A Spectacular Sunrise

So it's been a while since my last post, and so much has happened this past year that I'm not sure where to begin.  My last post was a shout out to my amazing teammates, and my struggle with devastating events that were happening in my life, and that I would have to keep putting one foot in front of the other as I maneuvered through the crisis.

Fast forward to now, the crisis is far from over, but I have been blessed with a beautiful baby girl Alex, and she fills my heart with joy on a daily basis.  She is such a precious gift, and her timing could not have been more perfect.

While some days are still "just keep putting one foot in front of the other" days, those days are fewer and farther between.  This past weekend my girls organized a birthday ride for me, and I was so excited to be back in the saddle again.  Working out has always been my go to outlet, especially when the going gets tough, so last spring it was emotionally difficult to not be able to go out and "smash" myself on a swim, bike, or run, while the crisis consumed my daily life.  Of course, the excitement of meeting our baby girl kept me going through the summer, and when I finally did get to meet her, it was the most amazing and euphoric moment of my existence.

Our precious gift, Alexandra.

I was still eager to get back into the swing of things, and the weekend before my birthday I was able to "get my feet wet" so to speak, as I rode a fun 20 miler with an awesome friend.  It was a gorgeous day - great conversation and a great ride.  It was an awesome feeling to be back in the saddle again.

To say I couldn't wait for my birthday ride with my girls was an understatement, I was super stoked, it had been so long since we all had ridden together.  However, my birthday is in fact the day my life changed, the events that happened that day in 2013 forever shattered what used to be normal, and the "new normal" made me feel like I was in one of those Lifetime TV movies, that this couldn't in fact be my life.  So, my birthday this year I approached with a little bit of trepidation.

It couldn't have been a more perfect day.

I had an amazing time riding with my besties (in matchy matchy of course!) on a route I had ridden so many times before, but this day it was like I was looking through a new set of lenses.  I had come through the other side of this crisis stronger, more resilient, with more grit than before.  Once again, triathlon and life have gone hand in hand.  Many of you may already have experienced or are experiencing the "new normal", when life changes so suddenly and drastically, shatters you to your very core, and challenges you in every way possible.  A day in an ironman can play out the same way - hopes and dreams you had for yourself shattered by events of the day, whether it be getting beat up on the swim, a crash on the bike, or a collapse on the run. But you refuse to give up, continuing to persevere through it, taking whatever is thrown at you along the way, taking it one step at a time.  The hard is what makes it great - when we overcome the adversity of the day we appreciate the journey all the much more.

Birthday ride with the girls a "smash"ing success!!

Rocking the "sunrise" kit on our ride, I did indeed feel like the sun had finally set on the past year and was rising on the new one.  I can't wait for all the new adventures to come.  Especially all the new ones with my little girl, what a precious gift she is.  I hope I can be just as amazing of a mother to her as my mom has been to me.  This season is for you mom.