This September, I will be competing in my first Iron man ever. I am equally excited, and at the same time terrified.
My journey for triathlons began early November of 2015. I had just gotten back from the greatest trip of a lifetime, UPW with Tony Robbins in LA. I was on a high you could not believe. While I was there, I remember messaging my friend Todd, about how excited I was and how I couldn't wait to go back home and tell him about it.
The day I got home, I received some of the worst news I have ever had to bear to find out.
My friend Todd had taken his own life.
I was crushed, and the enormous high took a sky dive down into one of my lowest lows. I remember feeling so much pain, and it just wouldn't go away. It was constant. Todd Berger was such a light in the lives of so many people. You could ask anyone who knows him, even only slightly, they will have some hilarious story to tell you or how he once brightened their day.
There was only two ways I dealt with the pain. One being, drinking myself silly, and one being athleticism.
I thank God everyday I chose the correct of the two.
I remember going to the gym whenever I had free time, and just running until I couldn't anymore. Biking until I couldn't anymore. Doing any kind of physical activity, until I couldn't anymore. It made the pain ease, and eventually, go away.
I decided in that month that I could take some awful, and turn it into something good.
So I began training for my first triathlon.
The above picture is from my very first triathlon in Ashwaubenon, WI after I had finished. I remember being tired at the last stretch and wanting to be done. Until I remember hearing my mother shout at me from the sidelines, "Do it for Todd!!" And you bet your ass I sprinted to the end.
Now, I will be doing my first Iron man this September, to push myself to limits. I will never stop growing who I am personally, and I only hope my story can help inspire someone else to start theirs.
With love,
KMK