My Secret Boyfriend

This is my secret boyfriend!

Lance Armstrong!

"Time is limited, so I better wake up every morning fresh and know that I have just one chance to live this particular day right, and to string my days together into a life of action, and purpose."
Lance Armstrong
7-Time Winner of the Tour de France

My mom lives this quote! She used to wake up every morning, fresh with the purpose and plan to simply create the most wonderful loving environment for her family. She continues to do just that today. There are so many of us - kids, grand-kids, son and daughter-in-laws - and she makes time for all of us! I talked to my mom yesterday and it's like she has all the time in the world for me...

It's amazing!

Mom, you make me feel so important when we talk. You make me feel like you have all the time in the world for me. And you inspire me just with a few minutes of conversation.

Thank you. I love you!

A friend of mine, Pete Holton, gave me a copy of Lance Armstrong's book, "It's not about the bike" in 2001, when I signed up for my first ironman race. I read that book cover to cover, several times over, sometimes opening it to some random page and just re-reading it for inspiration.

Pete wrote in the cover of the book, "I hope this book helps you in your training when the wind is in your face, it's all up-hill and it's raining."

It did.

But you know...it's not just in training that the wind is in your face, it's all up-hill and it's raining. It is that way in life too. And this book helped me through all of that.

During that year of training, I worked harder than I ever had - for anything! I got a coach, followed the program to near perfection, ate well, did everything I could to prepare myself for the race. I couldn't swim (well - barely) so I joined a swim group and learned to swim to a pretty respectable level. I no longer feared being unable to make the swim cut-off time. I also gained confidence on my bike, in my running and in life outside of my triathlon training.

This was at a time that my marriage was failing. My life was in a mess. I was exhausted mentally. Finding a way to cope with everything was easy when on my bike. Like Lance Armstrong. He found solace, energy and purpose on his bicycle...and in a similar way...over the past 9 years, so have I. Cycling has become a vehicle to find my inner strength, discover my potential, realize that I truly can do anything I put my heart and mind to...and also to raise money for charity and make a difference. In 2007, I did an ironman race for Diabetes research. My sister has diabetes. It felt good to support a cause so close to home. Then in 2008, I did the Hawaii IM for Room To Read, which was amazing! and in 2009, in Cozumel for the same cause.

Now as I look to the summer of 2010 and start my training for my 8th Ironman race, I'm reminded of my secret boyfriend, Lance Armstrong, for some reason today. I got the above quote in my email inbox the other day and it totally inspires me!

I love you, Mom, and I also love my (not so) secret boyfriend, Lance Armstrong, too! :)

This is a photo taken years ago when he was in the Tour de France. I'd cut and paste all the newspaper articles about the race and put them up. It was so much fun to take part in all the fun of the race and have something to cheer for. It also inspired me to make the most of my time, my day and my life. To follow my purpose and use whatever vehicle possible to follow my dream and inspire others to follow theirs!

As the weather turns to spring and I get out on my bike, I am inspired, grateful and so excited to not only get my legs moving on the bike but feel the wind on my back in life. I feel like this year is really "my year". I feel so excited and high on life these days! It's not that there aren't tough moments or hard times that I am dealing with...it's just that I seem to be handling them with ease, grace and a great perspective.

Thank you - Mom. God. My friends and family. Scotia (my cat). My team. All the angels around me. My (not so) secret boyfriend, Lance Armstrong. Thank you for your inspiration...in life when "it's all up-hill, the wind is in my face and it's raining"!