I Dare You To Tri

Well, that's what I did to my ol' friend, Freitag (first name Brian).

We grew up swimming together, spending the summers playing sharks & minnows, and had classes together in high school. He was a year older and went off to JMU. Well, now he's back in Culpeper before he heads off to grad school.

So, at the gym, I was like, "Frei, you gotta do one. You'll be awesome because you swam." Well, that was last August. Finally, I got him to sign up for one with only 9 spots open.

I woke up before 6. And, off to Lake Anna I was. I savored the silent, beautiful morning drive. I got my packet quickly. I looked for Freitag, but there were 720 participants plus families so we never hooked up.

The swim was a run start. I didn't wear a wetsuit; it wasn't bad. I stunk on the bike (perhaps, I should actually ride it outside...spinning class isn't cutting it). My run was a solid sprint. During the bike, I contemplated why I'm still doing triathlons 4 years later. Trust me, you have plenty of alone time to solve the world's problems.

But, then I remembered. As, I sprinted the run. I ran from 6th to 3rd place. As I crossed the line, I remembered that I do triathlons because you can never give up in life, never. Every race or day is different, but there is always a finish line and the goal should be to cross it having known you tried your best. So, that's why I tri.

Freitag has always been a hard worker. He never complained at practice, was always extremely competitive, and was never a quitter. Well, that attitude placed him 3rd in his group. I'm couldn't be prouder of the smile he had when I told him and he received his medal. Here's to him and trying something new!

Moral of the Story (once again):

Relay For Life Moment: Countdown 5 Days!...The Luminaria Ceremony (according to Wikipedia)

Relay For Life’s slogan is “Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back.” The Luminaria Ceremony is targeted towards the “Remember” section of the slogan. During this time, participants are asked to gather and remember those who have fallen victim to cancer. Luminaria bags are often decorated by participants, honoring a loved one who has passed or is currently fighting the disease. These bags are often placed around the track and candles inside the bags are lit prior to the start of the Luminaria Ceremony. Usually, the Luminaria bags are used to spell out words such as HOPE and CURE, and the words illuminate during the Ceremony. Some participants or guest speakers are invited to share their stories during this time, and each participant is given a candle to light in remembrance of a loved one. Following the Luminaria Ceremony, it is suggested that participants walk a lap around the track in silence to give respect to those who have fallen ill to this deadly disease or to those whose lives were lost. At some Relay events, pictures of cancer patients are shown and Amazing Grace is performed.