The Jacket!

 

This photo holds so many memories—miles shared, finish lines crossed, and people I’ve had the honor of running alongside.

I’ve completed 25+ marathons, including 15 Ironman races (Including Kona) … but qualifying for the Boston Marathon with a 3:47 has been a challenge. Not because I can’t—but because I choose to run with others, to help them reach their goals.

So, one day, I ran Boston virtually on @iFIT with Ashley Jensen Paulson… and even got a “congratulations” email from there and yes ai posted it on April 7th.

Then my incredible sibling surprised me with a 2025 Boston Marathon jacket—and it felt like it found me for a reason. I’m so thankful she would do that for me!

But I’ve been sitting with this…

Would you wear it? or continue to keep trying to qualify for the Boston Marathon or get in through a charity?

I love changing people lives with what I do and to focus on just me attempting that goal might be tougher than I think. Thoughts?

Medal Monday!

Look closely what don't you see .....  The A!! I this this is hilarious; it's a special edition! 

 

First Half Marathon I have run by myself in years I mean YEARS!

 

Nothing like race day in 37° to wake you up really quick.

Cold (to me), crisp air, rolling hills, and that bite in your lungs that reminds you—you’re alive and in it. The Milwaukee Half Marathon delivered all of it. Bumps, valleys, and just enough challenge to keep you honest.

Let’s talk prep for a second—because this mattered today.
Headband for the ears, gloves (that I should have kept on), half socks, Lululemon leggings, Athleta long sleeve with a Nike tank underneath, and a Lululemon sports bra—layered to keep my core warm. Yes I did have my NEW Nike Alphaflys? Absolute game changer. Felt incredible.

Nutrition? Kept it simple and real.
The night before: mac & cheese, disaster bars, and gummy candy (no Peeps… still holding strong on that challenge 😅).
Morning of the race: rice cakes, coffee, a few gummies about an hour before.
Took Imodium to keep things under control, sipped Powerade, and headed to the start.

Then a plot twist—I get bumped into the elite corral.
Was NOT expecting that. My friend Ann was in a different corral, so right there I knew… this was my race to run alone. I made a decision: go for sub-2 hour, I’ll admit it… mile 2 (bathroom), mile 7 (frozen hands), and mile 10 (bathroom round two) humbled me.

Each one in a different way.

Mile 7 especially—I took my gloves off too early and paid for it. Pinky fingers completely frozen. That’s on me. Lesson learned.

Mile 10? No negotiating. Had to stop. Waited in line, handled it, and got right back after it.

But here’s the thing—I never lost my rhythm. Miles 10 to 13.1? Locked in. Strong. Controlled.

Finished in 1:57 and change. Let’s be real—that time with bathroom stops and unexpected solo racing? I’ll take that all day.

After the race, connected with people, walked through the vendors, soaked it all in. Eventually met back up with Ann, and we rode the bus together—already talking about the next one.

That’s what this is about. Not perfect conditions for me, not a perfect race for me with all the bathroom stops but it's about showing up, adjusting, and still executing.

Milwaukee half was so fun and I’ll be back next year. 

October? Milwaukee Marathon is already locked in as a training run for the 50 miler.

Off to the next race(s). Let’s go.

#IronSunshine ☀️ #NoThyroidAthlete #EnduranceAthlete #ThyroidWarrior #StrongOver50 #LetsGo #Faith

April goal

 

There’s something I’ve been craving lately… and it’s not more movement or more doing.

It’s reflection.

For so long, life has been go, go, go. Early mornings, classes, training, family, responsibilities… and somewhere in all of that, I realized how easy it is to keep moving forward without ever really stopping to process where you’ve been.

That’s where journaling comes in.

Not as something fancy. Not as something perfect. Just honest.

I’ve started to see it differently—not as “writing about my day,” but as a way to understand it. A way to sit with my thoughts instead of rushing past them. A way to actually feel what’s going on instead of just pushing through.

And the part I didn’t expect to love as much as I do?

Going back.

Flipping through pages from weeks, months, even years ago… and seeing moments I had forgotten. Reading words from a version of me that was in the middle of something hard… and realizing, I made it through that.

Seeing growth I didn’t notice in the moment.
Remembering feelings that felt so big back then… and now feel different.
Understanding myself in a deeper way.

It’s like having a conversation with your past self—and realizing how much stronger you’ve become.

There’s so much that can come out of it… if you give yourself the space.

So this month, I’m making a quiet commitment.

For April, I’m going to journal every single day. Nothing long. Nothing perfect. Just consistent and alongside that, I’m spending time in my Bible app—starting my mornings with something grounding before the day takes over. Not because I have to. But because I want to be more intentional. More aware. More connected. More present in my own life. Because maybe growth isn’t always about doing more…

Maybe sometimes, it’s about finally taking the time to look back and realize how far you’ve already come. 🤍

#NoThyroidAthlete #IronSunshine #EnduranceAthlete #ThyroidWarrior #StrongOver50

There’s something I’ve been carrying in my heart lately, and it finally feels like time to say it out loud.

 

 I have big goals. Not the kind people expect and not the safe ones. Not the “just stay active” or “just be healthy” kind. I mean real goals—the kind that stretch you, challenge you, and don’t always make sense to everyone else. The kind that sits quietly in your chest and remind you… you’re not done yet.

That part of me has never changed.

I’ve been this way for as long as I can remember. Even as a kid, I believed in setting goals—weekly, monthly, yearly—not because I thought I’d hit every single one, but because they gave my life direction. They gave me something to chase and kept me from drifting. It became something I passed down to my kids too. Write them down. Put them where you can see them. Go after them. And if they don’t happen, you don’t erase them or throw them away—you carry them with you, you adjust, you grow, and you become the person who’s ready for them. Because not every goal is meant for right now, and that’s the season I’m in.

Right now, I have big goals in front of me. Qualifying for Boston is still there—it always has been—but if I’m being honest with my schedule, my training, and where my energy needs to go, that’s not the goal for this year. And instead of forcing it or trying to chase everything at once, I’m choosing to focus. Because right now, the goal in front of me is clear: breaking the 9:30:00 barrier in my 50-mile race. That’s not something you casually show up for. That’s not a “we’ll see how it goes” kind of goal. That’s time, endurance, long days, tired legs, and building an engine most people never even try to build.

Boston is still mine, and if I have to find a different path to get there—raising money for something that matters deeply to me—I will. But right now, it’s waiting its turn, and I’m okay with that. Because I’ve learned that just because something isn’t happening right now doesn’t mean it’s not meant for you. Sometimes it just means you’re still becoming the person who can handle it.

I’ve lived that before. It took me 18 years to get to the world Championships Ironman Kona start line. Eighteen years of holding onto a dream that didn’t happen when I wanted it to. Life happened, kids happened, setbacks happened, and most people would have let that dream go. I didn’t. I kept it tucked away, worked towards it every opportunity I got and when I finally got there, it meant everything to me— because I didn't give up and it was built over time. 

To top that off the race I qualified for Kona was the hardest Ironman I’ve ever done—cold, rainy, sleeting, miserable conditions—and I watched people quit all around me. But I wanted this so bad it pushed me mentally and physically in a way that proved I could keep going, even when everything said stop. There was no way I was going to do that, they would have to pull me off the course that's how bad I I wanted it and knew how close I was to getting it! 

Lately, I’ve felt that spark again. Watching Natalie Grabow cross the finish line in Kona at 80 didn’t hit me loud—it hit me deep. Just thinking YES, I want to be 80 years old and finish Ironman Kona again, if she can do I can to. Even with 15 Ironman distance finishes under my belt, it looks like I need to sign up for one every other year so maybe 2027 Ironman Lake Placid, let's see what the cost of that one will be first.

When I think about where that drive comes from, it makes sense. On my mom’s side, it’s endurance. I’ve watched my aunt Ramona run marathons and half marathons, push through pain, bad knees, even after back surgery, and still keep going in her 60s when everything says stop. 

On my dad’s side, it’s strength and determination—powerlifting, competition, that mindset of pushing limits and not letting go once you’ve decided something matters. When you put those together—endurance and grit—you get someone who keeps going, even when it would be easier not to.

Because the truth is, there are days I could sit down and do nothing. Days I could say I’m too tired I get up at 4:02 almost every day. Days were slowing down would make perfect sense.  

However, that isn't who I am! Life is too short to do nothing and yes, I rely on medication every single day, and my body doesn’t always cooperate. I gain weight easily, I don’t lose it the way others do, and I don’t always look like what people expect an athlete to look like and yes, I could use that as an excuse—but I won’t, because that’s not the life I want.

I don’t want to sit on the sidelines and watch life pass by. I want to live it, chase things, and see what I’m capable of doing at any age—even when it’s uncomfortable. However, more than anything, I want my kids to see that. Not perfection, not everything going right, but what it looks like to keep showing up anyway. To have goals, to have dreams, to be patient enough to wait for them and strong enough to work for them.

Because at the end of the day, your mindset is everything. It’s the one thing no diagnosis can take, no setback can steal, and no timeline can control. So, I’ll keep going, I’ll keep setting goals, I’ll keep chasing them, and I’ll keep building toward things that haven’t happened yet—because just because it hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean it won’t.

Keep chasing the sun.

 

Wednesdays are my “later” start—which still means 7:00 AM instead of the 4:45 AM grind. And walking into the Y already alive with people putting in the work? That never gets old… especially on a crisp, cold morning like today. There’s just something about that energy—it hits different.

We kicked things off with a packed Cardio Essentials class—high energy, full room, and so much fun. This is what consistency looks like. This is what showing up looks like. Watching members choose themselves, over and over again? Absolutely priceless.

Then slowing it down for a moment—walking, talking, connecting. Those conversations outside the fitness room matter just as much. That’s where community is built. That’s where people feel seen.

And then… off to Pilates.

I may have had everyone thinking we were about to use everything—rings, bands, balls, weights, even yoga blocks…

April Fools.

We kept it simple with just the ball—but don’t let simple fool you. That’s where the magic lives. That’s where the work gets real. It’s never about how much you use… it’s about how well you show up.

That’s the part most people miss.

Days like this fill me up.

Not because of how many classes I teach—but because of the people I get to impact, the energy in the room, and the opportunity to help someone become just a little stronger, a little more confident, a little more themselves.

That’s everything.

Movement is medicine. Always.

Fall 50 is on!

 I’m signed up for my second 50-mile race — and the clock is on.

206 days out.

This isn’t just another race.
This is the build.

Spring and summer are about to be filled with:
🏊‍♀️ Swimming
🚴‍♀️ Biking
🏃‍♀️ And a whole lot of running

Not crazy mileage yet — this is the foundation phase.
The quiet work. The consistent days that stack up when no one’s watching.

Because I know what’s coming…
and I know what it’s going to take to beat my time of 9:30:00 

Let’s get to work. ☀️🔥

#NoThyroidAthlete #IronSunshine #EnduranceAthlete #ThyroidWarrior #StrongOver50 #fall50

Bring on the warmups!

 

Bring on the WARMUPS!

2026 Events

1. Saturday April 11- Milwaukee Half Marathon

2. Saturday May 2 -La Crosse Half Marathon

3. Sunday May 3 -Eau Claire Half Marathon

3. May 17- Rochester Half 4. May 23 and 24-Madison 5k and Half

5. June 6, 2026- Cedar Rapids Marathon

6. July 25, 2026- Lake Country 70.3

7. August -
8. September - Marathon up north
9. September - Ironman 70.3 ?
10. October - Lakefront Marathon Milwaukee
11. October - Fall 50
12. November - Madison Half

 📌 Educational Disclaimer 🤍

Before you dive into anything I share here, I want to be clear about something important:

This space is built on real-life experience, education, and a whole lot of learning along the way — but it is not a replacement for medical care.

Everything I share is for informational and educational purposes only.
It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace the guidance of your healthcare provider.

Your body, your history, your labs — they are uniquely yours.
And that means your care should be too.

So as you read, learn, and take things in:
✨ Stay curious
✨ Ask questions
✨ Advocate for yourself

But always bring those conversations back to your doctor or qualified healthcare provider.

Never ignore professional medical advice
and never delay seeking it because of something you’ve read here.

This platform is here to support you, empower you, and help you ask better questions —
not replace the people who are responsible for your care.

🤍 You deserve both education and proper medical guidance.

#NoThyroidAthlete #IronSunshine #EnduranceAthlete #ThyroidWarrior #StrongOver50

My Daily Routine: Managing No Thyroid, Blood Pressure, and Training

One of the most common questions I’ve been getting lately is simple:

“How do you actually manage it all?”

No thyroid. Medication. High blood pressure. Early mornings.
Training. Teaching. FUN Life. 

So instead of overcomplicating it, I’m going to walk you through exactly what my day looks like right now.

Not perfect. Not textbook.

👉 Just real—and what works for me.

                              🕓 Early Morning: Medication First

My day starts early.

4:00 AM — I take my T3 and T4.

Always on an empty stomach. This is non-negotiable for me. When you don’t have a thyroid, consistency isn’t optional—it’s everything.

From there, I’m getting ready to move.

                      🏃‍♀️ 5:00 or 6:00 AM: Classes + Training

Most mornings, I’m either teaching or working out.

If I eat anything beforehand, it’s light and quick—usually around 4:45 AM.

Usually:

• Peeps
• Gummy bears
• Black jellybeans

Simple sugars. Nothing heavy.

👉 Just enough to give me a little energy so I can perform without weighing myself down.

Then it’s straight into movement.

                                  🍳 Post-Workout: Real Fuel

After my morning classes, I come home and eat a full breakfast.

This is where I focus on:

• Protein - Kachava shake or Nurri Drink, or Oatmeal with egg whites
• Fueling my body for the rest of the day 

Because here’s the truth:

👉 You can’t run on fumes when your entire system depends on medication and output.

                                        🥗 Midday: Stay Fueled

From there, I keep things consistent:

• Lunch Salad, chicken or tuna yes chips too 
• Snacks in between yogurt, apples, banana 

I don’t skip meals, and I don’t under-fuel—especially with the amount of activity in my day.

That’s a mistake I’ve made before, and it’s not one I repeat.

                             🕒 Afternoon: Second T3 Dose

2:00- 3:00 PM — I take my second dose of T3.

Again, consistency matters.

This helps support my energy levels through the rest of the day.

🍽️ Evening: Wind Down + Balance

Dinner is usually around 6:00 PM.

Nothing extreme—just balanced, consistent, and supportive of recovery.

🌙 Night: Blood Pressure Management 9:30 

Before bed, I take my blood pressure medication.

This timing has worked best for me and helps keep things steady overnight.

                       🧠 What I’ve Learned Through All of This

Here’s the biggest takeaway:

👉 There is no autopilot when you’re managing your health at this level.

No thyroid means:

• No backup system
• No natural regulation

Add in blood pressure and training, and now you’re managing multiple variables every single day.

You have to:

• "Be consistent" and when I'm not, I can feel it!

Some days I feel amazing. Some days I'm feeling totally off.

 👉 And instead of ignoring that—I work with it and tell myself just keep going or I go for a walk. 

                                    💬 Final Thoughts

If you’re navigating something similar, hear this:

You don’t need a perfect routine. This just works best for me. 

👉 You need a consistent and keep showing up.

High Blood Pressure.

 

No Thyroid. High Blood Pressure. Still Showing Up.

There was a point recently where I stopped and thought, what is going on with my body? I was more fatigued than usual, a little dizzy, just… off. At first, I did what a lot of us do—I tried to explain it away. Maybe it’s my glucose. Maybe it’s my blood sugar. Maybe I just need more rest. But something didn’t sit right, so I went in.

My blood pressure? Sky high. Not a little elevated. Not something to “watch.” Dangerously high.

Now, high blood pressure does run in my family, so it wasn’t completely out of nowhere. But still—as an athlete, as someone who takes care of their body—it hits differently. You start asking yourself how you missed it, what else is going on, and how you’re going to manage this on top of everything else.

Because here’s my reality: I don’t have a thyroid. I rely on medication every single day. And now I’m managing high blood pressure too. This isn’t just “take a pill and move on.” This is paying attention, adjusting, and being honest with how I feel.

My doctor started me on blood pressure medication, and after about six months, things are coming back to where they need to be. But that didn’t happen by ignoring it. That happened by addressing it.

Here’s the biggest thing I want you to take from this: when you feel off, something is off. Not always something huge, but something worth paying attention to. Too many people push through, ignore symptoms, and assume it’s just a phase. Sometimes it’s not.

I didn’t guess my way through this. I brought my information in, had real conversations, asked questions, and advocated for myself. And I’ll say this loud—find a doctor who listens to you. I’ve been with my endocrinologist for over 15 years, and that relationship matters. When things change, you need someone who understands your baseline.

I could have stopped. I could have said I don’t have a thyroid, I’m tired. I could have said now I have high blood pressure; I should back off. But that’s not how I’m wired. And this isn’t about ignoring your health—it’s about owning it.

Yes, high blood pressure is serious. Yes, there are risks if it’s unmanaged. But fear doesn’t fix anything. Awareness does. Action does. Consistency does. You don’t stop living—you get smarter about how you live.

No matter what you’re dealing with—no thyroid, high blood pressure, hormones, fatigue, stress—we are all managing "something." That doesn’t mean you stop. It means you pay attention, take care of yourself, build the right team, and keep going.

You don’t ignore your body. You learn it. You support it. And then you keep chasing what matters.

#NoThyroidAthlete #IronSunshine #EnduranceAthlete #ThyroidWarrior #StrongOver50

“Be the athlete you want to be.”

 

How I’ve Worked Through Fatigue as an Endurance Athlete yes again "Without a Thyroid"

Fatigue is something I’ve had to learn how to live with — and more importantly, how to move through.

Not ignore it completely.
Not let it stop me.

But learn how to work with it.

I Built My Life Around Mornings

I’ve always been an early bird even in middle school and high school. I was always the first one in the shower out the door yada, yada.

And one of the biggest decisions I made early was this was going to continue: 

Everything important had to happen in the morning. No exceptions.

My workouts.
My training.
My classes.
My clients.

All of it.

Because I knew something about myself: If I waited until later in the day… it wasn’t going to happen.

Real Life Doesn’t Slow Down

Like most people, my day didn’t get easier as it went on. It got busier.

After school, after work — everything shifted to my kids.

Practices. Games. Homework. Life.  "I wouldn’t trade that for anything."

Now don’t get me wrong — I still found ways to move if I want to add on or needed to do something I missed in the morning. Lots of times I would have clients at 5:00, 6:00, 7:00 am then get the kids off to school go back to work at 8:30 or so finish up with my clients or teaching and I would stay at the gym to do something for myself. 

or 

I’d run while they were at practice. Have them ride their bikes while I trained.
Make movement part of our life together.

But structured training?

That had to be done early.

Why I Don’t Sit Down

Here’s something I’ve learned about myself over the years:

If I sit down when I’m tired…
I’m done.

I’ll fall asleep.

And if I nap?

I don’t wake up feeling refreshed I feel like crap. 

I wake up feeling worse than ever. 

So instead, I made a choice:

Keep moving.

That doesn’t mean going all-out every second.

But it does mean staying in motion, staying engaged, and not letting fatigue take over my entire day.

The Mindset That Changed Everything

This might be the most important piece.

For a long time, I didn’t see myself as an athlete.

Even though I was training.
Even though I was teaching.
Even though I was showing up every day.

But at some point, I shifted that.

I started telling myself:

Be the athlete you want to be.

Because you are what you repeatedly tell yourself you are.

And athletes?

They show up.
They train.
They stay consistent.

Whether they feel perfect or not.

What This Looks Like for Me

With or without a thyroid, this is what I’ve learned:

• Don’t rely on motivation
• Build your day around what matters most
• Train early if that’s when you can control your time
• Stay consistent, even when energy isn’t perfect
• Keep moving forward — even if it’s not your best day

Because not every day will feel great.

But you can still show up.

Final Thought

😏Fatigue may always be part of my life.

But it doesn’t get to decide what I’m capable of.

Because I’ve learned something over the years:

You don’t have to feel 100% to move forward.

You just have to start.

And remember:

A small step still takes you forward.

— Danniela
IronSunshine ☀️

#NoThyroidAthlete
#IronSunshine
#EnduranceAthlete
#ThyroidWarrior
#StrongOver50

UNDERSTANDING YOUR THYROID LABS: A SIMPLE GUIDE (again)

Not let's start here -Your thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland in your neck — but it has a huge impact on your energy , weight , mood , hormones , and overall health.

If you’ve ever looked at your thyroid blood test results and felt confused, you’re not alone. Let’s break down the most common thyroid labs and what they mean:

1. TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone) 
What it does: TSH is made by your brain and tells your thyroid to produce hormones.
Normal range: Around 0.4–4.0 MIU/L (some feel best between 0.5–2.5)
 High TSH = Underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism)
 Low TSH = Overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism)

2. Free T4 (Thyroxine) 
What it does: The main hormone your thyroid makes. “Free” means your body can use it.
 Low Free T4 + High TSH = Hypothyroidism
 High Free T4 + Low TSH = Hyperthyroidism

3. Free T3 (Triiodothyronine) 
What it does: The active form of thyroid hormone that powers your metabolism, energy, and mood.
 Low Free T3 = Poor conversion from T4 → T3 (can happen with stress or inflammation)

4. Reverse T3 (rT3) 
What it does: A “brake” hormone that blocks the effects of active T3.
 High Reverse T3 = Your body may be in survival mode (stress, trauma, illness)

5. Anti-TPO (Thyroid Peroxidase Antibodies) 
What it does: A key marker for thyroid autoimmunity.
 High Anti-TPO = Common in Hashimoto’s or Graves’ disease

6. Anti-TG (Thyroglobulin Antibodies) 
What it does: Another autoimmune marker.
 High Anti-TG = Immune system reacting to your thyroid

7. Total T3 / Total T4
These measure all thyroid hormone (free + bound). Less specific than free T3/T4 but still helpful in some cases.

BONUS: Other helpful labs to check with your thyroid 
 Vitamin D – supports immunity & thyroid function
 Iron / Ferritin – needed to activate thyroid hormone
 B12 and Folate – for energy, mood & nervous system
 Cortisol – high stress can impact your thyroid

STILL FEELING BAD BUT LABS ARE “NORMAL”? 
Many people have “normal” results but still experience:
• Fatigue 
• Weight gain 
• Hair loss 
• Brain fog 
• Cold hands/feet 

This might mean your levels are “in range” but not optimal for you.

THYROID LAB SUMMARY TABLE 

Test – What It Tells You – High – Low
TSH – Brain’s signal to thyroid – Hypothyroid  – Hyperthyroid 
Free T4 – Main hormone produced – Hyperthyroid  – Hypothyroid 
Free T3 – Active hormone for energy – Hyperactive  – Low conversion 
Reverse T3 – Brake hormone (stress-related) – Blocked energy  – —
Anti-TPO / Anti-TG – Autoimmunity markers – Hashimoto’s / Graves’  – —

FINAL THOUGHTS 
Your thyroid is sensitive to:
• Stress 
• Gut health 
• Nutrients 
• Inflammation 

 Don’t rely on TSH alone. Always look at the full thyroid panel and how you feel.
 Work with someone who listens to your symptoms, not just your labs. 

Now this is just information for you, always talk to a Doc. about this. 

Danniela
IronSunshine ☀️

#NoThyroidAthlete
#IronSunshine
#EnduranceAthlete
#ThyroidWarrior
#StrongOver50