Grab a tissue or two or three....I've a story to tell and it's a good one!

Before we start this story it might be helpful to read this post and this post before proceeding and this post :)to give you some background and bring you up to date. Just trust me. Have I ever steered you wrong? I mean when it counts!! It's worth taking the time to read even if I am a lousy writer.

If you listened to me and read those past posts you'd see that running the Bitterroot Triathlon has become kind of a family tradition. One that I keep hoping year after year that I can participate in. Every year I've told myself, "this is the year! I'm going to beat this West Nile Virus. I'm going to get better and I am going to compete alongside my family. Okay, we know the truth. They'd all finish long before me but I'd be there giving it my all with them.

This year was no different. I started to feel pretty good in February and was certain this year I'd compete. I even had family say they'd help me and do a relay so I didn't have to do the entire triathlon. I could do one leg of it. And........another year goes.......and it isn't meant to be.



Unbeknown to me, my family decided to dedicate their run to me. They took the logo on the side of my blog, had my extremely talented and artistic niece draw it to scale, and made it into t-shirts. Instead of wearing the official triathlon jerseys they wore these shirts.

If any of you have ever competed in something even remotely close to a triathlon you understand what goes into the training and the story of each athlete. It is no different here.



My baby sis a year ago sat on the sidelines 500 months pregnant ready to explode while she cheered on my dad and siblings. Who knew a year later she'd teach herself how to swim and be right there competing?



My dad who is 74 years old next month struggled the entire year in his training with back pain that left him hardly able to walk. The week before the race he was in so much pain and started to come down with a flu that he did not know if he'd be able to finish the race let alone compete.



This sister trained all year long and at the last minute wasn't able to make it up to MT to join the family.

Knowing the hardships and struggles my family were going through I prayed in earnest the night before the triathlon and all the next morning to please let my family be happy with their results. They'd trained hard. Then I received this call after the race:

My baby sis: Did you feel it?

Me: Did I feel what?

My baby sis: Did you fly?

Me: I don't understand

My baby sis: We flew. We flew for you.

She then explained to me they'd dedicated the race to me and to watch for photos later to come. It was when the photos came that tears ran down my face. I'd had no idea they were going to do this and to see the photos, the t-shirts, and knowing their own personal journeys to get where they did was an emotion that words can not describe. Every one of my siblings that competed and my father beat their times from last year! My 74 year old father was the first out of the pool in his heat!! And my mother who is always there to cheer us all on at one point did more than just stand there and cheer when my dad ran past. She joined him and ran next to him for awhile encouraging him as she has done for more than fifty years of their marriage.





Through out the race my family would call out to each other in encouragement, "Keep flying" and at one point when my baby sis felt she couldn't go on she told herself, "I'm doing this for Rachel. I can't quit. This is for Rachel. I need to keep flying."



The story does not end there. More emotions to follow as I then found out that my sister in CA who was not able to make it had asked to have her t-shirt mailed to her. She put it on and in my dads words this is what took place: (Karsten is her husband).

"Dear Family:

We have another Triathloner in the family. Virginia was not able to
come and do the triathlon here in Hamilton. Instead, she did one all
by herself in Redding. That is a real accomplishment. She didn't
have any other runners, bikers or swimmers to cheer her on. She
started in the evening and finished after dark. She deserves a medal.

Karsten also deserves a big medal. He set up the courses for Virginia
so that she could swim, bike and run. She did the 750 meter swim, 10k
bike and 5k run. Not only did he set up the courses for her but he
was her sole cheer leader along the way. When she swam, he counted
laps. When she biked, he met her at the half way point to cheer her
on. When she ran (after dark) he rode a bike next to her to keep her
company and safe. What a duo!

Congratulations to both of you. I think it was a bigger
accomplishment then here where we had whole staffs, family and friends
to help us along the way.

Our love to you both and to all of the family.

Dad and Granpa R. "





I was told that my sister wouldn't race until she got her t-shirt. She ran for me. She flew for me and as she crossed her finish line she sent me this photo saying she flew across it for me.




These are the everyday hero's that make up my life and I ask myself, "They have given me so much. I am so loved. What have I given them?" When I asked my sisters they said, "Just get better. We love you".

Love. It's an amazing gift.