I could make the case I’ve been training for this since I started running marathons in 2009, but the specific focus on this journey started about 3 hours after I completed the Arizona Iron Man in November 2019.  As I was sitting in the hotel lobby at 2 a.m. deciding what was next (I can’t sleep after big events), I knew 2 things.  First, it was time to stop talking about retiring and the cross-country trip and time to actually pick a date for both.  Second, I loved the cross-training required for the Iron Man and knew if I kept up some semblance of that pace, I could complete the ride.  So I kept swimming, cycling, and running.

Totals since November 2019

One important thing to mention here.  There’s nothing special about these numbers.  I really believe anyone can do this.  I was not an athlete for most of my life.  I just decided in 2009 to challenge myself and see if I could run a marathon.  I wasn’t fast and most definitely not graceful (still the case), but with a great deal of focus, discipline, and support, I finished my first race.  From there, I just kept challenging myself with new adventures.  The Iron Man tagline is “anything is possible”.  I completely buy into this.