TEAM

Last night we had our first Ironman Foundation - Netwon Running Ambassador Triathlon Team meeting.  It was a webinar/phone format and covered a lot of useful information.  I am looking forward to revealing that which could impact my readers soon, as I work with all of you toward what I would consider our TEAM goals.  Each and every one of you that read this blog, support your community, support the Ironman community and support me on any given day, are considered part of this TEAM.  It feels great to be part of a TEAM doesn't it?!  I know I sure felt part of an amazing TEAM last night during the call.

There was a major point that truly resinated with me during our team call last night and I think it will hit each and every one of you.  Considering this is the inaugural year for the team the following question was posed:

Why was the Ironman Foundaiton - Newton Running Ambassador Triathlon Team created?  

There were four main answers, one of which was a homerun and summed up my desire and excitement to be a member of this team.

***To Turn a Selfish Sport into a SELFLESS Sport***

You may wonder, how can you be on a team in a selfish sport, or why would you want to participate in a selfish sport?  Triathlons, in the general sense, are an individual sport, drafting isn't even allowed on the bike.  But teams and sport are more than just the race or game, teams are about the everyday activities.  No matter what the sport or activity a team is the integral part to the entire experience leading up to, during and after an event.  Consider this one definition in the dictionary of the word team: a group of people organized to work together.  This is a very general definition illuminating the vast array of occurrences in which a group of people can come together, and I will add, to bring a positive impact on the members of the group and those the group touches.  To put it into perspective for those who may think they have never been a part of a team - think of your family as your life team, think of your office as a team, or even think of your relationship with God as your two-man team.  There are a million ways any one individual has and can experience what team is in their life.  Today I ask each of you to consider all of the teams you belong to and take this as an opportunity to tell the other members of your team that you are grateful to be on a team with them and that you know as a team you can all achieve success, in various forms, together as a team.  I would love it if you would share the teams you belong to and the success your team has and intends to achieve.  It will be motivating for me, for you, and for all that read.

If you feel like you struggle with the concept of team, please do not feel alone.  I was not always a team player, I struggled with the concept of team when I was younger and how I dealt with that struggle is not something I am proud of.  I struggled with it until I got to college and belonged to a team that helped me learn what team really meant.  I would like to thank my Grand Valley State University Cross Country and Track coach, Jerry Baltes, and all my teammates, for helping me grow and understand the importance, impact (inward and outward) and immense value of team. So if my definition and rambling has not helped you understand what team really means, take a moment each day to consider what I have said.  Look around you, and even ask those around you, what they think of when it comes to team.  If they say a winning Football team, take this opportunity to help them better understand team and plant the seeds I have started to sew here, but of course add your own personal touch of flare and heart.  After all, we are the Humankind Team and if that includes helping each other understand what team means, lets do it!

A note about the Ironman Foundation - Newton Running Ambassador Triathlon Team:
This team is not about the best of the best Ironman triathletes, nor is it about winning.  This team is about taking a sport that has been seen as a potentially selfish sport (I need the newest hi-tech gear I can't donate, I can't volunteer I need to train, I can't spend all day Saturday with my family I need to train, I can't go to Church I need to train, I can't go to the benefit dinner the food does not fit my training diet etc etc etc) and taking the athletes to a point where they join the community and give back through service projects, fundraising and donations, as well as provide examples for others of positive healthy attitudes while facing real obstacles.  I am not saying all triathletes are like the various selfish examples I gave, most that I know are not selfish at all, but the extreme training and lifestyle of an Ironman Triathlete has led to these sorts of stereotypes of Tri Geeks.  I would like to give a shout out to a few very selfless triathletes I personally know that have raised funds and volunteered for the greater good in their pursuit of becoming an Ironman: Michele Prieve Wilkinson and Dan (Dano) Tyler.  There are many that deserve honorable mention but at this time these are the two I have chosen and they make me smile!  The new Ironman Foundation - Newton Running Ambassador Triathlon Team is here to be selfless, self sacrificing and break the stereotype with and Iron Will, just as these two individuals have.  We will show the world, as the running community has through the tragic Boston Marathon events, that we are devoted members of the humankind team for the greater good, not just tri geeks!

Ok maybe I am getting a bit altruistic, but hopefully you get my basic point!

RUNmemberance

Boston Marathon 2013

Supporting the families most affected by the tragic events of Boston - Please click, read and consider.

I am coming off an inspiring weekend of training.  I conquered the weather gods to ensure I got the training in I needed. Having an accomplished feeling I was truly looking forward to watching the Boston Marathon unfold while at work Monday morning.  We all have our stories related to this event, just like we have our 9/11, Pearl Harbor or JFK stories.  Sadly to say a tribute in such a situation is not my strong suit when it comes to writing or speaking, all I ever want to do is hug people.  So, starting off with a massive Marathon driven and Sprint powered HUG here is a condensed version of my Boston 2013 story and an attempt at honoring all racers, runners, Marathon workers, volunteers and Bostonians.

Sitting at my computer excited Americans took 4 on both sides I continued to watch and wait for others I know to finish.  Everybody I was close with had finished and I was ready to be done constantly refreshing my screen and get back to some serious work, knowing I could check the final results later.  Then some strange statements started to arrive on my search engine, and then, "Bomb?" What? Bomb?  I searched and read that two explosions had gone off at the finish line. Some may take this the wrong way and be angry when I say this, but for me this feeling and experience is my personal truth and reality - my heart dropped and my mind remained confused and unable to function properly, it felt just like Freshman year of college sitting in my dorm room trying to comprehend 9/11.  When my mind started to function again it instantly went to my friend who works timing the race, knowing he would have been at the finish line fear started to burn inside me.  Fortunately I received word quite quickly he was safe.

Beyond thinking of my individual friends and acquaintances, as well as all of the dedicated runners and fans out there, my International Relations training and knowledge started to get the wheels spinning in my head.  I started to think of the ripple effect this incident is going to cause.  Maybe I started thinking of this too early, but this is what I have been trained to do - prepare and expect the worst but hope for the best.  The thoughts that crossed my mind and I began to ponder RAN the gamut.  All of these thoughts stemmed from all of my experiences in life from racing, managing races, volunteering, working in international development, being a Christian and the list goes on.  I thought, this is going to change the face of running and endurance sports, race fees are going to go up (was this really the time to be thinking that NO, I know that), race directors are going to have a lot more work and expenses involved (therefore race fees will rise), the desire to help Americans become healthier and be involved in such activities has been tarnished, diabetes might start to increase at a faster rate again (really Megan I ask myself, where is your mind), visas are going to be more difficult for foreigners to get to visit the US (my good friends already struggle or can't get visas to come to the US), more lives will be lost at war, more money will need to be spent at the city, state and federal level, this is TSA and the induction of Homeland Security all over again, how far will it go this time, taxes will go up, what is going to happen to Ironman, will my family even be able to come near the finish line to watch me finish...and the list goes on and on and remains a mixture of complete illogical thoughts alongside the unfortunate realities.

I would like to end before my rant and heartache spurs too out of control.  I am proud to be a Christian and a believer in Christ, I am proud to be a Global Citizen, I am proud to be an American, I am proud to be an athlete and most of all I AM PROUD TO BE A RUNNER!  This time it is not, don't run in fear, no, this is about RUNNING IN COURAGE, SUPPORT AND STRENGTH.  So, I ask everybody to honor the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing and stand up and start running.  If you have never run this is your chance to run and make a difference for you and for our community.  Start with a walk, then do intervals run/walking, then run, do what you can and be proud for you and and for the world.  Run and be motivated, run and motivate, RUN and REMEMBER.

RUN MEMBER

What Is 88 Inspired

I would like to use today, April 8, to let everybody know WHY I have entitled this blog 88 Inspired.

The anonymous person that commented on the last blog indicated it may be because of the year 1988, that person was correct.  SHOUT OUT CAITLIN!  I have known CAITLIN for a very short time period and immediately she became a dear friend of mine. Words cannot do her justice.  She has proven  to be an amazing person conquering the various trials and tribulations life has presented her while maintaining a fabulously positive and motivating attitude and taking up running as her sport, very successfully I must say - no worries triathletes last night she was challenged and accepted the challenge of trying a tri.  She also helped encourage me to follow through with applying for the Ironman Foundation Newton Triathlon Ambassador Team and continued to push me to accept the offer by reminding me it was MEANT TO BE!  Thank you Caitlin, for being you and for helping me get here today!  Though at about mile 80 of the bike during Ironman you might want to hide from me, because you are one of the people I am coming after!

Ok, so 88 Inspired -
I started attending triathlons before I can remember. I was raised at triathlons, as races were our family vacations as we watched and cheered my Dad. At the age of 5, when I was in Kindergarten, I have some of my first real memories. One of these memories was the day my Dad was accepted to the Ironman Triathlon, the only one that existed in 1988, we were going to Hawaii and we all did the Hula dance together as a family (Mom, Dad, Brother and myself)!  It was such an amazing experience for my entire family.  So amazing I even took the Ironman video to show and tell with me for years to come, more than likely for my entire show and tell career, as I was so proud of my Dad and amazed by the event and experience.

The story of WHY - WHY Triathlons and for heaven's sake, WHY Ironman -
Growing up around triathlons, and then experiencing Ironman Hawaii at a young age, solidified my interest in athletics and in particular - triathlons. I participated in my first triathlon at age 9 (too bad it  wasn't age 8 to keep my favorite number rolling). At that time kids triathlons did not exist, so I was in the water with all the adults and have a vivid memory of a large hairy man swimming overtop of me as if I did not exist. I made my way to the corner buoy to survive. I finally came out of the water, in tears, but Dad helped keep me going to finish the triathlon.  I was trained out of necessity at a young age to deal with mass starts and the washing machine of Ironman, which is one of the many reasons I hope the  mass start is never removed from any Ironman.

Throughout my childhood triathlons simply were not feasible to continue, due to the high cost and the fact that sadly they are not a state sanctioned sport for schools. So I took up the sport of running. After running in college and then entering the average public race scene I realized there was something missing and running simply was not fulfilling enough for me anymore.  I purchased a road bike and started tri training. I competed in my first adult triathlon with my Father, as he returned to the sport with me after moving mostly into cycling. The triathlon started with children with disabilities in kayaks being pulled by the triathletes in the water. My heart raced and smiled while witnessing the pure joy on the faces of the kids and the fulfillment on the faces of the athletes working so hard to move the kids along. Though it was raining and cold I had more fun in my first adult triathlon than I had experienced in any running races post college. Witnessing the children enjoy the event and seeing the athletes and spectators alike appear as one large triathlon family, combined with my exhilarating experience running out of the water after not having almost been drown, confirmed everything, triathlons were my new vice.

My Father's Ironman Hawaii accomplishment in the year 1988 Inspired my life long ambition to complete an Ironman Triathlon.  The training will be grueling, the fundraising difficult yet well worth it for the cause and the vision of my family at the finish line and the words "You Are An Ironman" will be priceless.  All of this combined will make 2013 my next inspiration and hopefully inspire others as well.  WHOA, I better not get ahead of myself, I have to make it through this training first.

(pictures of 1988 to come)

The Journey Begins - Train, Fundraise, Train, Volunteer, Train, Travel, Train, Race!

To my complete and utter surprise I received a call from the Ironman Foundation – Newton Running Ambassador Triathlon Team on Thursday, March 28 inviting me to accept an invitation to the team, which I had applied for a few weeks prior with no expectation of being accepted.  The call brought about an abundance of emotions, all of which I expect to experience a lot more throughout this entire journey – excitement, fear, sense of accomplishment, discombobulation, pride, pressure, motivation, determination, passion, sense of adventure and many more I cannot even begin to put into words.

I took a day to consider this journey and ultimately decided Friday afternoon to accept this honor and begin a journey that is 88 Inspired.

Considering 88 Inspired is the title of this blog I feel it is very important to describe its origin.  But I will keep you on the edge of your seats guessing for a few days.  If you have an idea of why I have titled this blog 88 Inspired, I encourage you to contact me.  I think it would be fun to hear your various thoughts that 88 Inspired bring to mind, maybe I can use them for motivation during my journey.  I want all of you to be a part of my journey in so many ways; here is your first chance!

I guess in order to be involved in my journey and desire to follow my blog you may want to know - what is the Ironman Foundation – Newton Running Ambassador Triathlon Team and what will she be doing on this team?  I am sure this is something I will be explaining quite a bit over the next 5 months.  I will start with a more detailed explanation here, which I am sure will develop into a much shorter answer over time!

As a member of the team I will be competing in Ironman Canada in Whistler, BC on August 25, 2013.  For those of you that may not know, Ironman Triathlon is considered one of the worlds most challenging endurance races and is a one day event that involves completing a 2.4 mile open water swim, 112 mile bike and a full marathon/26.2 mile run, a total of 140.6 miles.  I will also be competing in a Half Ironman 70.3 (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run), which I have not yet selected.  Beyond the abundance of training, two goal races and additional races for preparation purposes, I will also be contributing and giving back to the race community through a variety of service projects and fundraising a minimumof $3000.

I invite you to read the Press Release about the team if you would like more information about all of the stakeholders involved: Ironman, Ironman Foundation, Newton Running and of course all of the team members, including some exciting big names alongside myself as the only Michigander!