Did I really do that?

Sept. 14th has come and gone. SO many months of training all for that one day. Was it worth it? It was amazing! It was so worth it. I did my olympic triathalon and felt the most amazing feeling of acomplishment. I have not written yet about it because I wanted to put some pics up and was waiting on those. Ill get them soon and add them. I started the race with my mile swim. When I got in I was so so so nervous. While I was swimming in the potomac I was in race mode but decided that I just wanted to have fun, take it in and enjoy how far I have come on the journey to take back my life. As soon as I decided that during the swim I had a blast! After the swim I hopped right onto my bike for a 24 mile ride. We rode past a lot of the sights of DC and out into georegtown. When I got on my bike I heard a yell for me and saw it was my friend Traci. It was so great to see her and it really gave me a push to go. The ride was great so fun and I couldnt believe how fast it went. I had a bad cold but thanks to Zicam and being able to blow my nose in my hand the whole bike ride I was okay. If you think that is gross you should see half the things other people do during triathlons! After the bike I got off and started my 6.2 mile run. It was blaring hot, felt like we were back in the middle of the summer. The course has no shade so we were all miserable. I kept praying and Heavenly Father blessed me so much. I did not want to walk and finish the race not feeling like I worked my hardest. So I imagined all the people I knew who had passed away of cancer (which is the cause I was racing for) or just close friends who have passed for other reasons. When i got tired, I asked them to take over for me and they did. They carried me through a lot of it and I am so greatful for that. Another blessing I had along the run was a lady named Cindy. We started to run together and encouraged each other the whole time. I told her that I had lost 100 pounds and that this was my moment of "I really did it". She was amazed and kept reminding me when I was tired why I was doing this and how easy this is compared to all I have been through. She was definitially a gift from God. We lost each other for a little bit but found each other for the last little while of the race. The last 50 meters were HORRIBLE so close to the end but still it seemed so far, we couldnt walk, to many peopel around :) we encouraged each other through the end and we crossed the finish line together. At the finish line I saw my dad right away. It was so great to have him there to celebrate with me. He and I relaxed for a little bit, I stretched made him take pictures, and waited for Cliff to find us. I talked to mom who could not come cuz she had major knee issues going on. Man what an amazing feeling. We then were supposed to take a shuttle back to our bikes and ride our bikes 3 miles to the hotel where the cars were. Instead I wrode mine a few blocks to the metro and went home with Cliff. My groin and my neck were sore that night, I got a fever and my cold really sunk in. The next day I was not to sore and life was great. I am so blessed that my cold held out until the race was over. Heavenly Father definitially watched out for me! Once Cliff and I got back to his place we packed him up and he left for Arizonia first thing the next morning. It was hard to see him go and I miss being with him all the time but really this has been good for us. It has been 2 weeks and we talk a lot during the day. We are able to see how our relationship hold up when all we have is communication. It has only strengthened us. His sister is a flight attendant and flies into dulles every week. We send little gifts for each other back and forth with her. It is so fun to wait in antisipation during the week to see what we each will get and see how the other one reacts when they get what we sent. On Thursday I am flying out to AZ meeting him and then we are driving up to salt lake. I am excited to meet his friends and have him meet mine. I wish he could spend more time with my family, they are all spread so far out that it is hard. He says that if they are anythign like my dad, he will love them. He thinks my dad is helarious. ANyway it is almost 1 am. I know I am rambling again. Just so much excitting, hard and great things going on to share wiht you all.Hope all is well!