Thanks everyone, for your kind words!!

It is a very good feeling to actually accomplish what you know you are capable of!

Bike Chick, your story sounds so much like mine! When I couldn't run in the last event I had entered - about a year and a half ago - because of a pulled groin muscle, I had pretty much given up and tried to get my head around accepting that I just wasn't going to do it. Somewhere between then and now, I decided to give it one last try!!

This time, when I registered in the event, I was able to download a training program that looked like one I could follow and not feel like I had to give up everything else that I/we like to do. I'm sure everyone knows what its like to find a way to make the training fit into the 'rest of your life'. This program was based on two days of shorter runs (interval/speed work), two days of cross-training (cycling , hiking or swimming for me ), one long run and two rest days.

Guess I learned a bit about recognizing when its smart to quit and when the right thing to do is to keep on trying!

For anyone else with similar goals, you can do it.