jugg3rnaut writes: I was always a chubby kid, not just chubby but tall too! My father says it’s from all the gm (genetically modified) garbage in the food we eat, and I agree, but that’s beside the point. I was always average, in my grades, in everything I tried. I was a competitive swimmer for 5 years and I always ran track and cross country in elementary and high school (I’m in grade 11 now). I was never the best nor the worst I was. Average.

I was never pleased being average and I never thought there is something that I would be good at. Until one afternoon last spring when I slipped upon HSBC triathlon series webpage for the first time. I guess you could say I was interested combining 3 of the sports I’m average at. I was pretty excited and I showed my family. FAITH was one thing I did not feel they had in me, and I still feel that the barley give me motivation, the truth is I am not known for finishing things that I start. Sometimes my family exaggerates it as they state "I rarely finish anything" but the truth is they are for me, behind everything that I attempt, and I thank them for that. I want my triathlon experience to change their perception of me, to a self motivated and persistent individual.

I signed up and prepared for parry sound triathlon 2 months ahead of time, I was number 3. Me and my dad drove to parry sound, stayed at an overpriced hotel and woke up bright and early. We drove to the beachfront parked and unpacked my stuff; I was nervous but didn’t let it get to me (or tried not to at least). An hour before the race, when every athlete was just hanging around making last minute adjustments to their equipment, in what seemed like an instant, there was this massive downpour of rain. It rained for about a minute and then it stopped, the beautiful sunshine that woke us up that morning was back drying our bikes and warmed our backs. It almost seemed too good to be true, the perfect sun with perfect riding conditions I mean how can it get any better than this!?

But we were not that lucky, as the huge black clouds that were just off the shore, and began covereing the area I could sense a feeling of sadness amongst everyone but we all still hoped that this day would turn out as every one expected.

That day did not turn out as expected.

Those clouds haunted us as they rolled over the shore onto beach that we were supposed to start on shortly started pouring out their hearts on us.

As the announcers calmed us down, removed all of the swimmers warming up from the water they informed us that “the triathlon (sprint) may be cancelled” there it was, as if what the announcer just said had angered the clouds, a burst of lightning hit the water.

Disappointed, in a word is what you could describe me at that moment, it was almost like God was saying, you are not ready, don’t do it, you will regret it. I was discouraged, I almost did not want to try anymore, almost as if my efforts were wasted, just then a reassuring “next year kid” exited my father’s lips, I nodded.

We got my bike and wandered down soaking path that we all of us were supposed to be running on, loaded all of my stuff into our car and started the 4 hour trip back home.

It was not until later that night when I was back at home, after detailing every event that happened at the “triathlon” to my family, that I realized exactly what I wanted to do.

I sat in front of the television when I came across a triathlon, on one of the channels. I don’t remember exactly which triathlon it was but the way that they ran, for a triathlon, made me stop in my tracks with my mouth wide open… it was amazing, the endurance, the stamina, hit me like a train hitting a stalled car “ that’s so cool” I repeated as I watched the athletes finish their races “ That’s so cool”…

I practiced a bit, still astounded by those triathletes finishes, until the next triathlon rolled around. It was being held in Cobourg Ontario, where the water was perfect, the weather was perfect, and the course was perfect. I fully enjoyed and endured every moment of that race.

The combination of that race in Cobourg, that night of the Parry Sound triathlon, and my families faith in me, pushed me to begin training, for an event that I didn’t even know existed and an event that will take many months and many passionate hours, an ironman,

I want to be, an ironman.

Thank you all, for furthering my knowledge and creating some bonds
Christian Jug.