I’d like to introduce you to my friend Elise Wallace.  She’s my living life mentor.  If you’ve ever wondered why I do many varied activities, it’s because I’m trying to be like her.

She’s my friend Skyler’s wife.  I used to do missionary work with Skyler in Albany, New York.  They live in Orange, California and we used to double date with them in California before either of us got married.

Elise and I both ran our first half marathon in 2007.  Shortly after that race we got together for a visit where I learned that Elise had started perfecting the art of swimming so she could compete in her first Triathlon.  I hadn’t done anything since my half marathon.  I marveled at her ambition.  Could adults really learn to do new things, like swim?

I was intrigued by her determination as I watched her improve via her blog.  She got better and faster all the time.  Instead of just being jealous (my natural tendency), I decided to try being like her instead.  I asked her and her husband for some swimming how-to advice.  They told me to find a US Masters Swimming team and join them.

With great trepidation, I showed up to a Masters Swim class.  I started by swimming once across the pool and feeling like dying on the other side. With great coaching, advice and technique I gradually became a swimmer and competed in a Sprint triathlon a year later.  For the first time in my life I felt athletic.

I’ve done LOTS of other athletic stuff since then, all in the spirit of chasing Elise. As it turns out, swimming is my favorite sport!  I never would have had the guts to try it with out her example. Here’s the take home…If there is something you’re interested in, or think is super neat, try it!

Since our first race in 2007 Elise has competed in 70 yes SEVENTY other races, including a few Half Iron Man 70.3 mile races, one of which she did while pregnant.  Yes really.

Did your jaw dropped to the floor?  Mine too. I don’t even have time to tell you about how she’s been on the podium multiple times and even WON a handful of her races.  She’s amazing.  And she started just like me doing the one race in 2007.

She’s an accountant by trade, a racer by passion and  The Cupcake Activist by talent.  Here we are together eating a cupcake shake during one of our Cali visits.
She’s won multiple awards and had more honors from her blog than I can tell you about here.   Check out her delicious cupcake blog yourself.

If that wasn’t enough to impress you, let me tell you about her other business, Team-Sparkle.com.  She and some friends made super cute sparkle skirts and wore them at a race.  They got so many complements that they started selling them.

The rest is history.  If you like to run, bike or sparkle, you’d be silly not to check it out.

Lastly, I have to tell you about her family.  For several years they have been proud parents of an adorable dog they rescued named Pumpkin.  He’s been an excellently athletic dog and member of their family.  Just after Thanksgiving, they added a HUMAN BABY to the family.

Of course he would be the cutest, coolest baby I have ever seen.

Here she is on her road bike a few weeks before the baby was born.  You wouldn’t think you could ride a bike when you were THAT pregnant, but turns out that you can.There is always a reason NOT to do something.  Success and accomplishment come when you KNOW the reasons NOT to do it, but then CHOOSE to DO it anyway.  Elise has taught me this.

Here she is just 9 weeks post pregnancy, back to her pre-pregnancy weight, out running with baby and Pumpkin.
  I don’t even hate her even a little bit for bouncing back so fast.  She deserves it.  She’s meticulously scheduled her life prior and post pregnancy to accomplish her goals.

We may not all look like Elise or race like Elise, but we CAN all learn something from her.
If you want to do something, just try it.

Plan it and do it.  You can. ( I know, look at that hair! I’ve never seen a baby with so much hair! SO CUTE! He’s only 12 WEEKS old.)

I hope she inspires you to do one new thing the way

she has me.