the physical health she once
enjoyed, and decided to com-
mit to the 1998 Wesr
’ Vancouver Seaside Classic
ocean swim event (a 3 km’
_swinton Aug. ! at Ambleside
Beach).’
_. After joining the pacific
Breakers Rough Water
* Swimming Club's indoor

i prepared to go to
experience the feel

“We have’ tobe under heavy.
stress to grasp the real | potential
within us. We can’t pull it it out
in eeryy hij life.”

training group during the ©.
’ spring, Merle dedicated herself.
to working on her swimming -.
technique before ocean train- ;
ing in early June. Merle has
‘taken this commitment seri-

tion of whether she will finish
“the swim (no wetsuit by the
way); rather how fast: she will
* be on the day. .

- There were of course times |
; When she struggled with her

“Success i is that place. on ‘the
“road. where preparation and
- opportunity meet, the trou-.

blei is too few people recog:

nize it ‘because: it comes dis-.
guised, as work and sweat at.”

they prepare to meet «

their own unique goals and “;
andle the inevitable obstacles

Sy

cing er HOW cal ame :
twin boys'and was hospitalized.”
‘for s¢veral months. before. Tim

caining, as we ail do, but z as

‘her coach I can honestly say

that she has the “right stuff”.
“to accomplish anything she

. Sets her mind to. This event.

ll be just a springboard to

- bigger. and better things. :

Chris Davies. S

Chris is a busy Chartered”
Accountant with downtown °
firm KPMG, and his decision’
“was to train and try to qualify.
for the Canadian Ironman. oo

“Balancing training with his’
profession and family hasn’t |

“* ously and now it’s not a ques-

been a breeze but he stuck to
his plan and prepared to com-
pete.in the Victoria Half
Ironman Ti athlon at the end |
of June...
-, Unfortunately he didn’t
make the cut even though he
finished in a iast five hours.
«While that could be a real
:” blow to many, Chris has’ got-
ten back up and’‘rewritten the
balance.of his season (as‘is said -.
“Failure is not about g getting ©
knocked down; rather it is

“about not getting back up”).

He pians to enter several
Olympic distance events
“before the season ends in”
>. September, and is determined
to set some Personal Best’s
along the way — I woulda’ t
“bet against him. .

ao Irene Tso ;
It’s been oe dif-
ficult two years or
so. for the whole
Tsogas family after.

Chris was killed at

senseless and tragic
‘car accident on the

Upper Levels
“Highway. Chris had
always told his” *:

‘mom to spend *

more time being active, and »
“her goal this year to coniplete
: the Delta: Half Marathon in
: August v will be run with the:

niemory of her son in mind.:
Irene and husband Gus .

‘own one of West Vancouver" 5

* Meo at Horseshoe Bay)
and it’s be

en quite a challenge
juggling a hectic work sched-

cule with maining time. She has a

- had a couple of bumps along *
the way’ (what with a leg.
jury,

probably cauised by “

ar!

our. already low

OY Self-sufficiency through .
literacy. nthe jeveloping ‘world
‘For information calisas 800-661-2633

-Irene’s younger boy:

22 years of age in a’

“COLUMNIST Shane Collins (foreground): with: his gro

p.o fitness goal ‘setters
(left to right), Irene Tsongas, Chris Davies, Merlo’ Michael and Blai MacLean