Happy Thanksgiving! In this final installment of Thankful Thursday I would like to take the opportunity to thank my wonderful family. They have been my biggest fans and supporters through my entire athletic career.  While they would have been just as happy if I put serious competition behind me at the end of my collegiate running career to focus 100% on my medical school studies, they have come to understand the importance of triathlon in my life and are proud of my success in both triathlon and medical school.

This week I am showing my love for Philadelphia Bikesmith, the only bike shop I know that likes the color pink as much as I do! In fact, Sam, who is one of the mechanics, loves pink so much that every time I bring in my pink road bike, he drops everything he is doing, and puts my bike in the stand even if it is already perfectly tuned. This is just one example of how the guys at Bikesmith go above and beyond for me. I do not think there are enough words to express my appreciation!

This week I would like to thank my coaches of present and past for their role in my athletic successes and in my personal growth. Believe it or not, I was a rather rambunctious child who did not sit still in class and couldn't care less about homework or above average academic achievement. All of that really changed when I began running track in the 6th grade. My talent for running was no mystery, as I had perennially out run many of the boys in my elementary school class in the mile run, but at only 11 years of age I had not yet learned to effectively channel my energy. The middle school track coaches quickly recognized my potential and challenged me to reach it by putting me in the fastest heats with the older more experienced runners and I rose to the occasion.

With one of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving, less than one month away I wanted to express my gratitude towards some of the integral members of my team. This will be the first installment of my "Thankful Thursday" blog series, in which-in no particular order-I will make some special shout-outs and show my profound appreciation for my friends, family, and supporters for their role in helping my dreams become a reality.