I thank my lucky stars for a wonderful season, filled with lots of variety and success.

In January 2002, I joined a Masters Swim Team, awakening at 4:30 am on Mondays and Wednesdays from January through May, preparing for my first triathlon scheduled for May in Columbia. Of course, why not choose a big one to start as folks were attempting to qualify for Nationals? ! I learned that I swam freestyle completely wrong and had to relearn swimming (as I tried to survive practices with everyone circle swimming). At Columbia, I stopped the swim four times, wanting to quit and crawl into a boat. But I found the strength from within as I paddled through the water, leaving me a great deal of work to do on land through the bike and run portions. I hung in there, winning First Time Female.

This year, I attempted bicycle road racing for the first time. Starting a race on a bike in a pack is a pretty scary thing. While I did not win any races, I did not crash or quit any either. And, I even won a little money at it!

My passion is the duathlon, which, by the way and for the record, hurts so much more than a triathlon. I raced them locally and nationally with a goal of qualifying for the 2002 USA National Team. I was blessed enough to have qualified for the Long Course Team at Power Man Tennessee in May. The World Duathlon Championships were in Austria in August where I placed eleventh in the world for females 35-39. My goal was top ten, but I surrendered emotionally and accepted eleventh (like there was a choice). I had an injury on June 28, spraining my lateral collateral ligament and hamstring attachment. I was in physical therapy five days a week and could not run in preparation for the World Championships. All in all, I was extremely happy to be part of the Team and compete!

In 2001, I registered for the Baltimore Marathon, but was unable to run due to the passing of my grandmother. I had my entry deferred to this year and ran it in her memory. If you have not run this marathon, it is a wonderful event! I was using it as a training run in preparation for the JFK 50 Miler. I never started my watch, ran by heart rate only, talked with different runners along the way who came to Baltimore from across the USA, and ran a surprising 13-minute PR with a time of 3:25, winning 1st in the 35-39 age group.

This was my fourth year of running the JFK Ultramarathon. Over the years, my time decreased slowly starting with a 10:06 in 1999, 9:46 in 2000, and 9:21 in 2001. For 2002, I had a goal of sub-9 hours, even if it was 8:59! A little history on the oldest and largest ultramarathon in the world:

The JFK 50 Miler began in 1963 due to some confusion in orders given by President John F. Kennedy. It was supposed to last one year, but due to popular demand, celebrated its 40th anniversary on November 23, 2002. Eleven hundred runners began the event. This year an early start time of 5:00 am was offered, giving runners an additional two hours to complete the course within the time frame of 12 hours (which became 14 hours for them).

Again, I did not start my watch at the beginning of the race, running by heart rate and feeling. The course begins in Boonesboro, Maryland, covering some 15.4 miles of the Appalachian Trail, 26.2 miles of the C&O Canal, and 8 miles of rolling hills to the finish in Williamsport, Maryland. While coming down the switchbacks of the AT, I offered to let a man pass me if I was going too slow. He replied that he was happy with the pace and he was three minutes ahead of last year. I was afraid to ask his finish time of last year, but I did, and he replied 8:57. I felt good that I was still within a timeframe of finishing in less than nine hours. I shattered my goal, finishing in 8:41, eleventh out of 164 women, fifth out of 35 in my age group of 35-39, and 100th out of 862 finishers.

Folks ask me all the time, how does one run that far? Here is some advice: cross training between the bike and running is extremely beneficial. Cycling long, such as 80 to 100 miles, at least five times prior to the event, will reduce injury that endurance running may cause. Swimming and riding the indoor trainer or biking along the C&O Canal, spinning the legs, is wonderful active recovery. Completing a fall marathon is a must. And, finally, have a strategy of walking the hills on the Appalachian Trail, set up a running pattern for the C&O Canal, such as running 15 minutes and walking two minutes, which is what worked for me this year, and then walk the hills on roads to the finish. Run across the finish line and celebrate with friends and family! A tradition that I started with my first ultra is that I take a bottle of champagne and keep it on ice, knowing that I will finish. Positive imagery, such as visualizing yourself crossing the finish line (and seeing a time clock if you have a goal time), are so important.

I believe that anyone can accomplish anything they set their mind to. I continue to test my endurance and strength, physically and emotionally. I learn something new at each race. Establish a goal and work towards it. It's amazing what you can achieve!

Michele McGleish is employed as the Director of Parks, Recreation and Culture for the City of Gaithersburg, a resident of Germantown, Maryland, a member of the Montgomery County Road Runners Club, President of the All American Bicycle Club, and coached by Ken Mierke of Fitness Concepts.