BISHOP'S CHALLENGE

TRIATHLON

Six months ago, our bishop decided to give the youth a little bit of a challenge.  He came up with 3 areas in which he wanted the youth to improve themselves.  Financially, spiritually and physically.  He challenged them to earn money and learn the law of tithing, read the Book of Mormon and train for a triathlon.  Let's just say the enthusiasm for the last one was highly lacking.  But, we told them it was happening one way or another and it would be wise of them to train.  A few of them took it seriously and trained really hard. Others...not so much.   He also opened it up to anybody in the ward that wanted to do it.

He tried to involve the entire word and asked the members to be mentors for the youth.  To help encourage them, read with them, train with them, whatever they could do to help.  There were several people who jumped in and really helped whom they mentored. 

Pulling off this triathlon was not an easy task.  Thankfully we had a lot of people working on it for 6 months.  The week before was a little hectic with last minute craziness, but when race morning arrived it really came together.

Saturday morning we hustled and got the courses and water stations set up, the finish line decorated and everyone registered.  I was a little sceptical as to how it was all going to play out...

For some strange reason, about a week before the race, I decided to participate.  I was super nervous about the swimming part and how it would effect my increased dizzy spells.  I should have been more concerned with how it would effect my legs.

We opted for a controlled swimming environment instead of open waters.  We started out at the Chehalis pool.  There were only 21 people doing this, so we all jammed into the pool at once.  It was pretty funny actually and thankfully no one got kicked in the face.

This was pretty dang exhausting.  I actually haven't swam sense before the accident and my body was a little shell shocked.  I honestly gave it all I had and had to flip on my back a few times to rest a little.  But when I did that, my brain spun and I almost had to stop.  But, thankfully it went away and I was able to fight my way through the rest of the swim.  When I went to get out of the pool and headed for my borrowed bike, my legs stopped working.  I actually couldn't lift my feet off the ground and ended up dragging the tops of my toes across the concrete.  What's a little blood spill during a triathlon anyway?  I got to my bike and Doug asked why I was walking so funny.  I had to explain it to him and just felt silly.

It took me a pretty long time to transition to my biking gear.  But I didn't really care...at all.  I was lucky to be moving.  I had to stretch out a little before hopping on the two wheeler and felt everything tightening back up as soon as I started to peddle. 

The ride went over the freeway passing Stan Headwall Park and then back.  It went smoothly though and was a pretty flat course.  Which I was grateful for.  I stopped a few times to check on a few of the young women and made sure they were doing OK.  When the running portion started I almost couldn't do it.  I was more shuffling than running, but still...I was moving.  The course was a little behind Penny Playground through the neighborhoods back there and the back to the park. It took my legs a few minutes to get rid of the heavy sensation that comes when transitioning from a bike but eventually I got into the swing of it and just went for it.  I walked a little ways and it was really hard to make the mental effort to start running(shuffling) again, but I did.

Somehow I was able to muster up some last minute strength and sprint to the finish.  At least I felt like I was sprinting but really anything would have felt fast in comparison to the speed I was going.

And then, I finished...with my head cocked to the side (that's just how I run I guess).  I was super happy to see that amazingly decorated finish tunnel!  Doug was relieved to see me cross that amazingly decorated finish line tunnel.  I guess he was a little worried about me after seeing how much my legs were not working after the swim.

I think this picture represents my enthusiasm when seeing my Young Women cross the finish line pretty well.  I seriously was so stinking proud of every single one of them!  This was not an easy thing to do and I was just happy that they showed up to do it at all!!

I was insistent that we get medals for everyone.  Who wants to do something like this and not have something to hang around their neck?  Not me!  So I ordered medals from a little store in town and I think the majority of the participants were proud to wear those things around their necks.  I know I was!!

We ended with a big 'ol ward potluck including some delicious BBQ chicken!  I hope that everyone walked or hobbled away with their heads held a little higher.  In my eyes this was a huge success!  I was glad that I decided to do it and that I was there to see my beautiful Young Women cross the finish line one by one.  Hopefully they all can believe in themselves a little more now that they have accomplished something that most of them didn't think they could do.

Some have even asked if we are doing it again next year!  That answer is YES!!