Dawn Cracker / Get Fit Family Newsletter 2017 by Joella Baker

Three Girls and a Bucket List

By:  Joella Baker

I am constantly amazed at the friendships that come out of our running and triathlon team.  I am more amazed at the crazy things you all talk one another into.  From running up mountains, to swimming across Lake Erie, to biking 100 miles more than one time in a summer, to completing an Ironman.  You all have a way of pushing one another out of your own comfort zones.

In 2014, Three friends set out on a oal to finish the 2015 Chattanooga Ironman.  Traci McKenna, Kelley Morrone and Jenny Wojnar sined up, trained a ton together and went to Chattanooga to achieve that goal.  All three finished and three other women were there to cheer them on.  Laura Chevalier, Shari Allen and Hollie Stevenson.  These three went to Chattanooga to cheer on their new friends and to sign-up to race the following year.  At least two went there to sign up for 2016.  Hollie was just along for the ride.  Of course, anyone who spends time with this group knows, you can easily be talked into some crazy stuff if you hang around too long.  

So, what happened next?   You got it!  Hollie signed up too.  See the picture?  Which person doesn't look so excited?  Yup, that would be Hollie. So 2 years earlier, these three didn't know one another.  Now they were about to become the best of friends and form a bond that only people who swim, bike and run for hours on end together can form.   Their adventure was kicked off with a birthday celebration for Hollie's 50th in November of 2015.  A 50 mile bike, 5000 yard swim and a 5 mile run with 10 push-ups after each mile for 50 push-ups.  That was the day that officially kicked off their Ironman training.   Shortly after that, Laura had surgery on her foot.  This didn't stop these ladies.  As soon as Laura was able to get back in the pool, the three would meet to aquajog, they would do cycling classes and they would walk together.  The goal, stay moving!

Winter training went as planned.  Then it was time to head outside.  That is where the real adventure began.  The ladies followed the plan perfectly.  Everything was on track.  Everyone was getting stronger.  It didn't matter that a bike ride was doubled in length because of a wrong turn.  That some days were longer than planned.  That only made their bond stronger.   Then on August 20, the unthinkable happened.  Laura, Shari, Kevin, Jim and Laurel were out for a bike ride.  The group was separated just a little bit, but enough that still no one knows exactly what happened.  Laura cam over a hill a Moraine and found Shari on the ground, unconscious.  She was rushed to the hospital with a bad concussion, cracked teeth and broken collarbone in 3 places.  It was a bad accident.  We all believe a deer ran into her.  Thankfully her friends were all close by.   Despite the severity of the accident, Shari was convinced she would still be ready to do the Ironman in a month.  Shari is one of the most determined and stubborn women I know.  Seriously, she is.  It took quite a bit to convince her to wait and let her body heal.  In the meantime, we had to et Hollie and Laura back on track.  Shari wanted the girls to still race.  They still had one bi training weekend to go.  A trip to Chattanooga for their dress rehearsal.

Laura and Hollie were so sad Shari wouldn't be there, but the show must go on, so they put Shari on a stick, (see the photo).  Shari wasn't there physically, but she was there in spirit.  She was cheering her friends on from PA as they swam, biked and ran through the Ironman course 4 weeks out from the big race.   Shari knew she wanted to still go on race day.  She contacted Ironman.  They were gracious enough to allow her to stay at the finishline so she could be the one to put the finisher medal around her friends necks.  This meant so much to Shari and to Laura and Hollie.  What a great idea.

Race day was finally here.  Hollie still looks scared.  But we knew both girls were ready.  They were down there a couple days early.  They did all their prep work and the big day was upon them.   The early morning wait to jump in the water is always nerve racking, but with great support, the girls were ready.  They both had phenomenal swims.  Time to bike.  The bike went great for both as well.  Despite the heat, both rode hard and stayed on their goal pace.   The run was by far the biggest challenge of the day, as it is for most Ironman athletes.

The Group before the start of the swim at Ironman Chattanooga.

Shari was out there all day cheering on her friends.  She even walked and ran a little with both girls.  (Just don;t tell her doctors).  Throughout the entire race, their friend, their training partner was now their biggest cheerleader.    People say triathlon is an individual sport.  I disagree.  Ask anyone who has ever completed a triathlon and they will tell you about the team of people who helped to get them through it.  It could be friends, family, a spouse, a coach, a training partner.  Whoever those people are, they make up your team.  They help you cross that finish line.  For these three women, they are a team.  An amazing team.  Although Hollie and Laura may have thought that Chattanooga was their one and only Ironman.  I have a feeling they will be at Shari's side when she starts training again and gets ready to accomplish her dream and hear the words "Shari Allen, You Are an Ironman!".   A quick note.  Shari was released today by her surgeon to get back to training.  It will be a big comeback, but she will do it.   Just ask Bud Ringbloom.  He is proof you can come back after a bad bike accident and still finish an Ironman.  Good luck Shari!  We are all cheering for you!

Laura and Hollie at the finish of Ironman Chattanooga!   Congratulations on great races ladies!