Significant race numbers

I have donned a race number over 200 times. I have pinned them to cotton shirts, tech tees, and tri tops. They have been snapped onto dozens of race belts, zip tied to my handle bars, and sharpied onto my quads, arms, and calfs. Some have been stickered to my helmet, while others have been taped onto the front section of my beam bikes. After all the races over the last 13 years, I only have kept 4 race numbers. Here they are in no particular order:

35--Muncie Endurathon. 1/2 Ironman distance, national long course triathlon championships, world long course world championships qualifier, and World Ironman championships (Hawaii) qualifier.--It was one of those events that people talk how they "change" you. This race is the one that I always look back to when shyt is going bad. The conditions were absolutely horrible. High winds and super high temps. Heat index was 115 that day. Alright, having flashbacks to how much pain and suffering I went through. Better stop there. Anyway, the results yielded a World's spot and IMHI berth. I deferred both spots and rolled them down to the next finisher.

91--1996 Olympic Torch Relay-- I got the honor to carry the Olympic flame as it passed through Cedar Falls Iowa. It was a wonderful experience. I was directed up to the steps of City Hall and the mayor gave a little speech and then I went back down to the street to pass on the flame. Once I got on the road again, the crowd collapsed on me. They had the elementary schools there and I was surrounded and seemed to be a tree house for them as they climbed up me as they tried to touch the torch. It was the only time on the relay that anyone was able to touch the torch. Later that year they published a book about the relay. I was the first picture in the book-2 page picture of me being crawled on by little kids reaching for the torch.

233--World Duathlon Championships--This trip was my first out of the country, first taste of international competition, and the first time I had been in "the zone". It was my best race ever, and I don't remember much of it. It was so amazingly overwhelming, all other races fail to match the moment. I do remember running towards the finish line with tens of thousands of people cheering me on as they were waving the American Flag. I finished the race and was totally lost in my emotions. I will never forget that day.

1775--Powerman Chicago. National Duathlon Championships, Powerman Zofingen qualifier, and World Duathlon Championships qualifier-- This race was my introduction to big races. The event was held in Chicago and drew over 2000 participants. My grandmother came along with me on this trip and my aunt and cousin were there cheering me on also. The bike course was on Lakeshore drive and the run was on the bike path down towards the aquarium. It was when I was preparing for this race when I was introduced to "Plan your race, race your plan". I did that and had a great race. I placed 2nd, secured my first Team USA berth, and was one of the selected few Americans that year to qualify for Zofingen.