There are so many posts and blogs that I want to write and I always have a hard time finding the time but it is time that I write this one that I have been thinking about since September. In July my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. For next few months following I listened while my mom talked to me about finding out more details on what stage of cancer she had, what team of doctors she wanted to work with and what the plan was for getting rid of the cancer. We found that she had stage 1 and she chose to go the route of a double mastectomy. In September I packed my swim, bike, run gear and drove home to bakersfield to be with my mom while she had her surgery. All went well and she is currently in the second phase of reconstruction and it was determined that she will take femaral for the next 5 years as a preventative for the reoccurrence, so no chemo. We had the best result one could ask for. As she was going through all this I had thought I would dedicate Ironman World Championships to her. In my heart I had but I never wrote it down. As we know that race did not go so well so I have been given another chance and this time I will do it right. There is more. In January this year I learned my best childhood friend, Lisa Freeman, father was diagnosed with melanoma (with no point of origin). It was pretty serious and they were heading to a cancer center everyday for his treatments. Lisa started a care page so all his friends and family could follow his progress. I have been checking and posting here and there through out the year. When I went home in September I stopped in to see Darrell and he was in great sprits but he looked very sick. He has had numerous, too many to remember, surgeries, with lymph nodes removed right and left. He has been AWESOME with his attitude, going to all the USC home games and staying positive; he has been fighting the fight. I grew up this family and even though over the years we have grown up and done our own thing, Lisa and her family will always be my second family. Hell, her mom and my mom got Lisa and I drunk for our first time ever when we were 14! Anyway, the cancer has gotten to a point where there is nothing more the doctors can do and Darrell has been given the “a few weeks to a few months to live”. Even with that he made it down to the latest USC game and he even had a HUGE 60th b-day party where the USC band came and played in front of his house in Bakersfield! Amazing. The cancer has just spread to his lungs and liver; things are not looking good. As I write this I have tears in my eyes for Lisa, her mom Pat and her brother Jacob. I am so sorry they are all having to go through this. Darrell is being as awesome as ever and spending as much time with his family and friends. It seems so trivial to be training for a race, even though it is my job, it just seems trivial. I have no idea what I can do to help Darrell and Lisa other than continue to think of him. As I am in my final prep for IM AZ I want it to be known that I will be dedicating this race to Darrell and his family and know that even though there may be periods where I don’t feel good or things are not going as I want, Darrell and his family are going through much more. I also want it to be known that I will dedicate IM AZ to my mom, who showed me that strength in the heart and putting your fears on the shoulder of the man upstairs can get you through the most scariest thing you can think of.

much love, Gina