SPORTS 'N SPOKES

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Tri It—You Might Like It

Marathons, adventure races, triathlons, and similar "extreme" competitions may seem out of reach for most people. However, it could be time to re-think that philosophy.

As a U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Site, Lakeshore Foundation understands the benefits of competition. Athletes travel to Birmingham, Ala., from all over the country to train and compete while members of the local community work out at Lakeshore on a daily basis.

In an effort to provide competition for people with all levels of ability and athleticism and not just elite athletes, Lakeshore hosted the fifth annual Tri It Your Way Triathlon on August 22. Thirty-one participants-including 13 wheelchair users-biked, pushed, ran, and swam their way to the finish line.

Exercise physiologist Kelly King has spent the past ten years working with individuals with chronic illnesses and physical disabilities as a fitness specialist at Lakeshore Foundation. Two years ago she took on planning and coordinating Tri It Your Way.

"One out of every five Americans has a disability, yet there is no reason for them not to be active," she says. "Through programs like Tri It Your Way, we can give these individuals the tools they need to be healthy, active, and independent."

Tri It Your Way is for anyone of any ability level who wants to complete a triathlon alone or with the help of others.

"This year's race had everyone-kids from our swim team, senior adults, and people with various disabilities," says King.

Organizers created two course lengths so novice and experienced racers could compete on the fully accessible course.

Training Through Trials

College graduation is an exciting time for most people, filled with planning for the future and venturing into adult life. For Emily Caldwell, it was no different. A recent graduate of Covenant College (Lookout Mountain, Ga.), she was living with friends in Chattanooga, Tenn., and had secured a high-school math teaching job at Briarwood Christian School in Birmingham, Ala.

In 2007, on a seemingly typical commute between Chattanooga and Birmingham, the left tire on Caldwell's car blew out, and the vehicle flipped and hit a tree. She was rushed to the hospital with a traumatic brain injury and was in a coma for two months.

Caldwell awoke to find that instead of resuming her life as a newly independent adult, she was suddenly dependent on doctors and therapists to perform the simplest of everyday tasks. "I remember the doctors telling me I would have to relearn how to swallow," she says. "That was a big deal."

Another struggle for Caldwell was dealing with all the extra time on her hands. At the suggestion of her physical therapist, she began making hemp jewelry.

"She started with hemp but then got into beads, which was good for her fine motor skills," says Caldwell's mother, Teresa, while donning a necklace from Caldwell's "The Em Collection."

The jewelry business began as a hobby to pass the time, but after Caldwell contacted many potential customers and had a booth at Lakeshore Foundation's Summer Arts and Crafts Show, it has grown into a small-business venture called Treasures Through Trials. Each piece is unique, and with them Caldwell includes a card featuring a handwritten Bible verse to share the faith that has helped her during her struggles.

Caldwell also received support from many people along the way, including frequent visits from her college classmates.

"Emily has some incredible friends from college who have really been there for her," her mom says. Friends from her church, Briarwood Presbyterian, also stepped forward to support the family whenever needed.

"It has been amazing to see her progress," says family friend Judy Donaldson. "We were there and stayed with her while she was learning to walk, and then run."

With the help of her Lakeshore Foundation personal trainer Heather Pennington, Caldwell has continued her progress from walking to running, and, more recently, swimming and cycling. That's when she decided to challenge herself by competing in Tri It Your Way.

Caldwell has been surrounded by support in all her challenges so far, and the triathlon was no different. Her siblings-Nathan, 22; Whitney, 19; and Matthew, 16-formed a relay team to be by her side for every leg of the triathlon.

Flanked by the moral support, Caldwell persevered through 12 laps of swimming, 9 miles of cycling, and 3 miles of running, and finished the triathlon in 2 hours and 15 minutes, beating her personal goal by 5 minutes.

"It felt really good," she says.

Check out the complete article in the November 2009 S'NS.

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