Duke Liver Tri a Huge Succes!

What a great day! The RMEC sent eight teams (24 athletes) to compete in the Duke Liver Half Ironman this Sunday. We had a blast, and produced some impressive times along the way. Once the official results are out, I will give a race recap, and publish the results to the blog. I will also post tons of pictures and a slide show once I can collect everyone's pictures.

For now I want to pass out some "thank yous". . .

• Thank you Andy, Carol, and Jennifer. . . for coming to the event and cheering like we were all world class champions. It made us all feel great. Thanks Andy and Carol for making a special trip to lug down tons of gear, and a tent to make things more comfortable for everyone. It was no short walk from the race start to where we were parked.
• Thank you Mike. . . for finding us eight swimmers to pull these relay teams together. Your dedication to the Master's Swim Program was shining through on Sunday as Rocky Mount swimmers flew through the water, and into the transition area. You are already sorely missed in Rocky Mount.
• Thank you Kinnie. . . for coming up with this idea. I never dreamed 24 athletes from the greater Rocky Mount area would all be competing in a Tri event. Your team was the first stone cast into the water, but the ripple effect was huge.
• Thank you Eric. . . for organizing countless rides on the course, many times sacrificing your own workout pace to ensure new cyclists felt comfortable on the ride. Your knowledge of cycling, and your willingness to share with the team helped to create some new passionate cyclists. Thank you also for organizing and hosting a fantastic cookout this summer.
• Thank you Ken and Kim. . . for filling in at the last minute to keep the tri teams intact. We never expect injuries, but when they popped up, both of you were there to fill the void.
• Thank you family members (too many to name). . . for putting up with us while we trained, taking care of the kids, and coming to the race to cheer. I felt like we were one big family at the race. All of us cheering for and supporting each other. The presence of Rocky Mount was strong before, during and after the race.
• Thank you Ursula. . . for more than you will ever know. I too often get the credit for organizing things for the RMEC team. Truth of the matter is none of it would be possible without you by my side. For that I will always be grateful. Thank you also for taking countless photos. I felt like we had an official photographer chronicling the RMEC's performance. You were there to capture virtually every moment of the race, and it is appreciated by much more than me.
• Thank you athletes. . . for sacrificing months of training to do your best. Each and everyone of you should feel proud of your accomplishments. What we did on Sunday was no easy task. Congratulations to all of you. You never cease to amaze me, make me laugh, make me smile, and make me proud to be part of such a stellar team.

For those who were not able to participate, I hope you will considering doing this next year. This truly was an amazing and bonding experience! I got more enjoyment from seeing 24 people participate than I did my own race. Seriously, think about that for a minute. 24 people! Two years ago would you ever have dreamed 24 people from around the Rocky Mount area would do such a thing?

There is a fitness movement happening in our little town. Make sure to keep inviting new people along for the journey!