The past two years of my life have been quite interesting with all the events life has given me. Getting hit by a drunk driver, getting injured, recovering from an injury, graduating college, a new relationship, traveling half way across the country, exploring that relationships depth, then randomly meeting trisooner , the relationship ending, coming back trying to find a job, and sorting through all that a relationship ending brings. There was one thing that I have maintained through all of that though. My love and passion for wanting to exercise, find adventure, and push my body beyond its limit. I guess you could say I have a personality where I like to go above and beyond the norm.

A little over a year ago I was hit by a drunk driver who hit someone else and both cars hit mine. I suffered an injury from it and was in physical therapy for a year and a few months. I was not able to or shall we say allowed to run since that could worsen my injury and then the person who hit me wouldn't be responsible for any of my medical bills. So as hard as it was I didn't run, walked some, but it wasn't intense enough for me so I quit.Previous to being hit by a drunk driver I was on my way to getting into great shape and becoming somewhat of a work out junkie. I would work out for 3 hours straight by taking a 10 minute break every hour and then get back to work. I loved to push myself to the limits and then some.

I finally found out in June right before I took a 2 month trip that I could go back to running. I was so excited, like a little girl whose crush just smiled at her. I finally could start running again and it was perfect timing since I was going to be spending time with someone who had done a few triathalons. That person encouraged me to do my first 5k, even though I thought I was not ready. I was so happy to have accomplished my first 5k, even though I didn't run the whole thing. That was now a goal of mine to be able to run a full one and then eventually get to doing a triathalon. On my trip being away from home, where it was hot, but dry, running was great. I finally built up to where I could run for a half hour straight. Never in my life, due to asthma when younger, could I run that.

I came home after my trip ended and it was not as easy to run. My trip was in the south and I am from New England, right by the ocean, where it gets hot and humid and yucky in the summer. I started running day after I came back and almost got sick. Big change for my body. I kept on running cause even though now I would be doing a 5k by myself I was determined to run one. Then get to biking great lengths after that. I continued training, but not pushing myself as hard as I should have. I ran my first 5k in New England, which for some crazy reason they start them at 11am, hottest time of the day. I did the 5k and couldn't run the whole thing. It was a bit discouraging since I was determined to run the entire thing. Training on a track when all the roads in New England are uneven though made it difficult. I trained some more for a big 5k they have in my home state, lil Rhody.

Then came my 25th birthday and the race was the next day. Had a great day and night celebrating with great friends and having fun. I was so excited the next day to run the whole 5k. I followed some friends up there, one who was way faster than me, so we didn't start together. There were 8000 people at this race. I didn't think it would be as crazy as it was. RI is already a small over populated state, and apparently whenever there is a 5k everyone and their whole italian family comes out of the woodwork to either run or walk a 5k. They started everyone off in groups by their finish time. I put my time down a little longer than I would be. BIG MISTAKE. I got stuck in the back with the walkers and when I was warmed up and wanted to run, it was quite a fiasco. Walkers on the right, runners on the left. That didn't last long. As soon as walkers saw that most runners had gone by they took up the entire street, with jogging strollers and all. As soon as I started running it was a maze. Stopping behind the walkers taking up the whole street, running up on side walks, trying to not get hit by power walkers arms, dodging in and out of them. My oh my! Needless to say I couldn't run the whole thing, part of it due to needing to train much harder, and part of it because of having to stop and go and losing my pace.

The reason I am posting this is because I need to a running, biking, or both partner to train with. Training on my own just isn't cutting it. I admire all of you have done tri's, iron mans and am looking for any advice you have for a humble beginner. I am determined to do my first tri next spring, early summer. I need help and if there is someone in the area, to kick my butt into training. Through all of the ups and downs I have had in the past 2 years, I have continued to have a desire to run and stuck with it. I'm so excited about working up to my first tri:)