THE WEEKLY TRI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Here we are. The end of the year. The end of college. The beginning of summer. The beginning of a new era for this team. It has been more than a pleasure to publish this every week. I have had so much fun coming up with ridiculous things and I’ve loved the feedback that I’ve gotten from this little missive. So, without further ado, my last TWT.
THE WEEK THAT WAS
-This weed has been a blur. We dined. We celebrated. We sent some people off the right way. We welcomed the new exec board and yanked the old one.
-The volunteer day at World Bicycle Relief was a major success. We completely reorganized their space, got the grand tour of the SRAM executive offices, got some free pizza, and began what I think will be a really positive relationship with them. If you weren’t able to come or want to know more about how to get involved with them, talk to Kendyl or Anna.
THE WEEK TO BE
-Ironman Kansas (Lawrence, KS): Sunday morning, Rich Barbera will be going up against the big guns in this 70.3 event. That’s right, Rich will be competing against the likes of Chrissie Wellington and Andy Potts. That’s a big deal to even be on the same course on the same day with those people.
-Elkhart Lake Triathlon (Elkhart Lake, WI): I’m celebrating being done with college by going all out at the USAT Midwestern Regional Championships. Supposed to be rainy and 60 degrees. Yippee. Can’t we get some nice, medium weather?
ANNOUNCEMENTS
-If you have new announcements going forward, talk to Rich. He’s the one who now gets to write this little email now.
-I hate to do this right here and ruin the mood, but I’ve got something on my heart that I need to say to you guys. Last weekend while running the 13.1 half marathon here in Chicago, one of my very good friends, Zach, died. You may have heard about it in the news, but he was 26, in EXCELLENT condition (he was realistically shooting for a sub 1:40 time, and a veteran of mulitple marathons), and the LAST guy you’d expect to have trouble with the heat. It was really hot, but the autopsy was inconclusive and no one really knows the cause of death, but it has hit me really hard.
I’ll get to the point: guys, I love you all. If I can stand on my soap box one last time (as Dad of the team): the role of a teammate and leader is to pick people up when they’re feeling down and celebrate with them when they’re at their best. I would do anything for any of you, and I know that you would do the same. PLEASE be safe out there. We love this sport, we love to push ourselves, we love to get at each other and compete, but NOTHING, NOTHING is more important than your safety. Wear Road ID’s and helmets, make sure you’re well-hydrated, tell people where you’re going or go with someone, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES AND EACH OTHER. Life is too short to take anything or anyone for granted, so go celebrate every single day that you have with the people and teammates that you love.
I will miss you all, but I know that I’m leaving at the peak of this team’s potential and I could not be MORE EXCITED about where this team is going and where it can go. I wish you all the best this summer and beyond in triathlon and in life. Live life to the fullest and KICK SOME PURDUE ASS!!!! (I actually just met Anna’s twin sister who goes there the other day, lovely girl. If all the folks at Purdue are as nice as she is, it’s actually probably not half bad).
SHOUT OUT OF THE WEEK
YOU, MY TEAMMATES, FRIENDS, AND COMRADES. THANKS FOR LISTENING.
This song is hilarious, the video’s even better:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDM3eYp4KQ
As we go on, we remember all the times we had together, and as our lives change, from whatever we will still be friends forever,
clh
Northwestern Triathlon 