Iron-Dad

Erin here!

I just want to add a little something to Jake's post.  We are all quite impressed that a guy who 8 months ago drug his feet along the bottom of the pool while flailing his arms wildly and who exhausted himself before getting one length completed has learned to swim well enough to not only complete but COMPETE in a half-ironman distance swim.  We are not surprised at all that he made up so much time on the bike and the run.  I, for one, am incredibly proud of how hard he worked towards this goal, the many many hours spent in training, and the sacrifices he had to make.  I am selfishly enjoying the benefits of having such a buff husband and quite pleased that I'll have a little more of his attention and time now that he is "only" training for a sub-3-hour marathon in Boston. 

But what I'm most impressed with is the way that Jake has continued to balance, life, work, and family.  Jake is such an amazing father for Xander and always makes time for him, even when he is exhausted.  After the Tri, I needed to do schoolwork with my team, which meant Jake really didn't have any time to rest after getting home.  The poor guy didn't even get a shower before I told him he was in charge of not just Xander, but Jack Fossum as well.  He put his game face on, told me not to worry about it, and played with the boys until I could take over again.

So, I am taking this opportunity to name Jake an official "Iron-Dad" and tell him how much I appreciate him every day!