140.6--Thank You

Photos: (Thought I'd throw in some of my awesome cheering/support crew pictures since this is a thank you posting...) Steve changing his tire in the rain en route to Noodles & Co. to get my post-race food; the Kraft tri gang in their custom t-shirts; my parents on State Street in the rain before my dad's cell battery died; Steve, Kathy, Kristie, Eric, and my mom (Dad's behind the camera) at a bakery en route to Old Sauk Pass hill to cheer us on; and the best damn Sherpa crew and cheering section a girl could ask for. You guys rock!!!!!

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There aren’t really words to thank everyone who supported me during the weekend and, frankly, throughout the whole training process. To everyone who came and braved the elements in Madison, you guys are truly the best—you showed up in places I never expected and kept me going when I wasn’t feeling that great. Seeing you all at the finish line is something I’ll never forget! To everyone who kept tabs on me from afar online and via text messages, voice mails, etc., your thoughts and prayers were what I clinged to as I fought with my emotions throughout the day, and I’m touched that you all would take time out of your busy lives to track me. To everyone who dealt with me during training, all I can say is thanks for understanding when I missed stuff because I had to bike or run, and thanks for the unconditional support throughout the year. To my family, thanks for cutting me some slack this year and understanding when I couldn’t make it home or to Kansas City for stuff, and for not thinking less of me when I had to take time out of our visits to run, bike, or race. Thanks, too, for dealing with the transformation of me from the person I used to be to the person I am—I know it hasn’t always been easy, but I love you for letting me become the person I was meant to be. To Theresa, thanks for keeping me sane when I was completely burned out and for dealing with the day-to-day emotion, and to your family, thanks for letting me make s’mores, bake cookies, etc. with you and regain my perspective. To the Weight Watchers clan, there just isn’t any way to tell you all how very grateful I am for your support over the past three years. To Sue, Michele, Erin, and Jeremy, it has been an honor training and racing with you—and to Sue and Michele in particular, your generosity and patience in sharing your time and letting me crash with you is amazing. And to Vardo, my friend it has been an incredible experience to share this thing with you—I think it’s brought us closer as friends and I can’t think of anyone with whom I’d rather share this thing! You are amazing and I’m so proud of you for all you accomplished this year!