Since I’ve been away from my blog for so long, or rather never really showed up at my blog, I thought I’d start with a review of my 2014 season.

It was a busy year to say the least, I got married (hence the name change everywhere), but I also raced a ton!

To really understand my 2014 season, we have to back way up to 2011 and a goal I set for myself…

-Be the amateur female champion at a 70.3 race.

Note- this was not a season goal, but a lifetime goal. Like, I could retire once this was accomplished. Needless to say, I shocked myself with an amateur win at 70.3 backed up with a 2^nd place at Ironman in 2012…I didn’t really know what to do with myself

At the end of 2012, I needed to prove that it wasn’t just a fluke and all the fast people didn’t just take the year off. I decided to make a coaching change, really commit to triathlon, and see where this could go. Enter Hillary Biscay. HB kicked my ass. Really kicked my ass… but also pumped me full of confidence and I blazed through 2013 capping off an awesome year with a podium in Kona. Insane. Though HB had mentioned it before, “pro” wasn’t even on my radar. But, by the end of 2013 I finally started to see the sky as the limit, something I wish I had done years ago.

So now to the 2014 Review. My goal: build confidence.

This is much easier said than done. 2014 would be a mental training year. My mind needed to catch up with my body.

In general, 2014 was a huge success. I didn’t crush every race, actually I had some pretty bad races, but I also had some awesome races (IM Lake Placid), and then I had Kona.

I think it’s funny that a lot of people are afraid to talk to me about Kona this year. Not sure if they think I’m going to burst into tears or be angry, I just don’t know. But, I have never been more proud of myself than in Kona this year. I raced completely without fear and put it all on the line, and you know what? It didn’t pay off. The race essentially ended at mile 20. Old Leslie would have been a self-doubting wreck. But, at no point did I question my choices, I wasn’t wondering what other people would think, or if I was any good, or that I’m weak. I was thrilled by my guts in the hardest conditions and couldn’t wait to tell people about how epic my day was. This is when I knew I could take it to the next level.

So, here is to racing as a Professional in 2015. Setting unattainable goals because they might end up attainable and racing without fear because I know for a fact that I will fail, but I also know that eventually it will all pay off, and mentally I’m ready.

Post race with Nate – the new hubs