Personal Best

Being a mom was all I ever wanted. It would converge all that mattered most to me: loving and being loved, needing and being needed, teaching and learning, striving and leading. When I finally had my own children, I was smitten, overflowing with love and pride, eager to nourish them forever. In Yiddish, this is kveling. I’m the queen of it, and I would never want it to be different. My life was complete.

But life can change in seconds. Lightning strikes, you win the lottery, you fall in love. It happened one afternoon in my kitchen – nothing X-rated (unless you count the initial) – just a lively conversation with my sister that led to an unexpected tingling sensation, a mounting curiosity, and an overwhelming desire as she described a new triathlon called XTERRA. Knowing my passion for mountain biking, and our mutual love of athletic challenge, she felt it would be perfect for me. This sister, my identical twin, is an endurance athlete known for her Ironman triathlon conquests and long-distance running. She assured me that this off-road triathlon would be doable; it attracts only those who swim open water, ride extreme terrain, and run trails and soft sandy beaches.
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