Big Lake people deserve praise

Simply Sleight, by Kari Sleight

The Big Lake community should all stand up and take a bow, or at least give themselves a hearty pat on the back. The words "sense of community" are often synonymous with the Mat-Su Valley, and the Big Lake community displayed the very essence of the meaning last Sunday during the Big Lake Triathlon.

After a three-year hiatus, enterprising members of United Way of Mat-Su and the Big Lake Chamber of Commerce decided the time was right to resurrect the triathlon. The two organizations worked tirelessly securing event sanctioning through USA Triathlon, gathering sponsors and organizing volunteers. Even with the best of pre-event planning, as anyone who has ever organized an event can attest, it's difficult to anticipate the success of an event until it's completed. The day of the race we all awoke to absolutely glorious weather. Mother Nature was going to cooperate, one hurdle crossed. Volunteers gathered at what would be near the crack of dawn in the Lower 48 to begin their race preparations, some on land, others on water. There were buoys to string to mark the course for the 900-meter swim, start and finish signs to post, transition areas to cordon off, registration stations to set up, etc., etc. The volunteers worked quickly, efficiently and cheerily, and all was ready for the 9 a.m. registration, yet another hurdle crossed.

Athletes arrived, smiling, picked up their race packets, numbers and T-shirts and quickly set about preparing their transition areas and evaluating their race strategy. They chatted with each other and course volunteers as they patiently waited for the announcement of the start. No surly attitudes to be found, so far so good.

Mat-Su Borough Mayor Tim Anderson officially started the race at 10 a.m. on the dot with a blast from the air horn and the 76 athletes were off, churning the chilly waters of Big Lake. Within minutes of the start, word was sent that a structure fire was in full blaze off Big Lake Road and the road in and out of town would be closed until the fire was under control. Although the closure wouldn't affect the triathlon course, spectators and athletes would have to find an alternate course out of town if they planned to leave right away. A minor stumble that was quickly overcome.

As the first of the athletes emerged from the water working their way to the transition area, cheers erupted from the spectators. A natural response, I thought, to root for the leaders and underdogs. As more athletes neared the water's edge, more cheers were heard. As each and every group or individual finished their swim, the cheers and applause from the onlookers never wavered. As the last of the contestants reached the shore and the cheers resonated as loudly as the first, I realized this community and these spectators were in it for the long haul. And this was only the beginning.

As the athletes transitioned from the 15-mile bike segment to the 5K run, the spectators who had moved from Big Lake Lodge start to the East Lake Mall, along with the many others who joined them at that location, joined their voices in a chorus of cheers, once again, for each and every athlete as they passed. As the first competitors neared the finish, on-lookers and supporters lined the cordoned-off chute and enthusiastically cheered them through the finish line. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

Word spread through the crowd of a father/daughter team who had entered the race, Rich and Carolyn Franks, and they quickly became the crowd favorite. At just 12 years of age, this was Carolyn's first triathlon. Although the duo was not in contention for winning the race, finishing more than an hour and a half after the first place contestant, they were determined to finish.

As athletes and spectators milled around sharing course stories and congratulations and waiting for the awards ceremony, a call came out that the Franks' were in sight of the finish line. Athletes joined the on-lookers lining the finish chute and loudly cheered the duo across the finish line. What an incredible display of sportsmanship and camaraderie!

This event truly epitomized the very essence of a community coming together and putting their best foot forward; from the spectators who enthusiastically cheered the athletes to the courteous drivers who graciously and patiently yielded the roadway to grant the athletes safe passage, and to the athletes themselves for an outstanding and upstanding show of camaraderie. This event has deservedly earned a reputation as an exceptional event and the organizers and Big Lake community should be stand tall and be proud of the community pride demonstrated that day. As the presenting sponsor, I know it is an event I am proud and privileged to have associated with the Frontiersman name.

Kari Sleight is publisher of Frontiersman.