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Ready for race day.....

A year of preparation is behind me and we are just hours away from the start of Ironman Coeur d'Alene.  It is hard to not be nervous, but you have to put your trust in the work you have done to get to this point.  I wanted to take time to thank each and everyone who has passed along words of encouragement and support, not only for my race, but for the work we are doing for St. Vincent de Paul.  One of the programs your donation to the 2012 Charity Challenge will be to help fund activities for the 20+ children who are housed with SVDP in transitional housing with their families.  These children are victims of circumstances and have no choice in the difficult situation they are in.  I am blessed to be able to race for these children, and their families and to raise awareness for the need for the services provided by SVDP.  Please consider a donation of any amount to the 2012 Charity Challenge.  YOU can make a difference in the lives of many with your donation.  I look f ... Read the rest of entry »

51 and 1.....

Well, here we are.   51 weeks ago I signed up for Ironman Coeur d'Alene.  The 140.6 mile triathlon is considered one of the most grueling endurance events.  It will not only test you physically, but mentally as well.  The journey of preparing for the Ironman has been amazing.  I have met some wonderful people who have encouraged and inspired me, as well as inspired others along their journey....Ironman or not.  I know that I would not be where I am at today without my training partners and the support of my friends and family along the way.  It has been neat to see the people in the community rally around me as well.  I have truly been blessed by all of the support.  When I look at an organization such as St. Vincent de Paul, the same holds true.  It takes a team of great leaders, people willing to help others, people willing to go the extra mile for those who are in need.  As with my support crew, everyone has had a place in getting me ready for thi ... Read the rest of entry »

Paying it Forward.....

Along my journey of training for Ironman and becoming involved with St. Vincent de Paul, I have met some amazing people.  People who have inspired me to be a better person, to reach out and to help those in need.  In our lives, God gives us opportunities to help one another in our everyday lives.  Sometimes it's a listening ear, a generous tip to a kind waitress, or comforting those who are ill.   When the idea of a Charity Challenge came to mind for me, it wanted to make a difference in my community.  Then one day it became personal.  A friend of mine from high school saw my fundraising campaign for SVDP.  She shared with me her story of her father, a man she dearly loved.  Her father was one of those not only helped by SVDP here in the northwest, he gave back by volunteering hundreds of hours to help those in need as well.  Here is her message in her own words: "Tomorrow is four years since my daddy passed away. St. Vincent de Paul was a charity close ... Read the rest of entry »

This one is for you, Mom.

My rediscovery of running began in 2007 when I ran my first half marathon in Coeur d'Alene.   After a successful finish, I began to think of running the full marathon the following year.  I began training and in 2008, I registered for the CdA Marathon.  I had been talking with my mother about running the Race for the Cure with her, as she was a breast cancer survivor.  She had beat cancer, and she had done several Susan G. Komen Races in Montana.  Our schedules always seemed to conflict so I wasn't able to get back to Montana to do the race with her.   I told her of my plans to run a marathon, 26.2 miles.  She was supportive but being the caring mother she was, she also didn't want me to do it.  So much that I could not convince her to come watch me in my first marathon.  She said she could not stand to see me put my body through such a race.  She was excited to see that I finished the CdA marathon and decided to come watch that year as I ran the Mis ... Read the rest of entry »

By the miles.....

On June 28, 2011, I began training for Ironman CdA.  Since then I have logged my swim, bike, and run miles during the course of my training.  Initially, I wanted to see how long it would take me to get from Coeur d'Alene to my hometown of Three Forks, Montana.   I achieved this goal in about 4 weeks so I continued on my path Eastward and began making my way across the United States.  I set a personal goal of travelling from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho  to New York City, New York (2,545 miles), south to Miami, Florida (3,828 miles), west to San Diego, California (6,482 miles), north to Seattle, Washington (7,738 miles) and returning to CdA (8,048 miles).  As of today, I am near Palm Bay, Florida (3,655 miles).  While I will not reach this goal by June 24, 2012 in time for Ironman Coeur d'Alene, I will complete my loop around the United States, likely in the fall of 2012, as I continue to train for other events.   As with the goal of finishing ... Read the rest of entry »

This is why I Tri!

In the spring of 2011, I was moved by a story of the closing of one of St. Vincent de Paul’s programs to help homeless pregnant women.  I met with Jeff Conroy, Executive Director of SVDP, and wanted to know how Evenson Chiropractic could help with the situation involving families with children when faced with homelessness.  The idea of the 2012 Charity Challenge came to mind and I took on a challenge of unthinkable proportions.  I made a deal with Jeff that I would train and compete in the 2012 Coeur d’Alene Ironman Triathlon.   Keep in mind, at this point I had never competed in a triathlon, nor had a competitively swam for that matter.  Along the course of my training and competing, I would raise awareness in our community as well as raise $5,000 for the Family Emergency Services at SVDP. I am asking for your help in reaching my goal by considering a donation to SVDP.  Your donation will help continue SVDP to provide a safe and secure place for families in transition.&n ... Read the rest of entry »