It's happening! I'm going to do my first Ironman 140.6 this year!

Ok, I will back up a bit here.

First off, welcome to my FIT with Forge blog! Though FIT is obviously short for fitness (and there's plenty of that here), this FIT stands for FINDING INNER TRIUMPH. Sure, it's an amazing feeling when you cross a finish line, and I bet it's fantastic when you win, but it's remarkable when you enjoy the experience and you treasure the journey. I think it's important that people realize their inner strengths and remember we have the power to change our own lives, to make big strides, to conquer goals and to prove to ourselves that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. I am one to speak. A few years ago, I said I couldn't run more than 3 miles. Then I ran everyday across the country (that deserves its own blog post!), knocked off a handful of marathons and figured why not try a TRI?! After each race distance, I recall saying I'd never do more, but I knew I had it in me just like everyone else. I may not win the race, but I always finish with a full heart, strong body and the self-realization that I am physically capable of whatever my mind tells me I am capable of. I am happy while being healthy - and that, my friends, is the key.

So this is my last year in my 20's, and the road to 30 is going to be the most challenging and fulfilling yet. With a new year in play and a huge feat to come, I wanted to share my story with all of you. I love being inspired by others, so I hope you can find something here to encourage you, or simply make you smile. Or you can laugh and point that I just signed my life away :)

So let's get to that!...

After months of contemplating a full Ironman, I decided it was time to finally take the plunge. After all, if there was a year to do this, it would certainly be now, after having done an IM 70.3 this past fall. So on Friday night, January 9, 2015 (a day for my history books!), at T2 Multisport (great cycling studio in NYC), I got on the computer and bought a general entry for IRONMAN Mt. Tremblant 140.6 in Quebec, Canada - a race scheduled for August 16, 2015. (For those who may not know - an Ironman 140.6 is named for the mileage: 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run) And with a sign up of that level, comes the need for a more-than-proper training plan. My IM 70.3 was a lonely experience, though I had great support through my Training Peaks account (thanks coach Land!) So right there in that very same moment, I joined the Terrier Tri team, headed by the same folks that run T2. (Hi coach Robert!) I'm pumped to be able to train alongside some of the strongest (and nicest!) athletes in New York, and be challenged in a way I can greatly look forward to.

Oh wait, that's right. No time to "look forward" to anything - because training began 12 hours later! Compu-trainer class the next morning (one day we'll breakdown the greatness of that!) and then a dual workout on Sunday: 8-mile AM run and a PM speed swim. It's surely getting real, folks. And I'm getting excited. So stay with me, and let's make this one HEALTHY, HAPPY, IRON STRONG new year!

-BForge

CAPTURED! Me signing up for my first Ironman 140.6

Marked my calendar. See you August 16th, Canada!