Today I was taking a kid to Lifeguarding practice, and he forgot to wear his seatbelt - automatic 5 'triathlon-style' pushups (where the kids go down and hold for one second, then two seconds, then three...). Not much but it gets the point across without being corporal punishment :-) Anyway, so we got to the pool and he did them without complaining. Then he made the comment, "you know you're the only person I'd do that for."
Which was cool because this is a kid who I met two summers ago in my summer school class (and actually failed it because three days before he would have passed it he stopped coming... three summer school absences and you're automatically failed...), then did water polo for a season, tried diving for 2 weeks but then quit, and has gone on just one triathlon camping trip because he annoys most of the kids. So he's definitely what you call, "grew up without a strong father in the home." Nice reminder as the school year ended the power of positive change being consistent with these kids can bring about!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Friday, June 5, 2009
Splash and Dash Race Report
It's taken a week, but I really wanted to be able to sit down and do a race report that fit the Splash and Dash!
Friday (5/29)
The venerable Suburban did not die (as it had been doing lately... whenever I'd be driving for a while then stop, it wouldn't start without a jump) as I picked up the trailer, students, sleeping bags, fruit, shirts, etc. We met up at McLane for a nice Chipotle dinner courtesy of our sponsors and then headed off to Millerton Lake. We set up camp, had a nice little swim, and people came up to help us set up, tell ghost stories etc.
I did have some problems with some of the 23 (yep) students who hadn't been on trips before because I belatedly tried to enforce the usual no electronics rule. Didn't work too well. But all were in their tents at 10:59 just as I had instructed.
Then the sprinklers came on.
Yep... we were camping out by the picnic area as we had been allowed to by the park ranger and the sprinklers hit the tent with the girls newest to camping. The rangers could hear the screams from across the campsite. Most of us were laughing, although a few of the students not so much! Ha ha. So we initiated "back up plan B" which involved sending a few of the students whose stuff was now soaked to other tents or to sleep in cars. Thanks Lindsey and Edna for understanding... sleeping in the Suburban isn't that bad ;-)
I slept on a park bench.... first with just a blanket for a pillow and in my regular clothes, but around 3am it got cold so put my wet sleeping bag on top of me. I didn't sleep on the ground because we'd seen snakes earlier that night.
SATURDAY MAY 30th!
The day was finally here! I'd stayed up until about midnight every night of the week prior getting ready for this, and had been talking it up for months and months! I pretty much used up most of my 'personal capital' getting ready for it, but it's all good.
We had 51 pre-registration sign ups, and 24 people signed up on race day! There were certainly a few bumps in the road, but most people were good sports and I was very thankful for the strong tri-community support. My student volunteers were outstanding and I got several comments or emails like this one:
"I just wanted to let you know how impressed I was with all of the teens who were working the event. They were all helpful, friendly, and serious about their jobs, which is not always the case with teen volunteers at races. I just want you, and your students, what a great job they did."
So that's nice to see! It was pretty fun being race director with the megaphone and everything.
The people came in, we got results going and all that... then for the other big surprise!
After the results were announced and pictures taken of people on the podium and all, I asked my sponsors to come on up. Active.me who provided sports and energy drinks, Sierra Running Company who came up with wetsuits and other stuff to give away and helped set up the entire thing, local tri clubs who helped get things set up, etc. And my girlfriend, because I mean she put up with me working and stressing a lot about not just the Splash and Dash, but the tri team in general!
Then, as I thanked her for being so wonderful I reached into my pocket.
And pulled out a ring.
And got down on one knee and proposed! Captured on many cameras and even in video!
She said yes. So we're gonna get married sometime in the next year or so. Still kinda working on the date.
It was a GREAT first weekend for Tri-This (we netted about $500) and and of course me personally too!
Pictures are here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/trithisfresno/splashanddash#
Friday (5/29)
The venerable Suburban did not die (as it had been doing lately... whenever I'd be driving for a while then stop, it wouldn't start without a jump) as I picked up the trailer, students, sleeping bags, fruit, shirts, etc. We met up at McLane for a nice Chipotle dinner courtesy of our sponsors and then headed off to Millerton Lake. We set up camp, had a nice little swim, and people came up to help us set up, tell ghost stories etc.
I did have some problems with some of the 23 (yep) students who hadn't been on trips before because I belatedly tried to enforce the usual no electronics rule. Didn't work too well. But all were in their tents at 10:59 just as I had instructed.
Then the sprinklers came on.
Yep... we were camping out by the picnic area as we had been allowed to by the park ranger and the sprinklers hit the tent with the girls newest to camping. The rangers could hear the screams from across the campsite. Most of us were laughing, although a few of the students not so much! Ha ha. So we initiated "back up plan B" which involved sending a few of the students whose stuff was now soaked to other tents or to sleep in cars. Thanks Lindsey and Edna for understanding... sleeping in the Suburban isn't that bad ;-)
I slept on a park bench.... first with just a blanket for a pillow and in my regular clothes, but around 3am it got cold so put my wet sleeping bag on top of me. I didn't sleep on the ground because we'd seen snakes earlier that night.
SATURDAY MAY 30th!
The day was finally here! I'd stayed up until about midnight every night of the week prior getting ready for this, and had been talking it up for months and months! I pretty much used up most of my 'personal capital' getting ready for it, but it's all good.
We had 51 pre-registration sign ups, and 24 people signed up on race day! There were certainly a few bumps in the road, but most people were good sports and I was very thankful for the strong tri-community support. My student volunteers were outstanding and I got several comments or emails like this one:
"I just wanted to let you know how impressed I was with all of the teens who were working the event. They were all helpful, friendly, and serious about their jobs, which is not always the case with teen volunteers at races. I just want you, and your students, what a great job they did."
So that's nice to see! It was pretty fun being race director with the megaphone and everything.
The people came in, we got results going and all that... then for the other big surprise!
After the results were announced and pictures taken of people on the podium and all, I asked my sponsors to come on up. Active.me who provided sports and energy drinks, Sierra Running Company who came up with wetsuits and other stuff to give away and helped set up the entire thing, local tri clubs who helped get things set up, etc. And my girlfriend, because I mean she put up with me working and stressing a lot about not just the Splash and Dash, but the tri team in general!
Then, as I thanked her for being so wonderful I reached into my pocket.
And pulled out a ring.
And got down on one knee and proposed! Captured on many cameras and even in video!
She said yes. So we're gonna get married sometime in the next year or so. Still kinda working on the date.
It was a GREAT first weekend for Tri-This (we netted about $500) and and of course me personally too!
Pictures are here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/trithisfresno/splashanddash#
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