Erika Lilley(above at Ironman Wisconsin) who has been my training partner, a fitness coach at my gym and a friend of mine qualified for Kona this past weekend! She is also co author with me on our book, So You Want To Train For Your First Triathlon. She raced at the California Half Ironman and came in second place and got a Kona slot! When I met Erika about a year and a half ago she first contacted me to help her with her training and told me her eventual goal was to go to Kona. I started training with her as a training partner and helping her plan out her training and have watched her grow as an athlete and push herself day in and day out to achieve this goal. I am so excited for her, what an amazing accomplishment! She set this goal and has accomplished it!
SHe is a talented athlete but more than that she works extremely hard to bring out the best in herself. Going in to this race she was not without obstacles. For one she has been busier than ever at work as a fitness coach training more clients than she has ever trained before so her time was limited and her energy was being used up...but this was not an excuse for her...also about 2 weeks before the event she crashed on her bike and it completely cracked and she had bumps and bruises and could have easily bowed out at that point...but that didn't stop her, luckily a local bike shop hooked her up with a new frame and put it together for her so she had a bike to ride.
She stayed focused no matter what and had a great race and now is going to Kona!!!!
Congratulations Erika! I am so proud of you!
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