I figured I should start with a few fun facts “about me” since this is an “about me” page.
So, let’s see…
My name is Karyn.
Notice, this is spelt with a ‘Y’ - not an ‘E’. (this is a really fun fact, right?)
Age Group = 30-34 (for a short while longer).
I live on the West Coast of Canada with my husband Shane and our awesome pooch Rusty. Rusty is a boxer and is the best and cutest dog ever. I’m totally not biased, it’s true. He'll be 9 this year. 9! How did that happen?
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| happy little family |
I discovered triathlon in 2007 and completely fell in love with the sport. Tri-geek = Me.
I love shoes, but not your typical "I'm a girly-girl and love high-fashioned, high-heeled" type shoes. I love flat shoes. Brightly coloured, flat shoes. The brighter the better.
I had a Pulmonary Embolism in May of 2009 (for the record, blood clots totally suck) and was on anticoagulants for the better part of the last 5 years. After a recent visit with a new hematologist, I've decided to come off of the drugs and see if I can remain blood clot free without the help of warfarin (wish me luck). I'm sure I'll be a little hypersensitive to aches and pains in my body for a while, but I don't think that is necessarily a bad thing.
In my opinion, everyone should be aware of the signs of blood clots and take the steps they can to prevent them. The more you know...
Anyway, my PE totally changed my outlook on life and prompted me to take on my dream of Ironman sooner rather than later... (and I did it!)
I completed Ironman Canada in August 2010, hand in hand with my sister Kirsten.
So yeah, as for the ol’ blog, well, I originally created Penticton or Bust to chronicle my journey to Ironman Canada 2010. Over the course of that year, it evolved into a wonderfully therapeutic diary and so, with the big race behind me, I decided to keep the words flowing. It’s ever-evolving, but I’m having fun with it. Also, the name "Penticton or Bust" may seem a little outdated now, but it has come to mean so much more to me, that well, I'm keeping it the same. Forever, and ever, and ever....
What else?
Following Ironman number one I spent a season (2011) taking a departure from long races. I focused on getting faster over shorter distances, and even qualified to represent Canada at the Age Group World Championships in the sprint distance in Auckland, NZ in October 2012. Woot!
In fact, 2012 was a pretty big year all around, as I completed Ironman Canada for the second time. It may not have gone quite as planned, but I'm happy to be able to call myself a 2x Ironman finisher.
Kirsten once again joined me on this journey to IMC, and we even roped one more into the madness - my awesome husband Shane decided to take on the challenge as well and can now proudly say “I am an Ironman”.
My focus once again shifted for
2013, as I went about converting myself triathlete to trail runner. Kirsten and I
conquered the 6-Day TransRockies Run, and while it was probably the hardest
thing I've ever done (yes – harder than Ironman) it was also one of the most
rewarding and has really helped change me.
2014 saw my return to Ironman. We (Shane, Kirsten
and myself) opted for an early season race, and tackled Ironman Coeur d'Alene.
It was one of the hardest and yet happiest days I've ever experienced. Simply,
it was an incredible and wonderful Ironman experience.
I've got no solid goals on the horizon for 2015,
but now that I'm anticoagulant free, the idea of an Xterra is floating around
in my head. As is Ironman Whistler. As is just being a bum and swim, bike,
running with no goals other than the intention of having fun and staying
healthy. So yeah, time will tell. Stay tuned….
I guess that is me in a nut shell... “look, I’m in a nutshell” (bonus points if you get that reference)… PENTICTON OR BUST BABY!
p.s. I love my bike.
