YOU GO GIRL!

Today was the day I racked my bike and picked up all my final race info. I am sooo excited for this race I can hardly stand it, even if it means I'm leaving tomorrow at 4 a.m. to make it in and out of the transition area in time.

I found out I am number 2575 and have my body marked with magic marker accordingly. I am also swimming in Wave 20, with an 8:12 start time. My wave color is pink, if you're out there looking for me.

Today was amazing though. 4,000 women are participating in this race, which according to Mr. Race director at our final race instruction talk thru this a.m., is "not the most competitivie event out there." Meaning, it's all about GIRL POWER!!! After we got our final instructions today, Sally Edwards, multiple time winner of the Ironman (in fact the first woman to do it!) gave us our pep talk. She is also going to be the last person to finish the race (she's the Danskin spokeswoman and that's her thing), but at 61 years young, she could very easily finish first, I'm sure. She was amazing, inspiring, and a real motivator. Her speech gave a lot of good pep talk, especially the "YOU GO GIRL" high fives we all had to give each other!

She also brought up onto the stage a bunch of breast cancer survivors doing the race (120 + of them) and THAT was amazing. There were women up on the stage bald, or with 1/8 of an inch of hair and probably 5 seconds post chemo up there, there were very young women, and one woman probably close to pushing 80. It was a tearjerker moment, and the whole thing made me want to persuade ALL my friends to do it next year, just to be able to live that moment. Incredible what people can do.

After I sat thru my instructions, I got my race packet, my body inked, my free bag, and my shirt, along with other freebies at the expo. I came out with a waterbottle, a pink baseball cap with some bank logo on it, but also a pink ribbon soooo score!, and some Sport Beans. Yes, Sport Beans. The race takes place in Pleasant Prairie, home of Jelly Belly's, and now they are making Sport Beans with like, electrolytes or something like that in it. Fabulous! They really don't even taste bad.

I wish I'd taken pictures, but I promise next year I will. John is planning on coming up with the kids to watch, so maybe he'll get some, but he's not very creative, so I'll have to bank on Jen to get things like, the finish line, or the view across the water (1/2 mile looks futher when staring at it head on), etc.

On my way out, I ran into my friend CeCe and all her sisters in law that she's doing the race with. She came with her Mother in law, who is their breast cancer survivor. Funny, 4,000 women and I run into the one person I know there. Girl power at it's best.

I'm excited. I'm ready. And, after today, I am inspired by these women who have found strength and courage and are truly remarkable!