Perseverance

This morning, I competed in the Educators in Training Sprint Triathlon for NPS employees. The race was a 1/4 swim, a 15 mile bike ride and a 5K run. I am a former runner, but I am not a strong swimmer (basically, I can doggie paddle) and haven't really been riding my bike much at all. I entered the competition with the intent of training all summer - then, life got in the way. So, I entered the pool at 8:40 a.m. and swam my 18 lengths, fighting tears of exhaustion and frustration. It is pretty hard to swim 1/4 mile alternating the back stroke, doggie paddle and side stroke, but I did it. I ran to the changing room to get ready for the bike portion. Of course, something always has to go wrong, and I realized I forgot to pack my running shorts. Ms. Taylor and Ms. Alton scoured the locker room for me, but I ended up borrowing a pair from lost and found! The bike race was the most challenging. I felt very isolated on the road, as other bikers passed me. They shouted words of encouragement, but I felt horrible. My frustration with myself was overshadowing me just enjoying the experience. I cried several times on the bike, wanting to stop but not wanting to let my family or my students down. I had told the class I would finish, and I would! As I approached Mrs. Lajoie and Mrs. Harlow at their cheerleading station, they informed me that I wasn't last - there was one biker behind me. Soon, that biker passed me, along with the "sweepers," as they are called. The sweepers go around to make sure no one is left behind. An amazing woman talked me through the last mile of the bike ride, as I rode through tears and smiles. I approached JFK as the last biker, knowing I still had a run ahead of me. I dropped my bike and headed out to Look Park. I have never run after a bike ride and swim, so my legs would not let me run. I jogged a bit, and as I approached the rotary in front of Look Park, Superintendent Brian Salzer rode down to get me. Mrs. Bennett and Dr. Brown had sent him to check on me, and they wanted to walk me back to JFK. What an amazing group of people I work with! I reached the parking lot of JFK, and I still had two laps around the fields to finish. Staff were still in the parking lot, cheering me on, even though the race was over, awards had been presented and every other team had finished. My sweet daughter Elyse ran to me and she and I walked the two laps, then ran to the finish line. My amazing colleagues formed a bridge for Elyse and me to run under. She felt like the most famous kid on the planet! I finished! As I hugged my family, my friends and colleagues, I thought back over the past three hours, and remembered every time I wanted to stop, give up and go home. I thought about our students, and how I am sure they feel like that at times, if work feels too hard. I remembered something a mentor of mine taught me at my first teaching job: "You can do it. I believe in you. I won't give up on you." I hope to make sure my students always feel that way. Perseverance is a pretty powerful thing.