Hello 2010 and a new Decade!

• On: 12/31/2009 20:09:50

I was going to write about 2009 and then I realized it has been a DECADE as we enter 2010!  Honestly, I do not think I can top this decade…I am hoping, but 2000-2010 was a biggie!

I turned 30 (sounds dreamy now, lol) and am looking 40 down the throat

Bought our first house and closed on it on NY eve 2000.  We slept on the floor on a mattress on NYE 2000.

My sister got married in 2000!

I left the corporate world in a lovely job to get into Fitness full time – for a huge cut in pay I got my life back and my passion bloomed.

In 2000 we went to Australia to race Triathlon Worlds – met some great friends, vacationed in Perth and Sydney and saw the preview for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney!

Jerome and I got pregnant with twins. 

I laid on the couch for 8 weeks making two babies.

9/11 came and changed the world.

Jerome and I both got laid off in 2001 and most ironically when I was pregnant with twins and we had NO money.

I started to expand my passion and coach more and more athletes as I lay on my couch making babies.

In 2001 we welcomed my first niece: Olivia Jennifer was born to my sister in December of 2001.

Three weeks later I delivered Graham and Morgan in 2002.

I do not remember much of 2002.  I was just trying to sleep and get back in shape and try hard not to cry or have a breakdown everyday while working, being mom and trying to walk and start to run again.

In fall of 2002 I was 10 lbs lighter than my pre-pregnancy weight and was in the best run shape ever. I PRd all over the place and was enjoying the privilege of being able to race again and PR!

In 2003 the twins were 1 and it was a great time and Jerome started to race PRO in Duathlon and I was just trying to figure out a way to get it all done.  And transition to motherhood. 

Jerome lost his job again in 2003.  He was unemployed again and we were new parents. I started to work more to make up the deficient.

In 2003 Jerome turned 30.

In 2004 the twins were 2 and I got back into my groove.  I raced Eagleman, won and qualified for the first time for Kona.  I never had any intention of going. I thought I would never qualify again so I freaked out and took the slot.  HA!

I raced Hawaii in 2004.  First time racing an IM or Hawaii.  Probably the most humbling experience for me up to that date.

In 2005 my dad was diagnosed with lung cancer.  It rocked our little perfect world and we started to take life much more serious.  My dad had surgery.  They removed part of his lungs. He survived.

In 2005 I ran the Houston Marathon.  I trained very hard for this race, PRd and placed in the top 15 amateur there.  I have not run an open marathon since.  I will be going back to see if I can beat this Houston time soon…very soon.

In 2005 I had the best race of my Triathlon career (in my opinion).  I won Eagleman 70.3 AG again and was 3^rd Overall..but it was just one of those magical days where everything clicked and I felt like I was walking on clouds all day.  These days come around a handful of times ONLY throughout one’s racing career. This year was that time for me.   I still remember it vividly.

In 2005 I left the coaching company I was working with and started my own business.  I struggled day to day for awhile.  Trying to balance motherhood, marriage, training, having a social life and building a business (remember this is ALL before Facebook and blogs!).  I had a 4 x 6” card on my desktop (yes desktop, lol!) that said, “follow your passion and live the life you want.”  I was.

In late 2005 I started my website: www.jenharrison.com and started to write a journal – before blogger.  To this day I still write my “blog” on this website.

In 2006 my babies went to Kindergarten and we entered into a new phase of our lives.  We went from babies, to toddlers to KIDS…kids in school.  I cried on their first day – as we reached that milestone…but never another year after kindergarten did I cry ! ha!

In 2006 Jerome lost a dear friend of his, Mike.  Mike was hit by a car that blew a stop sign while he was riding his bike.  He was Jerome’s mentor and very good friend.  Jerome was devastated and we have never forgotten how fragile life is.

In 2006 Jerome and I both qualified for Kona again.  We did not have any intentions of doing Kona…(I never do) but when we both qualified we both agreed it was an opportunity not to pass up.  That year we both trained and raced in Kona.

We came home to a wonderful neighborhood of 100+ people who threw us a surprise party at the VFW and treated us like rock stars.

In December of 2006 the Village of West Dundee gave us the key to the city & had a Jennifer and Jerome Harrison Day (I kid you not).

In 2007 Jerome and I celebrated 10 years of marriage together!

In 2007 my dad was diagnosed with bladder cancer and had massive surgery.  Was in the hospital a very long time.  He survived again.  I have totally freaked my kids out about smoking and their danger.

In 2007 I had some of the best race experiences ever.  I raced at Tri Worlds in Vancouver and was in the Top 10…I raced Best of the US and was in the top 10..I just had a memorable race year in 2007.

December of 2007 Graham severed his hand so badly when he tripped outside in snow/ice /dark and the beer bottle broke and severed his hand.  Jerome nearly passed out and after many surgeries and plastic surgeries, Graham is almost 100%.

Jerome went 9:29 in the Ironman this year.  We must have been smoking  something this year – we both had great years!  OR we were just sleeping by now! LOL

By now my sister had 2 more kids – a grand total of 3 now!  I had become an Aunt over and over again!

In 2008 the kids were now in school full time (all day) for the first time ever and my world changed!  While I missed them initially it was a new chapter in their lives as well as mine.   I worked more when they were gone!  YAY!

In 2008 joined Facebook.  Enough said.  Reconnected with some old friends and made some new ones.

My baby brother got married in 2008!

In 2008 we bought a Condo in Tucson.  A place for us to escape to some sun and fun and train…and a place to run camps from.  We hosted our first Triathlon Tucson Camp in March of 2008!

In 2008 I was in a horrible car accident.  Thank god I was in my car and not on my bike.  Totaled my car but was back to activity less than a month after that accident.  Ironically, state law here in Illinois changes on 1/1/2010 to make texting illegal.  Probably way too late for most of us.

In 2008 I got an I Phone.  Changed my work life.  Now I could actually run errands and still be plugged in! Ingenious!

In 2009 my brother and his wife had their first baby: Chloe in July!

In 2009 was one of the years that I was the most tired from racing – everything caught up with me – and I felt flat for a big chunk of 2009.

In 2009 one of my best friend’s wife had a baby girl in July and contracted the flesh eating virus in the hospital.  She lived. Barely.  It has been a very long, tough road for them.  I cried many of tears for them.

In October of 2009 I had one of the best times ever.  My 20^th High School Reunion.  While I was there I was getting text updates on my friends and athletes racing in Kona.  I was the Queen of multi-tasking that night.  The funny part.  I was drunk.  First time I had been drunk since I turned 21.  I was 38.

In 2009 I won the state 1650y swim TT and was ranked in the top 10 in the country (W35-39).  For some reason, this accomplishment outweighed my triathlon accomplishments in 2009.  I may love to swim now and swim hard and a lot, but I did not grow up a natural swimmer.  I just worked really really hard at it as an adult. 

In 2010 I celebrate my 39^th year.  I kick it off with an annual trip with my best girlfriends for a long weekend away.  Every year.  Same weekend – 2^nd weekend in January – up to a cold cabin in Wisconsin on a frozen lake.  We laugh, we cry, we drink, we eat and we celebrate our 30+ years as best friends.  We met in the 3^rd grade.  We all are still together as a group and have all been in each other’s weddings, been to kid’s 1^st birthday parties, funerals, divorce parties, hard times, good times and as I get older I am ever so grateful for lifelong friends.  Unconditional friends.  I never take any of them for granted.

As I look back at the last decade, I realize that I am also ushering in 2010 and my last year in my 30s.  I made a lot of very good friends, said goodbye to some friends and learned that this Triathlon and blog community is a wonderful and life changing group and I look forward to sharing more of my experiences – good and bad – in 2010 and the next decade…and in 2011 when I turn 40…I will need you ALL there for more than you know!  HAHA

Happy New Year!  Let’s rock it in 2010!