Asics Rocks!

My brand new shoes, a gift from Asics!

Gel-Excel 33

Nic has an awesome family. For example, his brother-in-law Patrick. Patrick is married to Nic's amazing sister Analise. He's a PhD at Harvard and he works with  tiny tiny things that you can't see without a microscope. Even though I'm a doctor he still does things that I don't understand. He's also super sweet, great with kids, incredibly thoughtful, etc etc. Anyway, he mentioned our story to Asics since we were wearing matching Speedstar 5s in the New Orleans Rock'n'Roll Half Marathon picture. In fact, the Today Show even honed in on our shoes, ha!

Patrick & Analise!

Analise and her twin sister Laura Zaunbrecher are world-class triathletes. Laura had recommended the Speedstars to us, and she even wore hers at the race too!

Laura, Nic, & me with our Speedstars at the NOLA R'n'R Half Marathon 2013!
Charles did Not have on Speedestars, but he loves Asics too ;)

Because Patrick piqued their interest, I sent Asics the real story behind my shoes, and I'll include it here. It's long, & it's what you've mostly heard before, so I've only included the good parts ;) And because of this story, they sent me a very warm email and New Shoes!

I had been placing well in previous triathlons and training hard for this one. But not 2 weeks before it I was cycling & struck by an unlicensed driver, breaking his windshield and my neck. Nic brought me my walking shoes when we realized that I was going to be long-term, maybe months, in the hospital.

BUT I asked him to bring my Speedstars instead. I had missed my birthday triathlon, my whole life was in danger, and I needed something to focus on. For me that was racing again. YES I wanted to continue being a great mother, and continue my fulfilling job as a veterinarian. However focusing on racing again kept me motivated to be on my feet again, even when I wasn’t sure that was going to be possible. During my 2 months of hospitalization I wore them daily. They were my constant reminders of the life I was determined to lead again.

I had barely started using a walker when the 2013 RnR NOLA came around. I *knew* it was out of the question for me, but Laura & I had planned on racing it together and she had already scheduled her trip here to do it. Nic and I were just going to watch her race. But at the last minute (this seems to be a recurring theme for me) I received a free entry from her boyfriend. Nic offered to push the wheelchair, & we decided to do it! I plan on racing it again next year, this time completely under my own steam!

So that’s the rest of the story behind the picture at the finish. I still wear only those Asics to therapy. I do expect to race again. I was told to replace the sole of the right one with leather so I could slide it forward (my knee isn’t bending quite yet) but I just can’t bring myself to do it. Guess I’ll get another pair to do that instead!