, I was still caught off guard by just how deep and painful releasing my toxins would be. I sit here in my office woozy and on some sort of strange body high, chugging water and already feeling my muscles ache from the deep pressure.

Debbie (my newfound masseuse and personal pain guru) told me I'd need to ice tonight and treat myself as though I had an intense workout. Massage = Workout- Now that sounds pretty good, but trust me, it's most definitely a workout! Don't let the relaxing Yanni music or aromatic essential oils fool you...my body is hurting! Despite all my complaining, I've already made an appointment to see her again in 2 weeks. After all the pain comes the glorious release of all that tight tension in my muscles. Plus, she kept calling me an athlete- I like the sound of that ;)

If I haven't convinced any of you out there yet that A) you should go get a massage and B) do it on a regular basis, here's some more info on why it's so important!

• Loosens muscles, elevates pain, and increases mobility – all significant benefits for an athlete
• Stimulates circulation and increases blood flow
• Breaks up scar tissue and thereby restores normal movement to muscles
• Improves posture, especially for those who sit at a desk all day
• Sufferers of chronic pain, fibromyalgia, edema, muscle cramping, and even carpal tunnel syndrome may find significant relief!

As Debbie stated to me today in the midst of working out my piriformis muscle- No pain, no gain!! (Ouch!)

Who knew KS had mountains?

THE SWIM:
My first open water swim is behind me - thank god! I had just a slight freak-out, nothing too major. I felt confident that Patti was prepared to save my life if I were suddenly pulled under by the Shawnee Mission Anaconda. There was sand between my toes, not mud. There were other swimmers who seemed as uncomfortable as me. No one touched me, no one yelled at me "off course". No one really came near me now that I think of it ??? Anyway, this one is behind me!! I feel much more relaxed. I am ready for the next open water swim and kind of looking forward to it.

THE BIKE:
Ok Ladies & Coach - On my BMX bike, which weighs at least as much as I do, and has tires almost as wide as the ones on my car. And all of your snazzy new bikes with the bells and the rear view mirrors and the water- bottle holders (show offs) - we knocked out 9.39 miles in 53 minutes. Our average speed was a little over 10 mph probably due to all of those F- ing hills. Our top speed was 31.7 mph, going down those F-ing hills. We burned 815 calories, not including the swim. I think we all did GREAT! I'm anxious to see how fast we are on the Smithville course. I think we'll fly!!

TRI it '09...we did!

Patti, our talented graphic designer, has created our triathlon jerseys! The front will say, "TRI it '09..." and the back will be this graphic saying "...We Did!"

Brilliant!! Look for Team TRI It on August 1, 2009!! Booyah!

People do this for FUN!?

Yesterday Patti, Coach Sosa and I did the 2009 Kansas City Fountain Tour- 25 miles, beginning at the River Market, winding our down to Mission, KS and back again. Let me just say, there was much more praying going on than fountain viewing. Patti continues to tell me I did well, but there were moments I seriously felt I was going to faint, crash and burn- ending my short lived bicycle dream.

The beginning was an adrenaline rush! Two hundred bicyclists hit the roads of Kansas City at 7:30 am sharp- we were off! However, as we rode my thighs began to BURN, my clothes clung to me with massive amounts of sweat, my breathing grew heavy, my hands grew stiff and my butt- oh my poor, poor bum- I move gingerly about the office today. I couldn't help but be impressed by bicyclists 3x my age, speeding past me! I'd like to say they had a better bike, a more defined appropriate road bike, which is probably true but they also were in damn good shape.

Although there were moments I questioned by ability to pull through, I sit here this afternoon and can proudly feel accomplished. I thought of my mom a lot, of Nancy and of my close friends who have supported me so strongly these last few weeks. I tried to think of their words and faces and know they were rooting me on. It really just goes to show that you can do anything you put your mind to- it might not be easy, but you can do it. Patti, who I should just start calling "crazy co-worker" has now nearly convinced me to do the MS-150 at the end of September. Two days. 180 miles. Need I say more?

I have a feeling I'll be signed up by the end of the week...hey, I like a good challenge!

Don't Tell Barb

Practice, practice, practice….not only will it get you to Carnegie Hall it will also, hopefully, keep you from drowning in Smithville Lake. Coach Sosa, Amy and I did a TRIal run (ha, get it) on Saturday at Smithville. We found the same places to swim, bike and run on that we will on the 1st. All went well, except for one minor freakout – the water! Now Barb, it’s too late to back out but I gotta say it was tougher that I thought it would be. So the message today is, open water swims – do it often and with lots of people around you. An excerpt from my sister after a foot from the shore “why are you not in??? take my hand, take my hand”

So, Coach Sosa (Matt really needed a role in all this training) will be out on Saturday, July 11 with the Sevylor 9000** complete with new paddles and a flotation device and the GPS to guide our next swim. Plan to meet at Paradise Point/Sailboat Cove in Smithville at 9 a.m. We can try to bang out all three events if you want, otherwise we can swim and take a leisurely bike on the roads. It’s a great route, the 10 miles will fly by. Let me know if you can be there! Happy training!

p.s. Congrats to Hannie. She rode in her first group ride on Sunday and finished strong after loggin 25miles!!

**Matt’s inflatable boat, also known as our safety craft, and I’m not kidding here.

I'm very proud of Hannah. It sounds like her workouts are going very well. I only hope (and pray) that soon I will be blogging about my progress in a positive way too. So far, this picture is a perfect example of what's happening with my workouts. I tried my first brick workout tonight - not pretty!

Charley Horse Cures

These last few days I've been increasing my running and even accomplished my first "brick". What's a brick you ask? It's when you train in two different disciplines in the same workout. For example, I biked 3.5 miles to Macken Park, ran a mile and then biked home. Your legs essentially feel like bricks after the bike and while you're running (I know- you're questioning my sanity at this point). The idea is to get your body used to this feeling so that on race day, it's not a shock. My brick and runs have felt awesome though! I'm all the more encouraged and empowered to do this triathlon!!

The only downside: Charley Horses...in the middle of the night...pain, pain, painful!

It started with the right calf and has spread now to the left. Awesome. I'm downing water like it's my job, although I know I could be even better with it. The odd thing is I've been trying to eat a banana a day- advice from my former spin instructor David at Scott Fitness- so I don't think they are a result of lacking potassium. I do think my calf muscles are not used to all this running and essentially freaking out. All you avid blog readers out there, got any ideas??

FYI

In the German speaking world it is commonly known as a Pferdekuss (horse's kiss), while in Denmark it is known as a trælår (wooden thigh), in Norway is referred to a lårhøne (thigh hen), and in Sweden lårkaka (thigh cake). In Portugal, it is known as a paralítica, roughly translated to "paralyzer."

Kickin' it on the Katy Trail

Katy Trail State Park is a recreation rail trail that runs 225 miles (362 km) in the right-of-way of the former Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. The trail, widely known as the Katy Trail, is a Missouri state park and one of the longest Rails-to-trails in the United States. Sections of the Katy are part of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and the American Discovery Trail. Most of the trail follows the northern bank of the Missouri River. The trail is open for use by hikers, joggers, and cyclists year-round, from sunrise to sunset.

My best friend Angela lives in St. Louis and while we both make the trek to visit each other several times a year, we thought meeting halfway for a weekend would be a fun idea. Here the Rocheport Weekend was born. Rocheport is a sleepy, adorable little town right along the Katy Trail. It boasts several cute art galleries and antique stores along with a small cafe, general store and the Les Bourgeois Winery (http://www.missouriwine.com/). It's a perfect weekend getaway, about 2 hours from both KC and St. Louis, where you can be surrounded by nature and all it has to offer. The bed and breakfasts are where it's at (we stayed at the School House) and if you do the "dorm" you have the flexibility of checking in and out at your convenience.

Ang and I met up at about noon on Saturday and hit the trail! Our orginal thought was to bike to Boonville, about 17 miles away. However, our stomachs got the best of us about a mile or two into it...plus we had both had a rough week and decided that it would be a better idea to bike over to the winery and check it out! So that's what we did. Four hours on the winery porch, overlooking the Missouri river with bottles of local Chardonel and Labelle white wine, fabulous fresh food and wonderful girly best friend conversation, the sun shining down- we were in heaven.

Although we didn't quite bike with the intensity we intended on, it was a great "break" for both of us. Ang is training for the San Francisco marathon in October and had even ran 7 miles before she hit the road that day! So okay, I guess I was the only one who really took a break. Either way, we both agreed we MUST do again and the next time we really would make it to Boonville. I recommend the Katy Trail and Rocheport to anyone that needs to get away from the city and indulge in Mother Nature. It's family friendly and pretty romantic too!


Bistro grub with the world's BEST margarita!














We'll be back Rocheport!!

Going GREEN

WIN for KC and the Women's Triathlon Green Team are taking strides to make this race an eco-friendly event!

Some of the efforts to reduce our carbon footprint include:

• Paper reduction through online registration


• When paper materials are necessary, all printing is done on recycled paper using soy ink


• Encourage carpooling to race course


• Recycle all plastic bottles, cardboard, and aluminum cans


• Use of biodegradable materials for pasta dinner, pancake breakfast, and at the aid stations


• Utilize race supplies from local sources


• Educate race participants on living green


• Where possible, provide post-race fruits that are organically and locally grown


• Provide food scraps from the event to local farmers for composting


• Use cleaning products that contain the Green Seal certification

Just another reason why I'm a proud participate in the WIN for KC Triathlon!!!

We're 8 weeks away folks!!

A Day of Rest

Every triathlete in training needs a day of rest. In fact, it's mandatory. However, consuming several alcoholic beverages probably is not mandatory, but I am a firm believer it helps to achieve full relaxation mode. Thankfully, my co-workers and team members support this ideology.

Curious as to why rest is so important during training? Check out this article: http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/sampleworkouts/a/RestandRecovery.htm

Our boss, Jill (aka- coolest, most awesomest boss in the world!), came up with a fabulous idea to shut down the office and take us all to the Royals game! It was a great break for me both mentality and physically with the training and with the beautiful spring weather I think we were all dying to get out of the office. We made some new friends while tailgating, played washers & bagg-o, checked out the new stadium, laughed endlessly thanks to all the wacky KC Royal fans...oh, and somewhere in there caught parts of the game!





Barbara showing the guys how to tear it up on baggos!

Patti's famous Mixie concoction- dangerous, but oh so goooooood!

Patti, Zangi & Barbara kickin' back!










Jill and Maggie are all smiles :)













Amy and Hannah cheering on the Royals!
















Awesome seats- thanks Jill!!







NOTE TO SELF: Next tailgate at the Royals, bring only girls!! Apparently an all girls tailgate is quite the phenomenon and as a single lady lookin for love, they flocked to us like bees to honey!

Nothin like a little support

I had to share with you some funny comments I've received about my nervousness of the swim portion of the triathalon. Please keep in mind, they are all trying to be supportive and helpful.

• Open water swimming is a breeze if you are the only one there.
• I would remind you - the swim is the smallest portion of the triathlon.
• I really have no fear in the water except for lakes.
• Line up in the back, out of the fray.
• My only goal for the swim portion is "don't drown," and a few times I've almost failed!
• Don't do the breaststroke in a crowd cause kicking someone in the head is a bad way to start a friendship.
• You might see a fish which is a strange feeling when you are used to seeing only tile in the pool.
• The bottom of the start or finish may be icky and slimy.
• You may swim through lake weeds/grass. It is usually hydrilla or duckweed. This stuff will freak you out!
• I know I looked like I was drowning especially since I was saying, "Excuse me...Hello...I need some help!"
• You'll need to confirm whether you swim in a straight line in the open water.
• Just hang back a little and relax and enjoy your swim!
• I knew if I saw bubbles right in front of me then veer right or left. Bubbles meant feet and someone in front of me.
• I had a full blown panic attack after the start of the race mainly because I was in over my head.

We're #1

A little afternoon motivation, thanks team member #183....

What have I done?

I signed up for the triathalon on Friday night - on Sunday morning it finally hit me...... I signed up for a Triathlon! I think I’m having signers remorse. What was I thinking? I got caught up in the fun of the banter among new friends and co-workers and now, suddenly, I am committed (financially and pridefully) to doing a triathlon! What mature adult gets out their credit card and signs up for a triathlon just because they got called out on a blog about snakes? Who does that? Let’s really look at the facts – I have three very active children. I have a job that I love with a group of really fun women (who are all a little, kinda, ok - much - younger than me) I have a small environmental executive search firm. I have a goal of running the St. George Marathon in the fall (because it’s all downhill). And now a training schedule that requires I not only run but add biking AND swimming - with snakes, no less!!! What the H?

Bienvenidos Barbara!!

I'd like to formally welcome BARBARA KELLER to our triathlon team!

After much peer pressuring (and convincing her she will NOT get a snake bite) she signed on the dotted line this weekend! The current team-in-training consists of:

Hannah Luetke-Stahlman #189

Patti Sosa #130

Amy Shroyer #183

Leslie Adrian #410

Barbara Keller #420

Anyone else up for the challenge!? It's not too late!!

We miss you Nancy!

Nancy was our dear colleague and friend who passed away this January after a terrible battle with lung cancer. Today we walked in her honor and celebrated her life, her legacy and the importance of good health. I miss so many things about Nancy, but mostly her words of encouragement. She supported me in everything, including work issues, love life dilemmas, family conflicts and especially new workout regimes. As Patti and I would leave over our lunch hour to go for a walk or run, she'd always yell after us, "Hey! Be sure to exercise some for me!" Her passing was a huge wake up call for me- anyone of us can get sick at anytime for any reason or for none at all.

I want to wake up every day and not only try to be the best person that I can be, but the healthiest person too. When Patti presented this triathlon challenge to me, I knew if Nancy was here she'd want me to try and do this. When the runs get hard and the hills get too big, I try to reflect on her words and think of her up there pushing me on. I know while she may not be at the finish line physically in August, she'll be there in spirit with her loud cheers, her big smile and her huge heart. We miss you dearly Nancy...

Becky Davis and I

Karen, Cathy and Dan

Amy, Baby Jack and Patti

Joey, Me, Amy and Alyssa

Snakes in the M$%!F*&^ Lake... my apologies Samuel L.

One of our co-workers, who shall remain nameless, is terrified of snakes and apparently is convinced that if she does the tri in Smithville lake SHE WILL GET BIT. This is hilarious, as she should be more worried about getting a black eye or a foot between the ribs during the swim!

It got me thinking though of all the barriers to exercise, real or imagined that we use. I am definitely a goal orientated person & this long range one has been a good and consistent motivator to get out there and, as they say, “just do it”. Also, now that I’ve publically declared that I am doing the tri, public embarrassment is as good of reason as any. Also, I really am digging on my nike+/iPod “trainer”. It tracks all my runs and updates you along the way with how far you’ve gone and how much you have left. In fact, today I got a congrats from an Olympian for my farthest distance yet…that's not saying a lot but it beats a kick in the head!

So, kids here is your question for today – why do you strap on your running shoes every day? Or conversely, if you’ve not been as consistent what do you think will get you back on track?

See you Saturday for Nancy’s memorial run at Macken Park!

National Bike Month

May is National Bike Month, so get out there and RIDE!

This week (May 9-16) is the Greater Kansas City Bike Week 2009!

Click here for more info: http://kcbike.info/bikeweek/



Join Patti and I on an 8-mile ride this Thursday, May 14 at 6:30pm at 63rd Terrace and Brookside Plaza- beginner friendly! There's 14 & 16 mile routes for the more experienced.

Theme Song

I’m Patti and Hannah is my co-worker and my gym “life partner” for over a year now. I do have to claim that the tri started as part of my year 30 meltdown and I’m good at recruiting (see Hannah’s first post -I’m #6). I’m thrilled that she has let me be a guest contributor to this awesome blog, a choice she may later regret, but until that day…here we go!

I was thinking the other day about how I need to start to wean myself of my iPod as they are no-no’s on most road races and definitely a no for the tri. As Hannie and I have discussed running for us is such a mental game. I’m sure I can always run more that I think- so the iPod is a must have.

So until I absolutely have to quit you IPod…I’ve got some new items for you. Since I love themes, I was working on “tri” songs – one somewhat workable mix starts with the following:
Cannonball – The Breeders (“crash on the last splash”)
Bicycle – Queen (“I love to ride my bicycle”)
Running on Empty – Jackson Browne (and well, there just may be nothing left when I get to this point)

So I want to hear from you, give me your best swim/bike/run song list or whatever your inspiration is for that last mile!

Hey, where'd my appetite go??

So I thought the more I exercised, the more my hunger would increase because I would be burning more calories. I would get to reward myself with big portions of yummy, deliciousness every day.Wrong! Well, somewhat. I am burning more calories, but all the intense exercise is actually decreasing my appetite and if anyone who is reading this actually knows me- I *heart* food- cooking, eating, slicing, dicing, all of it! So you can imagine my surprise. I'm finding that I actually have to remind myself to eat! Weird!?

I've done a little research and found out that the higher the intensity and temperature, the longer your appetite will be suppressed after a workout. In addition the endocrine and cardiovascular systems of the body play a role in appetite suppression. The hypothalamus, a gland in the brain, suppresses hunger and is triggered to release hormones when you exercise at a moderate to high intensity. These hormones are responsible for suppression of hunger. Another reason exercise helps to inhibit hunger is that when you exercise the blood is being taken from the stomach and sent throughout the body. Okay, this is making sense...

I was also reminded to make sure I eat before I workout. If you approach a workout session on an empty stomach or a stomach that has not been fed any carbohydrates for hours, you will suffer the consequences two-fold. Firstly, you will be breaking down muscle instead of building it and secondly, your body will crave those carbs in abundance post exercise setting you up to fail at your exercise efforts.

Food for thought: The average person believes he/she burned 600 more calories than actually were burned and the average overweight person will overshoot by 900 calories. That’s a lot of calories!

This appetite situation is definitely making my 6 small meals a day easier, but there's certainly some mental re-training that's involved. In the meantime, I'm off to lunch! I actually have an appetite, so let's EAT!

Who needs a dog, when you can buy a bike?

I've wanted a dog for as long as I've been out of college, which is about 2 years now. Due to my urban living choice and lack of desire for real responsibility I've decided on a bike instead. Plus it's a little difficult to complete a tri without one. Yesterday, May 8th, was Pay Day and I was set on walking out of the office, driving to the nearest bike shop and purchasing whatever hybrid the salesman convinced me was "The One" to get. Wow, was I surprised...and quickly frustrated...and overwhelmed...and just plain grumpy by the end of it all. The shops I went to (which I will not name, because I'm too nice and perhaps they were just having an off day) had unhelpful staff, out of stock of several models and overpriced. After driving from Lee Summit, to Parkville and back home, I decided it just wasn't in the stars. I wasn't getting a bike that day. This is a BIG purchase and one I want to be happy and excited about...and my bad attitude and unfortunate luck wasn't how I wanted to get this thing started.

So I awoke this morning with a fresh outlook on my quest and after venting to my super supportive sister, Breeze, and best friend, Katie, I sat down at the computer and did a little research. I decided ultimately on Sunflower Bike Shop in Lawrence. Not only were they extremely helpful on the phone, but I left a piece of my heart in that town. It dawned on me, what better place to make such a meaningful purchase? I jumped in the jeep and an hour later found myself in the good graces of Steele and all his bicycle expertise. It was a tough choice between the Trek 7.1 and Specialized Globe Vienna, but after a couple cruises down 8th street I knew the Vienna and I were meant to be. Sunflower hooked me up with a $25 store credit and free tune-ups, plus excellent warrenty coverage. What more could a girl ask for?

So here it is folks...the grand introduction of my new baby, the 2009 Specialized Women's Globe Vienna 1, in all her gorgeous glory!

Features for the bike enthusiast...

• Lightweight A1 Premium Aluminum trekking frame features ergonomic and stable geometry with low standover height for added security.
• Women's Body Geometry Comfort grips with integrated bell (!!) prevent hand pain and tingling fingers.
• Triple-chainring Shimano crankset provides ample gearing for climbs and descents.
• Nimbus 700x35c tires give a well-cushioned ride and feature Flak Jacket anti-puncture protection.
• Women's Globe saddle features our scientifically proven Body Geometry design, which provides added protection for your soft parts
• The Shimano Acera rear derailleur gives sure, precise shifts.

Nothing short of sweeeeeeeeet!!! Pictures of me actually ON the bike soon to follow...

Chicago Marathon, YA RIGHT?!?

Sooooo I met my personal trainer today!! Kevin, at 24 Hour Fitness, who has run the famous Chicago Marathon, not once, not twice, but FOUR times ladies and gentlemen! We didn't even get started on the workout before he was trying to convince me that I should do it. One event at a time dude. If anyone can condition me for this event though, I think it's him. The session mostly involved him pinching my fat and talking about my diet- awesome... We decided 6 small meals a day and getting more protein is the key. I'll be purchasing some of that great protein powder this weekend- any suggestions on brands??

For the last 15 minutes he had me do 20 reps on a couple machines. I thought I did pretty well! We did some leg lunges- knee alllll the way to the floor- that left my knees buckling by the time I left. Some meathead on a machine yelled to me, "It's good to be sore!"- thanks buddy. Was I really that obvious?

Anyways, now I have a second goal stuck in the back of my mind...Chicago Marathon 2010?? Dang, Kevin, you're good.
Only a couple hours till that big bike purchase! Wahoooooo!

Empowering Women- WIN for KC

This Smithville Lake triathlon is hosted by a wonderful organization, WIN for KC! I thought I'd take some time to share who they are and what they promote. The Women’s Intersport Network for Kansas City (WIN for KC), was established in 1994 with the mission to empower girls and women through advocating and promoting the lifetime value of sports and fitness, while providing opportunities for participation and leadership development. WIN is a volunteer, membership-driven organization that operates as a program under the umbrella of the Kansas City Sports Commission and Foundation. WIN for KC exists because its volunteers and contributors believe in the physical and emotional well being of girls and women through involvement in sports and fitness.

WIN for KC events and programs include participation and networking opportunities, leadership seminars, and promotions of women’s events. WIN also recognizes girls and women’s contributions to sport and advocates for equal opportunities. They sponsor more than 25 events each year, which allow thousands of local youth and adults to participate in sports and recreation very affordably. Studies show that girls and women who play sports have a more positive body image and experience higher states of psychological well-being than girls and women who do not play sports (Women’s Sports Foundation 2001).

WIN for KC clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmy_ltJApJI

Work IT girls!!

Why the Tri?

Here are my 10 reasons...

1. The challenge- To prove to myself I can do anything I set my mind to
2. I'm a single, young professional who spends too much time either at work or the bar and I need a new passion in life
3. Lose 25 lbs.
4. It's item #14 on my Bucket List
5. To meet other fitness fanatics and make them my friends :)
6. To support Patti, my co-worker who got me in this mess in the first place
7. To exercise for Nancy and make her proud
8. To learn about a hobby that quite frankly, is foreign to me at this point
   
9. I get bored easily- I need the variety of a Tri to keep me going!
10. To be happier- there's a fitter, healthier ME inside and she's ready to come out and live