First Triathlon - Ironman 70.3

Hey there,

I will be competing in my very first Triathlon on September 9th in Santa Cruz, California. The event I will compete in is the Ironman 70.3, which includes a 1.2 mile open water swim in the Pacific; followed by a 56 mile bike ride and, finished with a 13.1 mile run. 

I am a very competitive individual who thrives on being better than who I was yesterday. Beating my personal best and pushing past my perceived limits of ability is something that drives me everyday and, I want to help change the world by instilling self resilience and self belief in every single person on this beautiful earth. I was an athlete all my life until my shoulders dislocated when I was 18, and then everything changed. 

At the time, I was young and dumb so I did not take proper care of my shoulders and thus have suffered from over 30 anterior dislocations accumulated between both my shoulders. I know now the consequence of negligence and work hard every day to improve my shoulders, my life, and the lives of those I come in contact with.

In October of 2016 I had a rock climbing accident that resulted in me needing shoulder reconstructive surgery. I underwent 2 major procedures over the course of 6.5 hours and lost almost 50% of my range of motion in my right shoulder. Due to my new shoulder anatomy the sports I am capable of excelling at are limited. 

This is how I came to find triathlons as a means to compete with myself and prove that I am strong and capable of achieving more than what I think possible. 

There is a lot of initial overhead to this sport. I recently purchased a bike that was a very large personal investment, as well as the registration fee for the event. There is much more required such as a wet-suit and goggles or, a cycling/running suit to wear for the last two lengths of the race or the bike shoes and special pedals needed for endurance rides and maximum power output. 

Anything you can contribute to my endeavor would mean a great deal to me. Even $10 goes a long way towards specialized compression socks or a water bottle vest to stay hydrated. 

Thank you for you taking the time to read brief story of my life and reason for doing this. Hope you have a great day!

(Below is a list of everything I need to be race day ready!)

Gear:
-Wetsuit & Goggles
- Aero bars 
-Bike shoes & Clipless pedals
-Bike/Running shorts
-Riding/Running shades
-Bike repair kit
-Race Tires & Tubes
-Race Helmet
-Water Bottles
-Water vest for running
-Swim cap
-Running shoes
-Compression socks