Nautical Malibu Triathlon, September 17, 2006

Dear family and friends:

It's all over!!!! What can I say. I'm at a loss for words. Now that the Malibu Triathlon is over, the sense of loss (adrenalin crash) is as profound as the exhilaration of crossing the finish line (in one piece). The experience, however, will stay with me forever.

It was the most perfect day imaginable. The first sounds of the day were quite ominous and intimidating - listening to the Malibu surf crashing in the still of the early morning darkness as we awaited the start of day. But then the sun rose to a day made in heaven - a placid sea, breathless breeze, soft, rolling surf, gentle currents, sun-kissed canyons, a sparkling ocean landscape and high energy and friendly athletes.

After being knocked around by the Zuma beach waves the day before (Saturday) for our last practice swim - I smiled with confidence that this day was all about fun. To be sure, every part of the endurance trail had its challenge. It seemed that someone kept moving the buoys - the closer I swam, the further away they seemed. But getting through the surf was a breeze and I didn't have to compete with the waves or currents for the 1/2 mile swim. Biking the rolling hills of PCH in Malibu was the most fun and least challenging. But, of course, the chain fell off my bike, and I lost time stopping to fix it. At least it wasn't a flat!!!! And the run was indeed agonizing (someone called it a death march), but it was the end of the trek and you knew that it was just a matter of time before it was all over. And, toward the end of the run, one of my team mates, Julie Friedman, and I hooked up (I should say she caught up to me - after I passed her on the bike, she moved in on my butt on the run), and together we put in a fairly good clipping pace for the last 1.5 miles.

The camaraderie throughout the trek was enormous. Everyone, even your competitors, gave you (much needed) advice, marked your body (besides marking your race number on your arms, you actually have to put your age in big black ink on your right calf - how embarrassing), gave you body glide for your wet suit, cheered you on, high 5'd you (as they passed you on the trail), and gave you supportive smiles and words of encouragement. "You're almost there" - at times seemed like an empty promise, but the kindness was never lost.

The elite athletes were indeed amazing!!!! You had the likes of Carl Lewis and other Olympians. Blink once and they were on to the next event - lightening speed. But there were also 80 year old men and women - kicking butts!! Put me to shame. There were also the challenged athletes exemplifying astonishing fortitude and courage. Really amazing stuff. My friends even told me there was a female athlete who ran out of the mile swim, grabbed her baby from her hubby, nursed the baby, and then jumped back into the bike transition!!!! Tell me women can't multi-task.

So, in the end, not only did I finish, but as the above photo shows - I placed 5th in my age/gender category. But before you get too excited, the results are mostly a testament to the advantages of old age - there is no competition. So, you can come in last place and still earn a place on the winner's platform. This twisted outcome, I am convinced, can only be attributed to the mischievous influence of the two women that I dedicated this race to - Cindy Williams and Juanita Tate. These two ladies both passed from Leukemia and they both loved a good joke and laugh!!! Thanks girls.

However the outcome, I am motivated to keep up the good habits. Working out 6 times a week, with an emphasis on biking and swimming. An occasional competition. Great new adventures. Supporting great causes. Yep, my New Year's resolution come true.

I want to thank each of you that supported this venture of mine. Marcus said he is glad that it's over, because I was driving him crazy - yak,yak, yakety yak!!!! So thank all of you who listened to me and put up with the obsession. But in the end, like Marcus, I also hope that you are "proud of me" (he actually said that - can you imagine that coming from a teenager) and our accomplishments. We raised over $3k. My team mates and I together raised over $200,000 for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society. After hearing and meeting some of the beneficiaries of new blood cancer treatments, I am honored to have been a part of the effort to "find the cure" and I thank you as well. If you still want to donate, the window is open for another 2 weeks, but I ask that you visit my website to make your donation.

http://www.active.com/donate/tntgla/denfair

My fondest appreciation. Next up - World Peace!!!! See you next time.

Denise