Trying a Tri
Earlier this year I received a free, three-month membership to the Denver Recreation Centers, which meant that I had full access to all they offer - including their pools. I told a friend, who also has a membership, that I was in for free for the next few months. He said to me, “Good, start swimming I want to do a triathlon with you.”
You have to understand, my friend is a machine. He runs ultra-marathons (races from 50 miles to 100 miles in length). A few years ago we did a lot of cycling together, and I could barely keep up with him – and he was on a single speed. For him, doing a triathlon is like you or me running up a flight of stairs.
I wanted to say “no,” but he was insistent. He kept saying, “You can totally do this.” I reasoned, “How hard could it be?” After all I am usually in pretty good shape. I run often and spend a lot of time on my bike … add in a swim and this should be easy. Then I swam.
After 50 yards I swore I was going to drown.
For one minute I hated my friend for talking me into this, but I knew that I could not back out. I had committed to the triathlon, and promised him that I was going to do it. At this point I began to get my house in order, since I figured I would probably drown. Sure, I’d make the paper the day after the race, but for all the wrong reasons.
A few days after my first swim I looked the website for the triathlon, and saw that by doing the triathlon you could raise money for good causes. One organization that was an eligible recipient was The 1010 Project. Their name comes from John 10:10 where Jesus says, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” They believe that they can be a part of helping people see this promise of Jesus realized.
The 1010 Project has “officed” out of our building for the last several years. In addition to becoming great friends, I have been amazed by the work they do. They partner with people through business and community development to end poverty in Kenya. In November I had the opportunity to travel to Nairobi and witness their work firsthand.
The 1010 Project plays an integral role in helping to lift people out of poverty. They come alongside struggling entrepreneurs and those who have received small loans and teach them the basics of business to ensure their financial success. The success of their students allows for them not only to eat every day, but also to make their communities better. In my time there I met and spent time with Josephine, Paul, Johannes, and Immaculate.
Immaculate founded the business “Mother’s Concern.” Through her business Immaculate offers care and support to those with no hope in the Kayole slum of Nairobi. Mother’s Concern assists orphans, in particular young girls who are often the primary caregivers for their entire family. In addition to assistance she also provides job training in the hopes of providing a better future for orphans and preventing the prostitution of young girls.
She does all of this and generates her own incomes by selling jewelry, tailoring, and producing juice. Today, Mother’s Concern has provided job training to over 100 young women, enabling them to make a safe and healthy living. Immaculate’s impact will be felt for generations to come. An impact that has been made greater because of The 1010 Project.
When I found out I could help, not just The 1010 Project, but people like my friends Josephine, Paul, Immaculate, and Johannes I was really down with doing the triathlon. The first thing I did was officially join The ERACE Poverty Triathlon Team. Then, I began to research about doing a triathlon. I put together a training schedule and decided to challenge and stretch myself, because I know how hard women like Immaculate work, and I didn’t want to take an easy route. On Saturday, September 3 I will be doing an Olympic Triathlon (1 Mile Swim, 25 Miles Bike, and 6 Mile Run). I am learning everyday about training. Over the last four days I have swam two miles (without drowning), run over 10 miles, and biked 41 miles. Anytime I feel tired I think about all the work The 1010 Project is doing.
When I swim, run, or bike I say to myself over and over, “Work as hard as Immaculate. Work as hard as Johannes. Work as hard as Josephine. Work as hard as Paul.” I think about the thousands of lives they are changing, and I push just a little harder. I am doing this triathlon not because waking up at 6:00 AM is fun, but because I can do something to bring awareness and resources to a great cause.
The good news is that you can join me. From a small donation of $1.00, $5.00 or the magic amount of $10.10 you can support people like Immaculate, and be a part of changing lives in Kenya. In addition to your gifts, my wife and I have decided to match the first $100 in giving.
If you would like to donate click here.
If you would like to get Twitter updates on my last six weeks of training, click here.
To learn more about The 1010 Project click here.