In 2004 I began the journey of being the very best I can be in the sport of triathlon.  I have come a long way from being out of shape mother of four, to being a part of Team USA 2006 in the Age Group World Championship Triathlon.   I would like to share with you what I have discovered on this wonderful path I have taken.  One of the many things I have found is that I love to write!  It has really helped me share my purpose in life, and is something I would like to do professionally some day.  I was so excited when I was asked to write for this newsletter.
I started doing triathlons in college, but took a long break when I moved to Austin and got my Masters Degree at UT.   After I fulfilled a lifelong dream of having a family, and our youngest child was 2 years old, I had this feeling that my life had another purpose.  My husband always told me he thought I could be really good at triathlons – in February of 2004 I was finally ready to give it a shot!  I lost about 20 pounds by cutting out sugary, starchy foods from my diet, and started to train hard.  So far it has paid off beyond my greatest expectations! I have won four races so far, including the 2006 Danskin Triathlon.  I never thought that was possible for me, and CERTAINLY not as a mother of four kids!  It has taken a lot of faith, effort, planning, and help from my family and friends to make it happen.   I look forward to writing about how I balance family and training, my journey as an athlete, creating relationships that work, tips for healthy eating, and many more topics in the coming months.

Jeannie Samson
www.jeanniesamson.com