August - Cheryl and Elijah Shaw

Cheryl and Elijah's Story

Triathlon has proven to be quite the family sport, just ask Elijah and Cheryl Shaw. Elijah has already been involved in the sport for three years, while his mom Cheryl has only recently started with the Endorphin Fitness Adult Tri Team. Cheryl got involved after watching her husband and 3 out of 5 children enjoy the sport for a few years. Her goal was to try it out when she turned 40. In less than 4 months Cheryl has made great improvements in her speed, strength, and endurance. Coach Harlow says of his athlete, "It has been a lot of fun working with Cheryl and watching her make improvements so quickly."

With three disciplines in one sport, Cheryl doesn't have time to be bored. That is her favorite aspect of triathlons - she isn't doing just one thing for an extended period of time. Instead, she says, "There is always something new to learn and to work on. I've enjoyed being on the EF Tri Team because I have learned proper technique and met a lot of great people. Also, having the balance of three disciplines has helped old injuries subside." Cheryl is also able to spend more time with her family because of their shared love for training.

Elijah, now 13, first took an interest in triathlons because he was looking for something fun to do. Since then he has grown athletically, racing in multiple events each year and constantly improving his personal bests. He has also grown into a leader and role model for the younger kids on the team. "I like being able to pass my passion on to others," says Elijah. "I just love learning more about the sport and getting to know other kids who enjoy it." Coach Harlow could not be more impressed with his dedication to the sport and to the team. "Elijah has really stepped up this year and given back to his team by being someone the other kids look up to. This is exactly what I've always envisioned for the youth athletes we coach. We want them to improve in the sport, but also to grow as people." Elijah has certainly advanced quickly and participated in his first adult sprint distance triathlon earlier this spring. With an impressive time of 1:09:33, Elijah snatched second place for the 10-14 age group.

Both Cheryl and Elijah love the challenge of going after their personal records. We can't wait to see how they do in the last part of the 2008 season!