Hey there!  Thanks for visiting my small corner of the blog world!  My name is Lee and I am a 41 year old NC native, wife, finance professional, and triathlete.  I live in Raleigh and love North Carolina!  I started this blog to chronicle my training for my first Ironman and to share my story on how I got to that point!  I realized my dream of crossing the Ironman finish line in 2014 in Lake Placid.  I enjoy sharing my journeys and adventures on the blog, so I continue to write and chronicle my passion for triathlon and my love for life!

I did not grow up participating in sports; I was into music and dance.  If it was not for a new adventure undertaken by my husband (Tony) in March 2007, I may not have ever been exposed to triathlon.  At the time of my first tri in June 2009, I called myself a “professional spectator”.  I had supported, cheered and photographed Tony in his journey to become a two time Ironman.

My transition into triathlon was tough!  Part of my battle was losing weight.  I had struggled with my weight for parts of my life.  After college, I started going to the gym regularly, but never committed myself to a program of consistent, quality effort workouts combined with a balanced diet.  So, results did not come.  However, after starting higher intensity, regular workouts, results slowly started taking shape.  I started jogging on the treadmill as part of my exercise routine.  I fell in love with cycle classes and started paying close attention to my eating.  Smaller portion sizes with better balance between “good for you” food (whole grains, lean protein, fresh veggies & fruits) versus those choices which should be consumed in moderation.  The weight loss and increased fitness still came slow, but I was seeing results.  I thought that if I lost the weight slowly, I may have a better chance of keeping it off.  After years of the weight battle, I finally reached my goal weight.  From the heaviest I remember weighing to my current weight (4 pounds less that my original goal), I lost a total of 68 pounds.  I weighed approximately 36 pounds more than my current weight when I did my first tri.

When I signed up for my first sprint triathlon, it was a major commitment for me.  I was stepping outside of my comfort zone, in a big way.  After that first accomplishment, I felt even move motivated to keep going.  I had done something I would have never thought possible.  Three years later, I raced in my first Olympic distance tri.  After I finished, I felt even more emotional since my goals had gotten bigger and the challenges I faced were even tougher.  When I signed up for my first half iron distance race in 2012, my mentality had changed.  I was confident that I could do the training necessary to reach the starting line fully prepared and ready to have a great race.  Don’t get me wrong…I understood this was yet a bigger challenge for me, but I was ready to go for it!

My journey to Ironman in 2014 taught me so much more about myself and where I could go physically, emotionally and mentally.  My day in Lake Placid is one that I will never forget and changed me in ways that only I can fully try to understand.  However, the six months of training to get to the start line, prepared to tackle that goal and dream, is a period of my life that absolutely influenced me in ways that will stick with me forever.

My “Tri Inspired Life” is that I have learned how much one can grow, learn and improve by just setting one initial goal and putting everything into reaching that goal. From there, the dreams and aspirations continued to mature. Over the years, since I made the decision to become fitter and healthier, I have become a person that is stronger, more motivated, and so very committed to maintaining an active lifestyle.  I am proud of what I have accomplished through dedication, hard work, and lots of sweat!!