Back in October I received a message suggesting that I apply for a local athletic wear sponsorship program. The message mentioned that… “This would be perfect for you.  Every year we have one sponsored athlete who inspires our business and our customers. As a Sponsored Athlete, you would be our stores spokesperson, the person who embodies our spirit and leads an active, healthy lifestyle.  Applications are due by the end of the week.” 

Well… I’d known about the program but never thought in a million years that I had a chance. So, like we all do way too often… I blew it off. That is until I received the above message. At that point I figured it was a “sign” and had no choice but to launch into hyper-mode.

Magically with the support of my wing-woman I managed to pull together a meaty presentation that included a 10-question application. Question #1 was, “Tell us your Story.” Yikes, I thought. When you’ve been around as long as I have your story tends to be kind of long. This might take a while…

If you’ve been paying attention you’ll know whether I got the sponsorship or not. The rest of you will have to wait to find out. For now I thought I’d share question #1, My Story.

#1 – Tell us your story. How did your athletic Journey begin, and how has it evolved? What athletic and life events have shaped who you are as a person? What inspires your commitment to your sport?

On June 1^st 1997, I completed my first 100-mile bike ride. At the time I weighed nearly 220 lbs. I signed up for the event with The Leukemia Society’s Team in Training program because my friend Michelle was convinced, “we’d lose tons of weight and meet hot guys.”

Unfortunately, all the “hot guys” rode much faster and saw us as nothing more than something to navigate around. And, since Michelle and I lived on a diet of French fries and red wine, neither of us lost more than a few pounds. In the end we both managed to survive the event, Michelle was simply happy to be finished, but for me, this is where my story truly begins.

After that first century ride, I was hooked on cycling. I learned that you didn’t have to be a skinny-minny to ride a bike well. In the years that followed I went on to coach cyclists for TNT and was later appointed Assistant Head Coach for the NorCal TNT program. It was coaching for TNT that gave me the opportunity to witness just how unbelievably inspiring it is to watch an unlikely athlete, a regular, everyday person reach their goal. Most everyone I worked with struggled to ride a bicycle up the smallest hill at first, often so frustrated they were brought to tears. It was heart breaking. For me it was seeing the excitement and pride on those participants’ faces as they crossed the finish line that often brought tears to my eyes.

In 2002, I was talked into trying bike racing. At 42 years old and 163 pounds, I entered my very first race. Older and at least 40 lbs. heavier than anyone else in the field, miraculously I managed to win the race. Frankly, I was shocked as the race was a hill climb from Stinson Beach up to the top of Mt. Tam. Me, the heavy girl with the big legs won an uphill bike race. Astonishing! After that race, I raced my bicycle for various local teams until finally starting my own team. I officially retired as an “elite” cyclist in 2006. After that first race I went on to take 1^st place in just one other event, although I enjoyed years of successful top 10 finishes.

These events have led me to where I am today. I’ve seen for myself that you really can do anything you set your mind to, no matter who you are or what you look like. Today my life is dedicated to encouraging the unlikely athlete to step outside of her comfort zone and go for it.

Personally, I am not currently committed to any one sport. I love to run, ride, practice yoga and taking the occasional swim in freezing Aquatic Park. My commitment is to being the best I can be at whatever sport I am participating in on any given moment. My inspiration comes from my current clients and the memory of those TNT days. I am inspired by everyone I’ve helped, seeing the joy in their eyes when they discover that they really can do anything.