Richmond Team Rocks Ironman Florida

Today, 9 of my teammates and 3 of my coaches are on one of the biggest journeys of their life. Swimming 2. 4 miles. Biking 112 miles. And capping it all off with a full marathon just for the hell of it. Today, is Ironman Florida.

These are normal people. People like you and me. Professors, network engineers, waitresses, ropes course instructors, research analysts, computer geeks and stay-at-home moms. These are average people who have chosen to accomplish something extraordinary today. And, as I write this they are winding up the 112 mile bike course. I can't tell you how much these women have inspired me. I trained with them closely for the first 6 months of their season, as we all trained for Eagleman together. This women have accomplished so much, just even getting to the starting line. They have trained for nearly a year. Sacrificing many hours at home with their loved ones so they could complete long brick workouts. Finding ways to train on the road while traveling for work. Biking and running in extreme conditions, rain, and wind and in the dark, because there just wasn't enough hours in the day, to get it all in. They have run miles and miles on some of August's hottest days and biked bundled in all their winter gear, trying to keep their toes from freezing.

Today, they started in the dark, at 7 a.m. swimming in the Gulf of Mexico. Today, they will become Ironmen -- 8 of them for the first time. And, at midnight, some 17 hours later, the last of these warriors, who chose to take on something greater than themselves...will finish the longest day of their life.

Deanna B.,

Suzie Q,

Karen,
Carmen,

Shelley,

Granidson,

Deanna L.,

Cyndi,

Lynn,

Anna,

Som

and Blake, Congratulations

YOU are IRONMEN. You are amazing. You are representing Richmond well.

Now, go get your tattoos!