A Simple Yet Important Role

Just like our professional lives, some roles may be simple, yet all roles are important. We are part of a team, or a crew with the one main goal to get the job at hand done.

I recently got back from Chattanooga Tennessee and played the role of an Ironman Sherpa. This is a support person to the Ironman Athlete, that is there to attend to all the travel, equipment, logistics, and emotional support needed surrounding the event. It is a partnership of 2 people working together as team, talking through the tasks needed, putting a plan in place, and making sure of the best experience possible. The story I am about to share parallels our professional lives in so many ways, it is a story of courage, resilience, determination, trust, and most of all inspiration. ?In our professional lives we certainly like to be our own leader, yet we also want to inspire our team, through trust, determination, and the courage to support all to make sure that the end result is a job well done.

I was asked by the Las Vegas Tri Club to provide my experience being an Ironman Sherpa. Honestly my first reaction was WOW and then to put my experience and emotions into words… not easy one bit.

I think there is much more to this story than just being a Sherpa and trust me you will understand why. It parallels our lives on so many levels, we are an Ironman to ourselves every day, our coworkers, friends and family are our Sherpas.

I followed Christina Gruber’s amazing life story, a Route 91 survivor who was shot and also her journey into the triathlon world. Stunned at her grit and grace, her strength and wisdom, her determination and willpower, her focus and drive. Last year I was introduced to her tri world by attending the St. George Tri with her. She saw that I immediately felt at home and also just interested in the whole tri world. She asked me to come along to “help”, did not know that I was a Sherpa back then. We have had many talks about how her introduction and journey through the tri world was such a great outlet for her. She continues to push herself everyday and made the decision to do a full Ironman.?Earlier this year she asked if I would come along with her to Chattanooga Tennessee to cheer her on and be part of her Ironman experience. Of course I said yes, yet the word Sherpa had not arisen.?When the word finally transpired, I asked “what is that?”…. her response “Jen that is what you have been doing all along by coming to my tri’s and helping me… this will be a bit different yet I trust you and would like you there”. Big words, really big words!

The life and journey of Sherpa for an Ironman.?It is not just the day of, nor the day before, nor the week before your role starts. It starts well before that, months before that… little did I know. Christina is a single mother to two beautiful children a son and daughter, she works full time and has a full life. Now add in the training that is needed… are there really 24 hours in day? My duties, really?not knowing they were duties started well before the Ironman. I am a very early riser.. and Christina is an early riser for training.. there were many mornings where I would talk to her where she was training on her bike and/or her treadmill. Some very deep conversations about life, and also about how she was feeling about her training.

It was her last Tri of the season that she did that I finally really started to understand the role I would play as a Sherpa. The many great people that I met at the Las Vegas Tri Club and her wonderful Tri family. It was meeting these wonderful people that I had clearer picture of my role. I must say that she has been doing this by herself for a very long time so it is automatic to her what she needs to do. She has grown so much over the last year as a person, a mother, and a human being. One big growth factor is knowing that you do not need to do this alone.

Let’s now fast forward to about a month out for the Ironman, stuff is getting real… really real. We sat together to watch the video of what needs to get done before hand, such as getting the bags ready (5 in all), the transitions and honestly asking her “how can I support you?”. I think this is a very clear and honest question any Sherpa should ask. The answer is coming from the heart and truly what the main needs are. You know what she needed mostly besides another set of eyes and ears was the emotional support. I cannot tell you what an honor that she trusts me that much to fulfill that capacity for her. This support consists during her training, ?of our deep conversations, the days when you are not feeling it yet have to get through it and the days that are of celebration. The one value add that I could immediately bring, I am an ex high school varsity cheerleading coach. Ding Ding!!!

The time is finally here, we are ready to jet set to Tennessee… 48 hours out before the Ironman. Kona, her bike has been professionally packed, Christina comes ready packed with all her needs of nutrition, health and safety. Never question an independent woman, just be there to support.. I know she has this.

We make it to the airport and wheel Kona in to get checked in. I make sure that someone that works for the airline takes Kona away properly and it was a very resting moment emotionally for her. Kona is going to get to Tennessee in one piece and be there strong and proud for her. We had a layover in Orlando, and of course just a blipit of a question, is Kona going to make it. Just as the words and thoughts were said, we saw Kona being wheeled out on the Tarmac, all neatly packed and headed to the next plane we board. What are the chances? What a relief!

We get to Nashville, waiting at baggage claim to get luggage and the bike, Kona! Not a stressful moment at all we got this covered luggage came out and Kona got wheeled out in the oversize luggage in one full piece. Everything made it, every one made it and all in one piece.

We arrived in Chat and had a wonderful time going through Ironman Village, getting immersed into the Ironman community, the energy was oh so inspiring. Of course as women we need to shop and had a great time at the Ironman store where I got my official race day shirt that read “Ironman Support Crew!” The best part of all of this was to see Christina’s smiling face.. we are here, this is real, this is happening. So for the next 36 hours was just asking what is the schedule, what do you need, what do you need to eat and of course the constant question “How can I support you?”. I truly let her take the lead… as her Sherpa I took the lead on social media and updated everyone on how things were going and transpiring before race time. My job was to keep her calm, cool, and collected. For her to get and be in her Zen moment. I know from the past that on race day, Christina is quiet, no talking….hmmm very different this time.

The night before race day was packing all her bags with the proper equipment, nutrition, and any needs whatsoever. I did not do this alone, was there as a helping hand.. that is all. The plan is to go to bed early and race day morning we had an early wake time of 3:30 to be down to the race grounds by 5 am. Before bed we went through a mental check list of what is needed to be done in the morning so that when she wakes up she just needs to take care of herself and all other needs are met by me.

Race Day morning, get up quiet, no talking… ?start to get things ready that we went over the night before and she wakes up and plays the Eminem song “Til I Collapse”??a very different race day start for her. She was talkative and honestly all smiles. I just went with the flow and of course wore my Ironman Support Crew shirt proudly. I gave my race day video update on facebook, whoever wanted any race updates requested to direct message me.?The plan was an honestly just wanted an outpouring of support to cheer her on. She already had that without my help… and a big thank you to all that came along and supported her near and afar.

Race starts at 7:46 am on 9/25 with the swim… of course I will be tracking her with the app. I get an automatic update that she has started… I start crying… its GO TIME!?We had talked about how long it would take her to do the swim about and 1 hour and 10 minutes… I decided to buy a VIP pass so that I could be front and center.?Then the cowbell that I packed with me came to the race and trust me that cowbell was heard from Vegas to Tennessee.

?I stood right in front of where the swimmers came out for just over an hour… to be exact an hour and 3 minutes and then a beautiful mermaid emerged in her own world looking at her watch and smiling from ear to ear… why… she was ahead of her mental time. Her Sherpa was out there yelling “Christina Christina” and the cowbell was ringing louder than you can imagine. She was off to transition to bike and ride for 116 miles… so let’s get to the weather report. We woke up to a drizzle, it stopped during swim and then the skies decided to open up during the bike ride. There were many markers during the bike ride to be at certain points to cheer your Ironman on, downside, the app was not working appropriately. I stood at check point five with the Gruber Cheer Team and we waited and waited, she was supposed to come through only to find out that she came through before we got there, the app was way off. Strategically the cheer team put our heads together to come up with another game plan, let’s go to a very far check point we cannot miss her. We arrive there and see a rush of what seem like thousands of bikers, cheering them on with umbrellas in hand, soaked from head to toe, yet the pink cowbell kept ringing to each and every athlete “Great Job Keep Going, You got this!!” I have a voice that can be heard for miles and the vocal cords where ringing loud along with the cowbell (more about that later). Finally amidst of all of the sea of bikers we saw.. Christina emerges… I am running up and down the street ringing the cowbell… I finally find her. “Go Christina Go”… we are the only ones at this crossroad so you could not miss us for one, yet we had a very loud cheering section… she sees us.. and yells “Jenn!”. She speeds by and looks behind as she is passing everyone on the left and had the biggest smile on her face. Girl you got this…

Mission fulfilled with the bike ride, time to refuel as a team and take a cheer break. I got to meet many of her friends that came from near and afar and just so incredibly happy for her that she had part of her route 91 family present and lifelong friends present. What an ?honor to meet everyone. We all got to chat about Christina and our stories of how we know her.. and honestly it is more than an honor to know her.

Tracking her every move, the app seemed to finally catch up to almost real time and we are tracking her biking journey, she just passed the 3rd and final leg of the bike journey. Stuff is getting real… next transition is to the marathon. She transitions very nicely and now is on foot the last 26 miles ?to the journey to the finish line.. my duties are not even done not even half done. I have to pick up Kona, her bike and bring it back to the hotel in one piece along with all her belongings. This is where I cannot take 100% credit, just utilizing the resources around me, her friends. We had ?rented a jeep, that transported her bike in pieces from the airport, put together in one piece at the hotel. If the bike was to be transported back in the jeep (which was the plan) I had to take it apart at transition. A freak out moment, thankfully her friends had a truck and all became simple. At the given time, picked up her bike and brought Kona back to the hotel in one piece. No tools required at all. ?This all took a bit while she was running the marathon.

From our prep talks I knew she was going to run straight through for the first 13 miles then walk run for the remainder. Well that was the original plan… the tracker had her going like an ever ready bunny and going and going. Any estimated times that she put forth, nope not one bit she was breaking every mental record she had. She was driven and determined.

Now it is the goosebump moment. My VIP got me right front and center at the finish line. I was there an hour before she crossed, cowbell and all and this is where I said “read on”. That pink cowbell that I rang like a churchbell that would not stop during her bike ride…had many Ironmen comment “so you are the one with the pink cowbell”. ?Yes that was me- as every Ironman athlete deserves to be cheered on for such a remarkable athletic journey. The app is updating, I make a quick trip to the Ironman store to buy the Ironman Finisher gear she wanted… and well deserved by the way. Tracking her every move, she is not slowing down she is actually picking up the pace… I just cannot fathom… at this point it is truly mind over matter. By the way I made several updates on facebook to let all know where she was at and what was going on. 9:07 pm is the estimated time of arrival… I am front and center at the finish line waiting for her… I see something that resembles Christina coming down the street as the vision gets closer it surely is her… that cowbell starts ringing like Paul Revere running through town on horseback saying “the British are coming”… she is getting within vision distance high fiving everyone as she gets towards the finish line… 5 4 3 2 1… her name is up on the board on and the very important words “Christina you are an Ironman”!! She finished in 13:21… well below her 15:00….

So as I close this out with my first Sherpa experience, full of tears of joy for her and her accomplishment I still am awe and always have been about her, her strength, determination and willpower. Yes it is truly an honor to be a Sherpa… more than an honor to be Christina Gruber’s?Sherpa. I forever get to wear this title and forever get to hold these lifelong memories made near and dear to my heart. You go girl, you are amazing, you are an inspiration, and I am so honored to call you my best friend and sister! Greek Sister! You now wear the proud title of IRONMAN 144 MILES IN ALL!

Think about that time personally that you accomplished an incredible feat it may be personal or professional yet the underlying importance here is to put yourself in a position of doing something that is out of your comfort zone and accomplishing the incredible. So no matter how simple the role may be, all roles are important, everyone is important!