A Thank You Note

September 25, 2015 Faux Runner Comments 0 Comment

As I pickup my race number and everything else, and before I get engulfed in the pre-race bubble, I want to take a minute to look back at the great support I’ve had in this #LonRoadToAugusta. Without the support of people around me, I don’t know how I’d have gotten through the training cycle.

Guru

(That really is his name!)

I joke about Mr. FauxTriathlete’s involvement in my training – he rarely knows what I’m upto and hardly ever wants to sit down and talk about race or training. But he’s a man who’s actions speaks louder than words. And his silent support has meant a great deal to me.

And he helped me get to an amazingly tough 10k PR in pouring rain 🙂

The Minions

They watch silently. They imitate loudly.

It’s nothing new for any parent to say that they want to be their best version for their kids. And my goal towards them through all this is to teach them to never give up. To make them understand that once you find your passion, you don’t let it go just because you are not good at it. To help them realize that hard work and discipline is what is needed when you take on something.

My training and long and odd hours have become a way of life with them. They know that on the rare occasion that mummy takes a nap, she’s not to be disturbed no matter what. They know that an early run/ride means early bedtime for everyone (compensated by movie time when I’m gone). I’m thankful for kids who don’t question why I do these long crazy things instead of spending the weekends with them.

Training Partners and Mentors

I wouldn’t be where I am today without them.

My first open water swim of the season was a disaster until Dan have me coping mechanisms to help me through it. And he helped me figure out what I was messing up during bike mounting.

When I first started riding, I was a disaster. I couldn’t … do a LOT of things. And I was a lot slower than everyone so I couldn’t just show up and ride with anybody. The TriGeeks let me ride with them midweek even though someone had to “babysit” me for the intial weeks. Riding with them helped me with confidence and bike handling.

Barry patiently tagged along on most of my initial rides. Fellow No Boundaries Multisport members Lia, Joy and others rode slow and patiently with me in the middle of the week when I couldn’t do weekends. Marietta patiently taught me to go aero and drink while riding and eat while riding. That was a huge confidence booster and mandatory skills that she guided me through.

And Barbara. No matter what words I use to I thank her, it will be inadequate. She’s been an awesome friend and mentor ever since I met her 4 years ago as part of my first marathon training group. Rides, questions, discussions, pep talk, support, schedule – she had everything covered. For ALL of us!

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how the local stores have taken care of my bike – All3 Sports, Cannon Cyclery, Westside bikes, TRY bike store. And offered me a ton of information and support.

Amazing Support from YOU

I’m thankful to everyone of you who’ve encouraged me in this journey. The unexpected comment/mention on my blog or dropping me a note of encouragement or Facebook comments and PMs, I cherish them all.

I’ve met so many wonderful people through training. That alone has been one of the best things about the race. A definite plus for the age of social media!