It's You and Me Jane; Are You Ready?

Last Sunday, August 4th I completed the final triathlon of my momentous and celebratory 2024 Triathlon Season. As I thought about race dedications for the season; I knew who would get the race dedications specifically for the many triathlons on my race schedule. One of my closest and dearest friends Jane; all along no questions asked was going to get this final triathlon dedication. This dedication alone could be the longest novel you have ever read; but I'm going to keep it short and sweet. 

It was the Fall 2003 semester at the University of North Texas in Denton; my sophomore ysar when I met Jane. My parents were back in Montgomery County Maryland where I had grown up and Julie had transferred to Ohio University in Athens, OH (the same school where my mom and dad met back during their sophomore year). I can't remember what class we had but we sat next to each other and started talking. I feel like I should remember the conversation that started it all but in many ways it's not terribly important. Jane made way to the Ft Worth suburbs via Calgary, Alberta, Canada with her family around the same time my family moved from Silver Spring MD to the Dallas suburbs. Jane and I went to UNT Mean Green Football games together and I'm pretty sure I learned the rules of football from her as she was passionate about the sport. I met her mom, dad, brother and sister not to mention the cat (at the time) Lizzy. We did a bunch of random things together as our friendship blossomed through our years at North Texas. Jane had met my mom, dad, and Julie when they would come to visit me and that was the point where she became family.

It wasn't until sometime during my junior year at North Texas (2006) when Jane started coming to spectate triathlons of every distance and the longer distance running road races at times. This meant getting up early. I still think why anyone would get up early on a weekend to come to anything where I was only seen for a few minutes. We would always hang out post-race though. As a spectator of the sport Jane did a magnificent job; being there for me in the good times and in the not so good times. If I had to pick a favorite memory of Jane as spectator and support crew; it would definitely be a moment while on the marathon run at my first ever full Ironman in Coeur d'Alene Idaho in June 2008. I was on the second and final run loop miles away from becoming an Ironman triathlete for the first time. Jane and my mom had made their way to one of the neighborhoods. I had just gone for a very long walk of miles and miles long before deciding I needed to and wanted to start running again. I remember Jane was on a sidewalk and I was on whatever road that was. Jane was running alongside me for a hot minute, and she said something like "I'm running faster than Marci and beating her". Why that moment sticks in my head; I don't know. There are many moments as I've said. She's seen me cross the finish line in all the glory and she's been there by my side when I've ended in up the medical tent for poor nutrition; with a medal and sometimes without.

As this dedication has gone from a short and sweet post building into a novel of sorts; I have one thing left to say about my sweet friend Jane. We've been through so much in our 20-year friendship. I feel that Jane and I have seen it all; even though there is so much more to see. We talk on the phone once a week usually on Friday night but there are random times where we just call each other. We text each other about randomness that has nothing to do with everything. Jane keeps me grounded and sometimes I get to keep her grounded. Jane is one of a kind. Everyone should have a Jane in their life.