Tuesday, April 24, 2007

The Westminster Alumni Triathlon

This past weekend was "Alumni Weekend" at Westminster College where Jim went to school in Fulton, Missouri. He was very excited to find out, some months ago, that a triathlon for students, faculty, and alumni would be hosted on campus during this particular weekend. It would be a low-key and fun practice event for the upcoming, and more competitive triathlons in which he has planned to participate later this season.

We were so pleased that our usual crew of observers were able to attend the event. Jim's mom and dad, his sister and her kids, and Chris were all there and cheering. Even some new spectators were in attendance! These included Josh and Mark, two of Jim's close college friends. It was beautiful weather for the event, and although Jim got off to a rocky start with some pre-race tire troubles, it was a great day. (It is safe to say that the air pump will never be forgotten back in the hotel room again.)

What is the most fun to report is that Jim was announced as the overall winner of the event with a finishing time of 1 hour, 11 minutes! We were all so proud of him. On a side note, these triathlons are famous for dishing out the heavy duty and expensive prizes, and this one was no exception. His winnings included a towel, a sports water bottle, and a gift certificate. These prizes clearly beat out any previous tokens he's collected in the past as a participant, including all the coffee cups and pairs of socks. We were raking it in. The real prize, of course, is the joy of competing, but that lessens the impact of my sarcasm, doesn't it?

Congrats to a speedy Jim. "Go Daddy, Go!" indeed.


Above, Jim rounds the corner on the bike, preparing to dismount and head to the transition area prior to his running portion of the race.


Nearing the end of the run, Jim is still looking strong. How annoying is this black speck at right that's apparently deep inside my camera lens? Let's name the speck, "Walter."

Jim looks triumphant after the finish. Walter looks smug.

Jack particularly enjoys the triathlon experience, as it provides the occasional opportunity to make playmates of his cousins. Below, Jack, Maria (left), and Cecilia (right) play around sections of the Berlin Wall as they are on permanent display at the Westminster campus where Winston Churchill once delivered a well known speech.






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