I began this journey in 2014, as a slightly over-weight, ou
t of shape 48 year-old business owner, married, mother of one, former middle school band director, and care giver for my two elderly parents. I was never an athlete and other than the occasional step or yoga classes at my local gym, I never participated in any group athletics of team sports.
My life was being consumed by work, caring for my parents, and serving as a chauffeur for my daughter, yet I was beginning to realize that for my well-being, I needed to start focusing on improving myself. My daughter would be off to college in the fall and the hours I had been devoting to her and all of her activities, would now be available to me. Not wanting to be the “3-Fs”: fifty, frumpy, and fat, I started to toy with the idea of training for a short triathlon. I figured this might be a good activity for me since it involved three different disciplines and I bored easily with too much repetition. My first step was to sign up for a swim clinic at the YMCA. Little did I know that this would be the day that changed the trajectory of my life!
Following the clinic, the instructor, Joella Richard Baker, a well-known Pittsburgh-area triathlete, member of the US Triathlon team, and local race sponsor, invited me to join her and a group of other women for a ride at a nearby state park. I accepted the invitation and thought riding the popular bike trail, which I had done on a few occasions with my husband, would make for a nice day. She didn’t know all I had was a trail bike and I didn’t know we wouldn’t be riding the trail, but park and farm roads in rural and hilly western Pennsylvania. I was unable to keep up and had to push my bike up most all of the hills, but I would not give up, and neither did Joella, who turned around throughout her ride to make sure I was still alive and headed in the right direction!
Over the next several months, I continued to engage with the group and connect with other women triathletes in the area, progressing on my bike (I actually bought a real road bike), as a swimmer, and as a runner. During this time, I met two of what would become my best friends and training partners who actually convinced me to do some local triathlons. I had made a commitment to myself and to them, and the journey officially began.
By the time I was 50, I met my goal of not being fat and frumpy. Avoiding turning 50 was not a viable option! I better admit to you that I probably exceeded my goal, for I completed my first Ironman Triathlon – that’s right, an Ironman, before my 51st birthday! For those of you who may not be familiar, Ironman is a single-day race that combines a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and a 26.2 mile run. Since Ironman Chattanooga 2016, I have continued to train and finished Ironman Lake Placid in 2018. Keep in mind, I said finished, not competed for the podium – both took me over 16-hours!
Over the past 6 years, I struggled to find training and nutrition information specifically for women, especially those who are pre- and post-menopausal. With that in mind, and the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic which put our group travel business into an extended hibernation, I decided to set a new goal and combine my two loves, training and travel. I spent 6-months preparing for the ACE (American Council on Exercise) Personal Trainer Certification and passed the exam with flying colors on my first attempt. As co-owner and Vice-President of a group travel planning company for more than 20-years, I have merged these two loves into a new venture, Hot Flash Training & Travel.
Geared toward middle-aged women who want to become healthier & more active, and / or who may love adventure travel, Hot Flash Training & Travel can meet your needs through private virtual training and small group adventure travel! If you are looking to have a healthier lifestyle, shed a few pounds, become stronger, and / or try new experiences and adventures, I’m here to lead you on your journey. Let’s have fun and live life to the fullest!