Tri 2 Inspire - The Making of Bionic Bri

Little “a” is my new name for Alzheimer’s.  I came up with that name from my friends that have battled against cancer and they call it Little “c”.  By calling it Little “a”, it takes away its power.  Since my mother was diagnosed I have given Little “a” too much power.  At times I allowed it to make me feel overwhelmed, useless, and helpless.  I allowed Little “a” to bring the darkness upon me.  The darkness is my name for depression.  I have dealt with the darkness before, such as when I was laid off unexpectedly and when my father passed away.  Little “a” momentarily had me thinking there was no way out of the darkness, that all was lost.  Fortunately with the support of my husband I reached out and got the help that I needed. Part of my early treatment with Little “a” meant joining a Little “a” care giver support group, going to see my therapist (everyone should have a therapist on speed dial), and being placed on a low dosage anti-depressant.  I know there are many in the Afri

My tri race season has come to an end.  Overall it was successful with several PRs and great memories, but in all honesty I’m burned out, especially mentally.  I raced a LOT this year.  So far I have done 23 races that included road races, triathlons, and open water swims.  Next year I will not be racing as nearly as much.  Don’t get me wrong I love to race, but with the challenges I have had to face coping with my mom’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, it was too much.  I only have four triathlons on my schedule for next year (Richmond Tri Club Sprint, Monticelloman Olympic, Rev3 Quassy, and Ironman Mont Tremblant), compared to the eight that I did this year.  I’ll be cutting back on my road races as well.  Now it’s time for me to work on some things during the offseason. Find a long term companion / caregiver for my mom.  Since my mom was diagnosed I have had a couple of people to help out with my mom.  For one reason or another things have not worked out and I find myself

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”   T.S. Eliot On Monday, August 19 th , I signed up for my first Ironman – Ironman Mont Tremblant!   As I waited for registration to open at noon, I thought I was going to either pass out or lose my mind.   My heart was beating crazy fast and my breathing was sporadic.   When registration opened there were already 100 people ahead of me.   There must be some Flash Gordon typists out there because I started the registration process right at noon.   When it was my turn to register, I was a nervous wreck!   I’m a pretty good typist, but I couldn’t type to save my life.   I finally got it together and completed my registration.   When I saw my confirmation I let out a whoop and started to cry.   I know, that is sad, but this race is so much more than just a race to me. Ever since I completed IM 70.3 Augusta I knew I wanted to do an Ironman.   I didn’t know when or which one, but I knew doing a full I

“Each of us must confront our own fears, must come face to face with them.   How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives.   To experience adventure or to be limited by the fear of it.”   Judy Blume On Sunday, May 5 th , I will be returning to Lake Monticello (Charlottesville) to participate in the Monticelloman Olympic triathlon.   The first time I attempted to compete in this race, things did not go well.   I DNF’d.   I didn’t make it past the 1500 meter open water swim portion of the race.   I lost valuable time from panicking in the water and did not make the 50 minute time cut-off.   I was pulled out of the water and brought to shore.   I was embarrassed, angry and inconsolable.   Over the next couple of days after the race, I considered quitting triathlon.   I honestly thought I was not good enough to be a triathlete.   I didn’t want to face my husband, coaches, especially my swim coach, teammates and tri friends.   I felt I had let every

“I know God will not give me anything that I can’t handle, I just wish He didn’t trust me so much.”   Mother Teresa My training plays a daily role in my life (I consider rest a part of my training too).  It allows me to prepare for my races and meet the goals that I set for myself.  Most importantly, my training helps me to cope with life’s challenges.  On New Year’s Eve I was faced with one of the greatest challenges of my life; my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.  I am an only child.  My mother and I are very close.  She raised me on her own and instilled a strong sense of faith, family, and determination in me.  She and I talk almost every day, sometimes several times a day.  She is my best friend and advisor, and I can always count on her to have my back.  At the age of 71 my mom received her master’s degree in divinity.  She is vibrant and loves to bake.  I could not ask for a better mom. So why at the age of 73 has my beautiful mother been diagnosed with such