I almost lost the ability to dream.
February 18, 2000. I was 23 years old, in the prime of my life
and devastated by a Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis. All my dreams, from child
hood to my young adult life, were destroyed in that moment and all I could
think about were the things that would be taken from me, the things I would
never be able to do, the dreams I would never accomplish.
6 years of flare-ups, blindness, numb legs and weight gain
became my new reality.
April 2007 I realized I hated what my life had become. I missed
being active and playing sports, I felt sorry for myself. In that moment I had
a dream; a dream I believed in and a dream that ultimately changed my life.
I spent the next 9 months eating right, exercising and eventually
lost 75 pounds. In that time I became friends with a triathlete who convinced
me that swim, bike, run would be great to incorporate into my new lifestyle. It took lots of convincing since I didn't really know how to do any of that!
I hadn’t even run a 5k before let alone completed a triathlon.
Step one – sign up for a 5k! When I crossed the finish line I felt something
amazing. It was exhilarating and emotional. There were many people who knew
about my Multiple Sclerosis rooting me on. The days following I could see that
my finish had moved these people and inspired them to do more, either for
themselves or for a cause.
Needless to say, I was so proud and immediately ready for my
next race. As they say, I caught the bug.
I decided my first 5k was the stepping stone for my journey of
inspiration.
Since my first race I’ve gone on to complete 6 additional 5k’s,
13 sprint triathlons, 1 Olympic, 1 70.3, 2 half marathons and 2 century
rides. More importantly, I have inspired countless friends, family,
acquaintances, athletes and others diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. It has been the best experience hands down.
So I often say that I do not want to compete in a full
distance IRONMAN triathlon, its true....I only want to complete it and continue to
inspire others including those living with this unpredictable disease, who need
some encouragement to challenge the impossible. In 2014 I will live this part of the dream. It will be a long road to get there, but it's worth all the bumps in the road to get there!
