In January 2026, I qualified to represent the United States at the 2026 World Triathlon Championship Finals in Pontevedra, Spain. I will race (swim, bike, run) on September 26, 2026,at age 75. The river swim is over a mile, and I’m training for it in Minnesota with two additional trainings in the Dominican Republic.

I’ll be honest: when I think about where this journey started, moments like this one still take my breath away. Not because I think I’m extraordinary. But because I know exactly who I used to be.

Where It Started

In 2006, I was obese, sedentary, and facing serious health risks. I wasn’t an athlete. I wasn’t even close. I was someone who had let her health slip away while life got busy and who finally decided that enough was enough.

What followed wasn’t a dramatic transformation overnight. It’s been twenty years of showing up, adjusting, falling down, and getting back up. It was working with my trainer and consultant, Keith Gosline, who has never once let me focus on what I can’t do, and building a support team that held me accountable when I couldn’t do that myself.

Over time, I lost more than 160 pounds. I became an athlete. I wrote a book about it called “No Quick Fixes: A Fitness Journey for the Real World.” And now I’m heading to the World Triathlon Championship Finals. No quick fixes. Just the work, done consistently, over time.

What Training Looks Like Right Now

I train in Minnesota and travel periodically to the Dominican Republic to work in person with Keith. Right now, my biggest focus is the river swim which is a different challenge than anything I do in a pool, and I respect that. Every training block between now and September is intentional and purposeful.

I’ll be sharing updates here, on LinkedIn, and on Instagram as race day approaches. Follow along for the good days and the hard ones.

What This Has to Do with You

Here is what twenty years of this journey has taught me: the goal is not the point. The commitment is the point.

Today, my goal is Pontevedra. Yours will be something completely different. Maybe it’s walking a mile without stopping or playing with your grandchildren. Maybe it’s feeling strong and energetic heading into retirement. Maybe it’s finally building the healthy habits you keep putting off. Maybe you and your partner want to get on the same page about what the next chapter of your lives looks like.

Whatever it is, that goal is worth pursuing. And you don’t have to figure out how to get there alone. That is exactly what I do.