Four years ago, my orthopedic physician gave me bad news. My left knee was severely arthritic, and I could no longer run daily. I was devastated. Get a bike and start riding he advised, so I went right out and bought a mountain bike. After months of riding Galbraith, Chuckanut Mountain and Blanchard Mountain, I was ready to take on road biking. I quickly discovered I had a gift for biking. Soon after, some friends talked me in to doing the Mt. Rainier Duathlon. I won my age division and was hooked. Now, my friends said, you need to learn to swim. Having only taken swim lessons at age 7 and learning how to "survival swim", I quickly realized that this leg of the triathlon was going to be a real challenge.

Nevertheless, I continued to enter and win my age divisions in both sprint and Olympic distance events around the state. Then, in July of 2006, I decided to try and qualify for the 2007 USAT National Championship Triathlon, which meant I had to win my age division at Lake Steven's International Distance Triathlon. I WON, so off to the Nationals in Portland in June of 2007. At Nationals, I also made Team USA and a position on the team going to the World's Master's Championship in Hamburg, Germany. Then, in July of 2007, I won my age division at the Pacific Northwest Regional Championship, guaranteeing my place on Team USA at the World's Championship in Vancouver, BC, in June of 2008.

March 1, 2008, I will be doing a century ride in Death Valley, which should be very competitive with a 300 rider limit. I will also do a triathlon in April or May as a warmup for World's. Then, on September 20, 2008, I will be in Portland competing in the USAT Nationals and racing for a position on Team USA for the 2009 World's Championship in Australia. June, July and August of 2008 will find me doing as many races as I can fit in to my schedule, including the Washington State Time Trial Championships in August of 2008.

This sport of Triathlon is truly a passion and addiction of the best kind!