Tomorrow I will put on my wet-suit and step in the open water with many others. I will swim 800 M in the peaceful lake, get out, strip my wet-suit off, throw on biking shoes and a helmet and ride like the wind. After 10 miles of riding I will throw on my new racing flats and I will run like I have something to prove for 3.1 miles. TOMORROW I will do this all for the fist time, TOMORROW is my FIRST TRIATHLON. You only get one FIRST. Thinking back over the last 6-7 months makes me shake. I have put in so much training, I have come so far, I have met new people, I have found inspiration, I have been inspiring, and I have created an entirely new body that I don’t even recognize sometimes. I have done this all while:

1) training as a mother...biking and running with Annie ALL THE TIME 2) training with friends...inspiring others to DO MORE, BE MORE, STAY FIT 3) having fun, who knew...even the long runs, life has such a richer taste after you have a baby, you are so much more aware of what you are capable of! 4) making friends! riding, swimming and running with people I NEVER KNEW! 5) not just maintaining a great relationship with Troy, but building on that relationship...I have become more balanced with all the training, and my moods are less of a see-saw. And Troy loves the body! He loves that it’s ATHLETIC, not just skinny (i do too).

Looking back on the weeks and months of training I strongly feel that it’s the best thing I have EVER done for myself. It is the best investment in the BANK OF SONJA that I have ever made.

So on the eve of triathlon, here is a recap of progress, some STATS if you will:

1) The day this all started: walking into Prudence’s office 10/02/2006 weighing 163.2 pounds, and with 29.5% body fat, and down right fed-up.

NOW 7 months later: 137 pounds, and 20% body fat, muscles everywhere, and the knowledge of how to keep it off, how to maintain, and how to inspire MYSELF. Now that’s a large deposit in the bank of SONJA.

2) My first race: The Red Thread Run on 11/4/2006, it was a 5K and I ran 26:50, and got third in my age group (and felt like a rock star).

NOW a little under 6 months later: James Spank 5K in 21:17, second woman in the race, and the knowledge that I can run as fast as I did in High School, that my athletic ability can get better, that I am not just some “spent” high school athlete that could never make it in the big world of college sports. I can be bigger that ever...NOW.

3) FOUR duathlons, TWO half marathons, TWENTY-ONE races total since 11/4/2006, so in 6.5 months!! And BUSTING the myth that you can’t race every weekend and not burn out, that it impacts your training negatively. Bah-Hum-Bug, you WANNA race? Then RACE!

4) THREE attitude adjustments, FIVE “I am strong and fast” meditation sessions, ONE new love of swimming, ONE new best friend named Azure, MUCH more sex, ONE happy baby, ONE happy husband, and ONE HUNDRED new and improved happy SONJAs

EVEN IF I NEVER STEP FOOT IN THE WATER TOMORROW, I HAVE ALREADY WON THE RACE.