By Julie Lessiter, Academic Advisor/Triathlon Champ

NSU academic advisor for athletics Julie Lessiter, a former Lady Demon track and tennis competitor, was aiming to finish last month's 140-mile Redman Triathlon in Oklahoma City. She won the women's division -- much to her surprise. Here's her story:

Where to begin on my amazing Ironman triathlon journey? On June 1, I started training for the Ironman distance race called Redman, in Oklahoma City. I printed off the “finisher” program from the beginnertriathlete.com website and went from there.

For those of you who aren’t triathletes, an Ironman requires competitors to swim 2.5 miles, bike 112 and run a marathon (26.2 miles) consecutively as one big cruel test of courage/sanity/physical endurance.

I have spent countless hours with my training partners on the road, and in the lake, through good times, argumentative times, and just plain painful and boring times. I have seen far too many sunrises and sunsets, but fortunately, as single-minded as I was in my quest to finish an Ironman I was willing to do whatever it took. Eighteen weeks soon passed and it was time to leave for Oklahoma City.

I had read on one of the websites that Oklahoma City was the windiest city in the nation, and having kept track of the weather daily for a week prior to the race, I would have to concur (whatever happened to Chicago?).

I won’t bore you with all the details about getting ready for the race, but the next thing we know it’s race day, we have our wetsuits on and we are ready to run toward the water. “Tender-foot” city girl here did less of the running, and more tiptoe walking, while making it through the stones to get to the water.

I was off. Remember the wind? Well it was blowing, and blowing hard. Every breath I took I got a mouthful of water. At least I was heading in the right direction since there were several people swimming diagonally across the pack of swimmers headed to the first buoy.

The swim was two laps. The first went great, the second I got through even though the man in front of me kept stopping to see where the buoys were (guess he didn’t learn to sight very well). I nearly stopped, tapped him on the shoulder and gave him a quick speech about how inconsiderate he was being, but I thought, “this may bring some bad karma,” and that was unwanted.

Out of the swim and I heard the announcer say “second female, Julie Lessiter from Louisiana.” Me, second in the swim? I was sure he had that wrong...

Into the change tent I ran and was surprised to see only one other girl. Maybe the announcer was right! So without another thought I pulled off my tri-shorts, stood buck-naked in the change tent and tried to put on my cycling shorts. Now, if any of you have ever tried to put dry clothes on a wet body, it’s not happening easily. So I tumbled out of the tent, covered at least, and out onto the bike course.

Now I knew I was in first place, and had a little giggle to myself. I had never been in first before! I wondered how long it would take some girl with a nice bike, and a nicer set of wheels, to pass me.

Did I mention the wind? Oklahoma City has about five trees total, and none of them were on the bike course. At one point I was pedaling downhill at 11 mph. The first 26 miles were straight into the wind ? knowing it would be slow, I settled in and started eating. Apparently I ate too much because my stomach was hurting really badly throughout the rest of the race.

The bike ride was very uneventful, it was just long and painful and boring. I called Allen, my boyfriend, with 10 miles to go to let him know I was heading in and told him I was in first place. I think he thought I was joking, so I hung up and pedaled up the next hill (there were lots of hills, too).

In from the bike and out onto the run..... 26.2 more miles to go. I didn’t feel good going on to the run, and hoped I might even get sick so I could feel better. No such luck! This never happened on the run (just after I enjoyed a $40 steak that night ? aaaarggh!), but I ran about five miles nice and easy before seeing my friend Robert ahead on the course. He paced me through the first 13 miles, but I don’t know how he didn’t get sick because he ate more peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches on the run course than a 5-year-old in a week of kindergarten.

Next we passed our friend Rusty, who had an amazing swim and was ahead of all of us on the course. I was still in first, but saw a girl move from sixth place to second on the first loop of the run course. I wasn’t about to let my lead go on the run, of all places.

The last 6.6 miles were my fastest of the day. I kicked in these miles at a 9:15 pace and made it to the sign I had wanted to see all day -- Mile 26.

Coming down the finishers’ shoot I heard my name announced, “Julie Lessiter from Natch-I-toe-ches, Louisiana, 1st female”. I was getting high fives, applause, and I was just happy it was over.

A group of friends and family from Louisiana were at the finish line filming and taking pictures. Boyfriend Allen was smiles all around -- guess he figured out I wasn’t joking about being in first.

I got my medal, sat down, waited for Rusty and Robert to come through the finish, and then promptly said. “I don’t feel so good” and plopped to the ground. Everything had gone black. Not such a good feeling.

However, the staff at the medical tent were just as awesome as all the volunteers on the bike and the run and they really took care of me.

The long day was over, and my lasting memory is of Rusty and Robert both appearing from behind the port-a-potties to cross the finish line, I wondered why they had possibly made a pit stop 10 yards from the finish line (apparently they missed the big sign that said “Finish-Line this way” -- nothing like an anti-climax).

Now that I have put the race in perspective I would encourage everyone to challenge themselves to do something they really don’t think they can do. It’s a great feeling to know you have accomplished the impossible.

I would also be remiss if I didn’t thank my training partners and especially my boyfriend who put up with me through bee stings, tears, and poison ivy. So for now I will join the masses and sit on the couch for a few weeks.

Will I do another one?? Not any time soon. Your turn!