Sunday, April 8, 2007

Spousal Support

As all involved in the First Annual FV3WMDT know, winning is a team effort. This post examines the team element of each runner: what are his motivations, where does he channel these motivations and what is his wife saying in her journal or diary?

We thank the children and baby sitters who supplied content from physical journals and Paul Hafen whose expertise made possible accessing digital journals and diaries. What you'll find below is actual, unedited entries....


April 2, 2007
Dear Progeny: Your father, grandfather, great grandfather and great great grandfather has started training for the First Annual Fountain Valley 3rd Ward Triathlon. He is a pillar of strength - I hope his genetics are passed to you all. Nothing less than his victory and the others humiliating defeat will satisfy his internal drive for greatness.

When the history books are written of this man they will include May 28, 2007 as the moment the world began to know what he is capable of.

-- Your loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandmother Kay Jones


April 1, 2007
Dear Diary, He’s going to do the First Annual Fountain Valley 3rd Ward Triathlon! I’m so excited! I’ve wanted to get him those sweats that match the kids and mine and this is the perfect opportunity. I’ve set out his training clothes for tomorrow. I’m starting him in black shorts with a white top – a contrast that I know won’t be lost on him. The kids pre-filled his iPod with the sounds of crashing waves and excerpts of me reading from Hugh Nibley. (If I had known sooner I could have gotten a black and white skin for the iPod but he’ll have to make due with the all black.) I got him a Garmin GPS and downloaded a course that will keep him mostly on grass. It’s a bit bulky so I might end up running the course first and recording when to make turns and then adding this into the soundtrack. I love my Mac!

-- Your’s Truly, Jen Hafen


April 5, 2007
Dear Diary,
I decided to write this entry in Volume 7 rather than Volume 3 because it includes information on a Triathlon. I know that Volume 7 is supposed to be for team sports and a Triathlon is really an individual sport but he is feeling a real sense of comradery with the other men who are training for the Triathlon so I’m putting it here. I just hope I can remember where it is. On that note I’ve started an index to make finding his sports injuries easier. I’ve been at it for the last couple weeks and am about half way done. I guess being able to water ski doesn’t translate into athletic coordination.

Anyway, I guess he’s going to do it. I figure we’ll be buying a new bike before too long. He’s had those biking shorts for 3 years now and this will give him a legitimate reason to wear them outside the house. I support him – it keeps him busy and heck, what else does he have going on these days?

-- Angela Johnson

3 comments:

Jen said...

Get out of my head Greathouse. And don't think that selling those Scout-O-Rama ticket books for Noah is going to make up for sneaking a peak in my journal. By the way I already bought the black and white skin, he's going to look awesome at the First Annual Fountain Valley 3rd Ward Memorial Day Triathalon.

shari berry bo-berry said...

Hey...this is Shari Hanson...just wondering if you guys are still doing the triathlon this year? I'm starting my training this month...so I hope you are! How long is the swimming part?? And will there be a fee involved? My brother and sis-in-law want to come up from San Clemente to participate too! Let me know!

Saturday Surf said...

The triathlon is on for 2009 as well. The new website is at: www.fvtriathlon.com - it has all the info...

It's open to your in-laws too. There will be a fee but we don't know what it is yet - it will be on the small side.