Hey Everyone!  Thanks so much for visiting this fundraising page.  The reason you are here is that I am officially 40 (as of April 8, 2010)!!!  A few friends and loved ones told me in the summer of 2009 that they had gained weight after turning 40 and that it was really difficult to lose it.   I thought it best to get into better shape BEFORE turning 40.  I am still working at this because even though I am training hard, I do enjoy my treats.  In order to celebrate the milestone of turning 40 I decided to complete an Olympic-sized triathlon.  In September, I joined a triathlon class and explained my goal to my coach.  I said “you know I am kinda halfway through life, so I think I should do something big”.  She said “well you should do a Half Iron Man then”.  After consulting with her further, to ensure she really thought I could actually complete the event (and doing some soul searching of my own), I decided to take on the challenge.  I committed to completing a Half Iron Man.   My race, The Ironman Calgary 70.3 took place in and around Calgary on August 1, 2010.  It consisted of a 2 km swim in Ghost Lake - brrrrrrrrrrrr, a 94 km bike in the windy footHILLS, and finally a Half Marathon run in and around the scenic Glenmore Reservoir - 21 KM of fun fun fun!  But I did it!  It took me exactly 7 hrs and 21 seconds, I decided to get my money's worth.  My training races began with the Halloween Howl 10km run and the St. Patrick’s Day 10 km run. I completed my Half Marathon training race on April 25, 2010 finishing the Calgary Police Half in 2:11:23.   My final “warm-up” consisted of an Olympic Triathlon in Wasa Lake on June 13, 2010 which I completed in 2:57.  I have also signed up for the Olympic Tri In Banff on Sept. 11 as I thought I'd be trained and ready for another challenge.  I am not sure about that decision as I'll likely be swimming in a glacier fed lake!

After deciding to take on the Half Iron Man I thought it would be a good opportunity to raise funds for an important cause.  After some research I chose Canadian Feed The Children, as they give one of the highest percentages directly back into programs and communities (ie. they spend less money on administrative costs).  They provide services and programs within Canada as well as abroad; and as a teacher I wanted to focus on helping kids.  The organization is dedicated to reducing the impact of poverty on children around the globe.  Check out the website to see where donations go www.canadianfeedthechildren.ca..  Each time I go for  bike or run I am filling my water bottles and I often think about how lucky I am to be able to drink water in abundance while some folks only have drops a day.  Clean and accessible water is my focus, so I would like to put money towards building a well in a community without one.  However, I am able to put your donation directly toward a program and/or community of your choice as well.  You can request chickens, goats, gardens, and even sports and recreation supplies. Just let me know where you’d like your donation directed and it will happen.  Also, just so you know, Canadian Feed the Children is an independent Canadian registered charity.  For all online donations a tax receipt is automatically generated and emailed back to the donor, no matter the amount.  Mailed in donations at or above $10 will also automatically receive a tax receipt.  Again, I really appreciate you reading this.  I hope you will sponsor me today by making a donation from this page. Thank you so much for supporting me and Canadian Feed The Children!