Project 9:30 — June 2 to September 19 ☀️❤️
Wow. Where do I even begin?
I finally got back into my blog, and looking back at everything that has happened since I started Project 9:30 on June 2, I almost can’t believe how much has been packed into these last few months.
The original goal sounded pretty simple:
Last year I completed the Fall 50 in 9 hours and 47 minutes. This year, on October 24, I want to go back and break 9 hours and 30 minutes.
Hence…Project 9:30.
But this journey has already become about SO much more than a number on a clock.
For weeks, I’ve been building mileage—early mornings, doubles, long runs, back-to-back miles, treadmill miles, hot and humid miles, biking, swimming, TRX, Pilates, Cycling and all the classes I teach in between.
Some weeks reached around 55 miles of running, and there have been plenty of mornings when the alarm went off at 3:30 AM and the work simply had to get done.
Then came the races.
In August, I headed north for the Paavo Nurmi Marathon. That one turned into quite the adventure. 😂 I was feeling fantastic early and hit the halfway point around 1:41, but after a bathroom stop I missed a turn that wasn't clearly marked and ended up having to backtrack.
By the time it was over, my marathon training day had become 27.8 miles.
Not exactly what was written on the plan—but when you're training for 50 miles, sometimes the bonus miles become part of the story. 😉
Then Project 9:30 threw me another curveball.
I had a mass removed from my back. What I expected to be fairly simple ended up leaving me with about a 4-inch incision and stitches and several days where running wasn't an option.
So I walked.
I recovered.
I listened to my doctor.
And thankfully, the pathology came back benign. ❤️
Slowly I started running again—3 miles, then 5, then 6, then 7—and before long the training started looking like training again.
Then came marathon number two on September 6.
This one wasn't about racing for a PR. It was another long supported training day for Project 9:30. The first 18 miles went pretty well, and then my legs had other ideas. 😂 I finished the 26.2 miles in the 4:30 range, learned a few more lessons about my body, my shoes, pacing and fatigue—and then had six days to recover for another adventure.
IRONMAN 70.3 Wisconsin.
September 12.
And that race became something I never could have planned for.
My sister Bethanne and I started the swim together with one goal: start together and finish together.
She began struggling in the cold, crowded open water, and I stayed beside her. Along the way I heard another athlete yelling for help and stopped to get assistance to him. Later, while Bethanne was resting at a paddleboard, the female volunteer fell into the water, and I helped steady the board so she could climb back on.
Eventually I looked at my sister and knew enough was enough.
The race was over.
We took the DNF.
And I would make that decision again a million times over.
I've crossed a lot of finish lines in my life.
There will always be another IRONMAN. There is only one Irish twin Bethanne. ❤️
Later, learning that an athlete had passed away at the event put everything into even greater perspective.
A race is a race.
A finish time is a finish time.
A medal is a medal.
People matter more.
And somehow, all of that has brought me right back to the heart of Project 9:30.
Today I'm in Week 14 of 19.
The biking and swimming are moving back to the side, and my mindset is shifting toward the Fall 50.
Run. Run. Run. Run. 🏃♀️😂
But there's another goal now too.
I'm beginning to collect the names I'll carry with me on October 24.
Last year I ran for my daughter-in-law Jennah and carried names honoring people affected by cancer. This year I want to go bigger.
My goal is 930 names. ❤️
People fighting cancer.
Survivors.
Those we've lost.
Caregivers.
Friends and families whose lives have been forever changed by cancer.
930 names for Project 9:30.
When I started this journey on June 2, I thought I was training to turn 9:47 into 9:30.
And I still am.
But I'm also a 53-year-old cancer survivor, living and competing without a thyroid, still asking myself the same question:
What else is possible?
The last 14 weeks have already given me marathons, wrong turns, extra miles, stitches, recovery walks, beautiful sunrises, brutally hot runs, an IRONMAN DNF, some scary moments in the water, countless lessons, and a whole lot of gratitude.
And there are still five weeks left.
October 24 is coming.
50 miles.
A 9:30 goal.
Hopefully 930 names.
And one heck of a story still being written. ☀️❤️
Movement is medicine.
#Project930 #Fall50 #930Names #IronSunshine #NoThyroidAthlete #CancerStrong #StrongOver50 #MovementIsMedicine
I couldn’t get into my blog for a while, but thankfully I finally got back in! I’m so excited to start updating it again as much as I can.
The biggest reason I keep this blog is to inspire others, but also to remind myself of everything I’ve done, overcome, and gone after.
And maybe one day, my kids will read through it and think, “That’s my mom.”
A mom who never gave up.
A mom who dreamed big.
A mom who wasn’t afraid to go after those dreams.
If this little space can inspire even one person to believe in themselves and keep going, then it’s worth it. ❤️
Since it was chip timing, we just stayed back and laughed about it. Marie almost passed out she couldn’t believe it “No way your putting that on” (Yes... an email has been sent. Mmmmmmmmmm.)
I’m just going to put this out there…
Do you ever have those days… or even months… where you feel low on yourself? Like no matter how much you do, it still doesn’t feel like enough?
You start questioning everything.
“Am I doing enough?”
“Why did God put me here?”
“What’s my purpose?”
Even when you have an incredible family, a beautiful life, and so much to be thankful for… those feelings can still sneak in.
I’ll be honest — I have those days too.
Every day I try to change lives through my classes, my coaching, my social media, and by encouraging people to get out there and LIVE. I want people to try new things, believe in themselves, help others, and create a life they’re proud of.
Most importantly, I want my kids to look at me one day and say:
“That was my mom. She gave everything she had — not just for herself, but for others too. She did it all and more.”
But even positive people struggle.
This morning, I was deep in my thoughts and honestly just prayed:
“God… what am I here for? Why do I feel like I’m not enough sometimes?”
Then something incredible happened later that morning -
In class I asked one of my clients how was your Mother's Day she continued to tell me she didn’t receive flowers for Mother’s Day. and her husband and child didn't do anything for her. I decided I was going to change that after class, so I went to Walmart and bought flowers for her, then I remembered my neighbor had been sick on Mother’s Day and didn’t receive flowers either, so I grabbed flowers for her too.
While checking out, I saw a friend who works there. She was buying a bottle of water, so I added it to my bill.
At another register, an older woman realized she was at a card-only checkout and only had cash. I told her,
“I’ve got it. Don’t worry about it.”
She looked shocked and quietly told me that was her last $1.50 until her check came.
My heart sank.
Without even thinking, I grabbed a $20 gift card and handed it to her.
And in that moment… everything changed.
It reminded me that sometimes God puts us exactly where we need to be — not always for huge moments, but for small ones that become huge to someone else.
That was my reminder today.
Maybe my purpose isn’t always in the big things.
Maybe it’s simply showing up, loving people, helping where I can, and using the blessings I’ve been given to make someone else feel seen.
If you’re struggling today or any day questioning yourself or feeling like you’re not enough… you’re not alone.
The best thing you can do is go do something for someone else. You’d be amazed how quickly your heart changes when you see what even a small act of kindness can mean to another person.
Sometimes God answers us in the smallest moments. ❤️☀️
Plankstar Finish!
What a morning—truly one I won’t forget. I feel so incredibly blessed to be able to run, and even more so to share it with family and friends. It’s been a couple of years since my Irish Twin Bethanne and I raced together, so getting to run side by side again meant everything “love you!”
