Support Cherry and Support The Cycle Effect!

Good Morning!

I am excited, and admittedly nervous, to be on TEAM USA representing the US in the International Triathlon Union's World Championships with over 50 countries competing.

Yikes!  I will be competing in the Long Distance AquaBike event.  This is a duathlon with a 1.8 mile swim and a 75 mile bike ride.  The big advantage is that it is an age-grouped event, so I will be competing with other very old women from around the world.

This is a story of unintended consequences! Last November, our son, Scott, planned to jump into the triathlon world with a half-ironman.  My plan was to go to Miami to cheer him on. Since I am no longer a runner, he found a swim-bike event for me.  (I was not much of a swimmer, either!). Having just turned 70, the depth of my decision making was "why not"?  Now I could list a few good reasons!  It was a long swim, 1.2 miles, a long bike race, 56 miles...and it was grueling! Unbeknownst to me, it was also the National Championship.  So when I placed 2nd, I qualified for the World Championships.

My first thought was "I can't do it again, too hard, too long, too scary".  But with encouragement from my family and friends, I reverted to the "why not" criteria.  If it is good to get out of our comfort zone, this definitely qualifies!  So on August 27, I will be in Penticton, Canada with 4000 athletes from around the world.  It is a 10-day event, with many different races.  I am not sure how many women I will be competing against, but there are three of us in the 70-74 women's age group on the US Team.

During the long hours of training for this adventure, I have had lots of time to reflect on how I got to this unexpected place.  I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to be on a swim team when I was young.  By the time junior high rolled around, before Title 9, it was, sadly, no longer the thing for a girl to do!  But those swim years stayed with me and, I believe, have provided me with the confidence to accept opportunities, challenges and risks that have enriched my life in so many ways.

There is a group of local young girls in Colorado who have not had the same opportunities I had...until now.  Though most have never ridden a bike or had the means to be a part of a team, The Cycle Effect invites young women to dream bigger and have higher expectations for their lives.

Through mountain bike training and racing, The Cycle Effect provides all equipment, coaches and mentors to these middle and high school aged girls to keep them engaged and interested in school and school related activities.  In addition to becoming fearless mountain bikers, they are given opportunities for community service, public speaking, mentorship and goal setting.

Through a relationship with their schools, foundations, and donors, they have been able to help send 100% of the graduates to college.  Take a look at this video to hear about The Cycle Effect from the girls' perspective (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VABLkyUGkEI).  It's an inspiring and heartwarming story!

In support of their mission, I am dedicating my training and race to these young Cycle Effect riders. I respect their courage.  They must have felt the same fear and anxiety I did when a seemingly impossible challenge was offered to them.  Their hard work and perseverance will undoubtedly empower them throughout their lives.  I ask for your support of The Cycle Effect.  Donations can be made on its website www.thecycleeffect.org or contact Vicki Flynn (vflynn@thecycleeffect.org) or at (970) 306-7572.  Dedicating this difficult challenge of mine to benefit this organization and these girls gives my race in Canada so much more meaning and deepens my commitment.

Thanks for considering a donation in support of my race!  Of course, your friendship and good wishes are incredibly appreciative and supportive as well!

Thank you for reading and your support,

Cherry