140.6 Smiles

2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run = 140.6 miles. It's called Ironman. I completed two of them in my mid-thirties. At the time, I thought it was just another fitness goal I set for myself. And, yes, it's definitely a huge fitness goal, but 20 years later as I look back at this accomplishment, it was not about crossing the finish line at all. Both the physical and mental strength it took to train for, as well as complete, actually provided me with the physical and mental strength I needed when I found out I had cancer in 2013, as well as learning my husband's cancer was terminal in 2020. I will share what I learned during this part of my life, other than just swimming biking and running 140.6 miles, and how it equipped me for my future self.