I completed my first Danskin sprint triathlon* in 2000, at the age of 42. Crossing the finish line was one of the most emotional and empowering moments of my life. Suffering from an autoimmune disease that affected my kidneys, completing the triathlon was my way of demonstrating—to myself and others—that I would not be a victim of my kidney disease.

On a sunny afternoon in 2005, having completed my sixth "Danskin" earlier that day, I was hit by a lightening bolt (figuratively only, thankfully) that said, "Every woman has a story about why they take on the challenge of a triathlon that is so much more than the physical aspects of swimming, biking and running. You need to collect those stories and write a book."

And so, with encouragement from friend and mentor Sally Edwards, founder and president of Heart Zones, Inc. and National Spokeswoman for the Danskin Women’s Triathlon Series, fueled by the inspiration and passion of the stories I had heard, I proceeded along the path of creating the book, tentatively titled, Flying Over the Finish Line.

Flying Over the Finish Line refers to the feeling of empowerment that so many triathletes experience after completing a triathlon. As newfound triathlete Ruth Kaminski put it, "I did fly across the finish line, but it was by the soaring and dancing of my spirit, rather than the fleetness of my feet."