Month of Awards (and rewards)

Just when things started kind of getting blah for me (I don't know why... maybe the rainy weather, the hope of summer, the need for a vacation, some flaky people, the list could go on and on), things get good.

First, I received this in the mail:
Now this is exciting for two reasons - first because I love getting plaques and whatnot and saying that I "placed" in a race (it doesn't matter to me that there were only 4 women in my division and that it was the "chunky chicks" division... I'm still proud). Second, because I know that I can't enter races as an Athena anymore. For those of you that don't know Athena categories are for women over 150 pounds. For this race, it was women over 140. I'm about to be out of the 140's and am SO excited. So this award lets me remember where I was at the start of the year and how far I've come!

Then, after needing a major vacation and booking a single crappy night at the local Riverboat casino (it's smoky and not nearly the vacation I really had in mind, but it would do), I get an offer in the mail for Vegas. We love Vegas... and usually got for our Anniversary in July. I do a little research, make a few calls and I end up with 4 nights compted at a suite at Palazzo (the NEWEST hotel on the strip). I'm told the suite has 3 flat screen tv's, a sunken living room, a marble bathroom and is 720 sq. ft. We had airline miles too so that means I'm going to Vegas (with my hubby of course) for a little R&R for 5 days, 4 nights and all we have to pay for is food and gambling. NICE. We're planning on starting our trip with a long run down the strip and then a good day of hiking at Red Rock so we don't fall behind (and probably to flush some of the alcohol out of our systems!!!) So things are starting to look up, way up!

THEN, today, we get invited to the Central Ohio Diabetes Association Board meeting. Just a little background - my wonderful hubby of almost 3 years (the Ironman one... you know... yeah, him) well he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 28 - about a year after we met. He's taken the diagnosis and changed his life completely. He has never once used his disease as an excuse for anything in life and has really pushed himself athletically even more than before (he did play college football and ran 10 or so marathons prior to the diagnosis). He decided that he really needed to spread the message that Type 1 diabetes definitely doesn't mean that your life is limited, and thus partnered with the Central Ohio Diabetes Association last year in conjunction with the Ironman. He raised funds though his website (http://www.runningoninsulin.com/), gave speeches about his disease and the agency, put on a 4 Mile Run/Walk to raise funds and we volunteered as much as we could with them for the past year. They are a stellar group of people and have become truly great friends. So anyway, we go to the board meeting today and got honored with this:
We were named the Agency's Volunteers Of the Year!! How fun! We were so shocked and completely honored for the award!!! The picture on the top is even from our race at the finish line (two of the participants... not Tom and I)! How cool! I joked that it's always easy to get recognized as a kid, but as a grownup to be recognized for something like this - well, it's kind of big!!! :) We're going to continue to fund raise for the agency and through Tom's website - hint hint... if you'd like to support him or know anyone that might like to hear his story, please visit it! Also, Tom just found out that he's be chosen to be a member of Team Type 1 Triathlon Team. Team Type 1 is a big group of Type 1 Diabetics that are doing amazing things through athletics and endurance sports, and speak about their experiences across the US. The bike team has won the last two RAM races (Ride Across America) and they've been competing with non-diabetics each year. They are hoping to someday get a team in the Tour de France. So Tom's one of 6 on the Triathlon Team. He never ceases to amaze me!

So all in all - things are going well! Training is keeping me busy, tired and fit and I am loving every minute of it!