Main photo: The challenge is on! (Back from left) Dopplerganger Rose Evans dukes it out against Town Tri-hard Paul Calleja; Town Tri-hard Matt Huddlestone needs an escape from Dopplerganger Dawn Huddlestone; (front from left) Town Tri-hard Crystal Best Sararas and Dopplerganger Heather Hernen are prepared to fight it out in the water.
The challenge is on! Bets have been placed. We’ve done our stretches. The Huntsville Doppler “Dopplergangers” triathlon relay team is in the throes of training for the June 26 TriMuskokan corporate relay event.
We may not know a bike helmet from a ski helmet. And our swimmer may be training in the Locks in front of her home – literally in the Locks, akin to a 10-meter pool. But what we lack in brawn we make up for in brains. We are all about being overly confident and psyching out the competition.
Honestly, how hard can it be? Obviously you need stamina and discipline.
You know what else takes stamina and discipline? Sitting through a four-hour council meeting and ignoring the urge to play Candy Crush on your laptop. We Dopplergangers have this wrapped up.
And do you know who else has to sit through four-hour council meetings with their eyelids propped open with the palms of their hands? Town staff!
For that reason, we challenged them to race against us in the corporate relay event of the TriMuskokan.
Actually, we challenged the Town councillors, who in turn challenged Town staff and then a motion was made whereby the mayor declared a conflict saying he was already riding a bike one day this year. So the motion was tabled, to be spoken to later, and next thing you know Town council doesn’t have a team anymore. Did we mention sitting through their meetings is grueling?
Not that it matters. We gladly take on the challenge of beating Town staff – we’ve christened their team Town Tri-hards – across the finish line.
The mental games have already started. Town Committee Coordinator Crystal Best Sararas, who will be swimming for the Town Tri-hards against Dopplerganger Heather Hernen, told us we would be up against paper-pusher Scott Ovell on the bike. But when we arrived for the team photo uber-athlete and Huntsville firefighter training officer Paul Calleja showed up in his place. Apparently Ovell has been seen limping around Town Hall and moaning the two times a day he rises from his chair. “He came to me in tears and asked me to take his place,” said Paul, who often rides 120km just for fun.
He’ll have his work cut out for him, though. Rockstar Rose Evans, Dopplerganger cyclist, has been training hard. Right, Rose?
I lent my bike to a friend. I’m sure I’ll get out a few times before the 26th.
Dopplerganger Rose Evans
And the heat is on in the Huddlestone household with Algonquin Theatre Manager Matt Huddlestone going foot-to-foot against Dopplerganger Dawn Huddlestone in the final leg of the race. “She keeps hiding my shoes,” says Matt. “If I show up on race day barefoot you’ll know why.”
There’s a lot riding on this challenge. At our first meeting both teams quickly and unanimously decided that Town councillors would donate $100 to the Huntsville Hospital Foundation on behalf of the winning team. See how much you can accomplish when the councillors aren’t involved?
Please come out and cheer us on. You will recognize us as the worst dressed but most optimistic team on the course. There’s a ribbon for that, right?
Bring it on Paul Calleja, Crystal Best Sararas and Matt Huddlestone. We’ll ‘tri’ not to gloat when we win. See you at the finish line!*
*Mental games…all part of our strategy. Well, our only strategy, really.
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susan bobyk says
You guys & gals will do great! If only more businesses would participate with such spirit!! Good luck.
Bill Beatty says
I guess Hugh and Liz were taking the Pic , otherwise I am sure they would have been there with the other competitors…..I know I will be tied up with something…..probably rope !