What Inspires You to Tri?

I was torn when I first started blogging about this couple. Follow along, kids, and you'll see why. You see, a couple years ago I was running a 10K relatively unknown race called "Run For the Rivers" in Verona, Wisconsin. I came across the finish line and was happily munching on bagels and coffee when I hear, "Michelle Page? Is that you?" I look at two people blankly. Turns out, I went to high school with Mike and Jenny Wimmer and there they stood before me. They didn't look all that different from high school, actually. I was really surprised they recognized me since I always thought of myself in high school as a little chubby, out of shape, etc, and here I was in geek-gear. They recognized me from the class reunion website and had heard I did Ironman.

We get to chatting and I remembered that their niece, Sarah, was diagnosed with Diabetes years before. I knew this because her dad, Paul, had called me to tell me that shortly after his 37th birthday, he too, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I was in awe of this is some strange, fixated "mom-of-a-diabetic" way. Jealous isn't the right word...it was more about being curious. I asked him a million questions about what it was like to have it yourself after treating it for years in your child. Is it as hard as they say? Do you look at your daughter differently? Paul said, "You know, it makes it easier to deal with her diabetes because now I really get it. But she said, 'daddy, you got your birthday wish.'...and I said, 'No, honey, my wish was to have diabetes instead of you, and take it away, not to have it TOO.' "

Onward with my story. I kept in contact with Jenny and Mike as they continued on this new fitness path they had found - still do. She comments on my blog, I read hers. Awhile back I almost fell straight off my chair reading her blog. You see, she had before pictures, as in "before exercise" pictures. I was absolutely astounded...and moved...even now I get really choked up about the accomplishments they have achieved. Look at these rockstars - They just did the Pigman 70.3 in Iowa!

So I share their "before" picture because I'm so proud of them and how far they came to reach their goals - and now they kick my ass. Take a moment to read their blog, and be inspired. They've earned it.

http://laurajwimmer.blogspot.com/