Triathlon Tuesday: Meet The Team

*** Disclaimer*** LyonsHappenings has not intentionally become just about the triathlon. However eBlogger has made changes to how I upload photos and thus do posts about super exciting things like family camp...and it is truly aggrevating. I am in the process of putting together "family" related posts, but I am also considering moving our blog to a different location- so sorry for the lack of family info...until that here is yet another one photo tri related post***

Here in her own words, Meet Shannon: Hey loyal Lyons blog followers! I'm honored to contribute a guest post on here! My name is Shannon Caton and here's how it all went down for me and how I became a part of this beautiful chaos! Here are my stats: Wife to one awesome Canadian guy and mother of two busy, beautiful girls, Regan almost 4 and Rowan 2. Loving being a stay at home mom, but also nice to work one or two weekends a month in the Physical Therapy Dept at a nursing home. I know, I know, if I make the elderly work out, I've got no excuse to say no to this opportunity!

So our little quad started off as the Monday night Bachelor watching group and some how turned into a World Vision Triathlon Training group! Both very good, don't get me wrong, but one of these activities takes a lot more effort than the other! Thanks to Megan who got this whole ball rolling...it has already been an amazing experience. So thank you for including me on this journey for many reasons...I get to spend time with awesome friends, get some great work outs in, and all for a greater cause. How can you go wrong with that? Honestly, a triathlon is something I've always wanted to "check off my list" so here we go! It's good to be working out on a consistant basis again, something I've always enjoyed. And when I'm exhausted for 24 hrs after swimming and have to go running the next day, it's so much easier to do it when you know it's really not about me.

I, too was looking for a way to get involved in World Vision, so it was pretty easy to say yes to Megan when she asked me to join her. We are so fortunate and blessed to live in a such a priveleged country and it was really driven home when reading the book "The Hole in the Gospel". The statistics are staggering regarding the number of deaths of children alone, that die each day from preventable illnesses due to a lack of clean water. This is a relatively simple thing we can do to make a difference for others. And as my healthy 4 yr old holds up a sign that says "Go Mom Go" as I start off on my run, it's a good reminder that I have been blessed, my children are blessed and now here's a chance to help other children. What a great motivator.

So there it is....how I got roped into this deal and oh how I'm loving it!

Triathlon Tuesday: Meet the Team

Over the next couple of weeks the Triathlon Tuesday post will be a guest post done by one of our team members. I thought it might be fun for you to meet the team and to hear how and why they came to join the team and what the process and training has meant thus far to them. To kick it off is the first person I asked, the first person who said yes, Meet Shelly.

"Hi my name is Shelly Connnors, and I think I may have hit insanity about a month ago"

Conversation about one month ago...

Megan: "Want to do a triathlon with me?"

Me: "You're funny I can hardly doggie paddle" Thoughts through the day, evening, night (terrors), morning: "This would be a good discipline through the summer, fun with friends, could we find a non-profit to benefit"

Next morning ---
Me: "Meg - I think I'll do it, but don't make it public."

The next few days lots of thoughts and lots of questioning myself and wondering what I got in to occured. Then came the twist of benefiting World Vision which made it seem so much more worthwhile and a goal to work for. Then it hit facebook it was as if I had signed on the dotted line.
So, here we are a month later. A lot has been sacrificed to work this training into my schedule. I am a busy mom of one almost 6 year old who thinks it is so cool that I am going to race for World Vision. It is about a daily question of when the race is, so it is now on the calendar for all to see. My husband is extremely supportive as he encourages me to hit the trail and reminds me how good it will feel when I get out there. He never complains when I am gone at night training. Wearing my Team World Vision bracelet has been a conversation piece as I go to my patients' homes as a home health nurse.

I have to admit the motivation in starting this was to spend time with friends and get off my duff - hoping to get a habit formed that will continue past the triathlon. This has already gotten off to a great start. Then when Megan shared the Team World Vision concept and I got so excited. It seems there are lots of races out there, but we wanted this particular event to benefit other people, not just ourselves, and not just for self accomplishment. I am very excited to raise the money to supply a well for a village in Africa. As we bike up the trail it is great motivation to see the Team World Vision shirt in front of me and makes me work that much harder to get to the goal.

And here is an interesting tidbit we were sharing as we swam tonight...is it just irony or a sign from God - the hardest part thus far, for all of us it seems, is the swimming, isn't if funny that our biggest struggle takes place in and is related to water....the very thing we are working so hard to bring to familes and communities in Africa...we get it God..it is not about us,this is about doing good for your people and for your glory.

Alki Sunshine

We have been at a loss for sunshine and warm weather for here in the northwest for the months of May and June. Often we would look out side and think it was November. But at last the sun shone bright and so the boys and I joined some friends for the inagural trip to our favorite summer hang out. We hit Alki, in Seattle and enjoyed some serious sun and sand. The boys ran and played, buried one anther in the sand and then demanded our favorite part: fish and chips from Spud's. It was a great day and a fantastic way to kick off what appears to be a week full of super high temps. Hooray for sunshine.


Rowan sporting her super cute sun hat

Jack thrilled to be sitting in a pile of sand.

Max and Regan working hard on some sort of sand creation.

Truly enjoying their fish and chips. Ahh these fish loving boys make their mama proud.

Just two mom's catching some raise and enjoying the perks of being stay at home moms.