05/26/2026
THE EARLY PRO YEARS 88-92
These were amazing races. Chicago Sun Times with over 4000 athlete and one of my favorite races where I logged a 1:48 Olympic distance tri. The fast bike course meant 52 minute bike split and 30 minute 10k run. The swim was always choppy but fun in Lake Michigan. The transition was always long.
The Miami Bud Light Pro Series was a blast with some fun ocean swims and a scorching bike held on the downtown streets. It was my very first pro race. Oh my!
The 1/2 Ironman in Panama City where I finished with a 3:52:34 and ran a 1:15 during the 13.1 run. That was amazing! Although I did get my ass handed to me on the bike. I posted a 18 min 1500 swim which at least put me with the pack.
It wasn’t for a couple years later that I ran a 1:07 PR for the half marathon in Lakeland Florida. My PR before that race was 1:10 and 1:12 before that. Focusing on specific endurance speed changed my overall run speed. It also helped to have some fast runners to train with.
I cherish the years of racing fast but it doesn’t even come close to comparing what it feels like to finish an Ironman with my daughter Cloe Bolen or racing side by side with my love Lauren McGuire or racing with the one and only Ironman Patrick T Utitus-Canez. Those are experiences that bring joy to my heart and feed my soul. Winning races never did that for me. Sure it was fun but it was a completely different feeling.
These days as I fight cancer, get older, and struggle a bit more, I appreciate the day itself more, I appreciate that I am able to still do what I love, just massively slower, but most of all, I cherish all those around me that I get to share the road, track or pool with. It means more these days. So when I say “Thank you for showing up”, I really mean it…..
