Kathleen's Adventures

Today I am thankful for my nieces. They are awesome. I look forward to seeing them for days and weeks before every visit. I am excited to see Kate in her first Nutcracker at Christmas, and Molly as Chip, the Teacup, in her school's production of Beauty and the Beast in February. Here are the girls trying on their new cold weather accessories in preparation for a cooold Turkey Trot.

Today I am thankful for the power of prayer. I'm certain it helps me every day, and it also just happened to save the life of my friend's mom . Read the story - it is quite amazing and I know I was praying as hard as I know how as this was all going on. Another note on prayer - Mrs. Clark asked me what I do on such long bike rides, especially since we are not allowed to listen to music in races. I did not really have much of an answer for her, but during IMFL I remembered immediately - I pray. A lot. I pray every time I see a biker on the side of the road with an issue, I pray prayers of thanks for me being able to be there racing in the first place, I pray that everyone will stay safe, and the list goes on and on.

Today I am thankful for Dad. Just 'cause. Too many reasons to list, but one of the most notable would be the fact that he is doing a darn good job of making 77 look young. And I expect him to do a good job of making 87 look young when the time come as well.

Today I am thankful for trails, specifically the Memorial Park Hike and Bike Trails . No, not the 2.9 mile jogging path that we run circles on over and over (thankful for that too, it sure isn't Town Lake, but it is the best Houston's got), but the the ones on the south side of the park. A short 2 minute ride or run past the trail head, and you'd have no idea you are right in the middle of one of the nation's biggest cities. On my run there today I saw two other people total - granted the trails were technically closed because of Saturday's rain - but you can usually completely escape "life" back there as the trails twist and turn, up and down, across creeks, and through the woods. Hundreds of us use the main loop at the park on a daily basis, yet most never venture back on the other side to one of Houston's best hidden treasures. Trail running (or biking, or even just going for a walk) is just such a nice change in pace from the concrete jungles most ...

Today I am thankful for my ability to run. I know that may sound similar to being thankful for my legs, but I feel that when I finally "learned how to" run, I also started to learn that there was not much I cannot do. Learning to run the first three miles was the hardest part of any of this endurance stuff that I have done, and it took nearly 10 years to get there. I started "trying to run" in probably 7th or 8th grade. I would set up a plan, and stick to it for about a week, and probably never got to running more than 1/4 mile or so at a time without walking. It was not until I was 22 that I finally ran my first mile ever, and then it took two more months from there to be able to run three miles consistently at a time. I grew up swimming, and anyone can ride a bike, so running was the missing link when it came to me and triathlon. My first 5k ever came after a 1/2 mile swim and 12.5 mile bike. My first marathon came right about a year after I ran my first mile, and...

Today I am thankful for the Houston Racing Triathlon Club . I went to my first meeting several years ago, only after Jill dragged me there. I had been a member for over a year, but too afraid to go to a meeting by myself. Just a few years later, I found myself on the board as membership coordinator in 2008, and as president in 2009. My days on the board are quickly coming to an end, and while I will enjoy having a few more Monday evenings to do what I wish, I think I am going to miss it more than I originally envisioned. We as a board had a good year and somehow managed to get more people involved than in the past. We had several meeting with over 100 people, growing out of every meeting venue we had used in the past. I have met some of my closest friends through Houston Racing, and was also first inspired to do an Ironman after reading someone's race report in the newsletter.

Today I am thankful for my legs. While I doubt they will be asked to model the latest running skirt or shoes, they have taken me to some wonderful places. They have not always been 100%, but they have gone way above and beyond what I have asked of them at times. I am thankful I have two legs that can take me anywhere at all. Yes, there have been times I have said I wanted a cheetah leg for my right one because it seems to always have something wrong with it, but I feel bad even joking about it. Many people have legs that don't work, or don't even have legs at all...yet mine have taken me over the course of 8 marathons, 4 ironmans, 7 half ironmans, 3 50ks, 4 MS150s, and countless other races, rides, etc. (I'm thankful for pink running skirts too!!!! (and pink shoes, and pink socks, and pink calf sleeves))