Challenged Athletes Foundation Annual Triathlon

Did you know that most athletic equipment is not covered by insurance? Did you know that a prosthetic athletic leg can cost up to $70,000? Did you know that the Challenged Athletes Foundation helps people of all ages find opportunities to become athlete no matter what their disability is?

The Challenged Athletes Foundation works its' magic all year round helping people find their way through sports. Their annual Triathlon being the biggest event of the year serves as a good time to celebrate some of the victories they have had along the way. This past weekend Aztec Adaptive Sports had the opportunity to volunteer and attend events starting on Thursday night all the way until Sunday.

Thursday night a group of our board members got to simply just hang out with some of the younger athletes. A couple of us got to play video games with teenagers and the others got to color and watch movies with the smaller kids. This is typically the first day a lot of the kids get to see each other following last years event. A lot of excitement. A lot of energy.

Friday night was a night of celebrating abilities. We got to eat a wonderful dinner with some of the supports, athletes, parents and sponsors followed by a presentation. A flawless production that truly showed the dedication of everyone involved- the selfless employees of CAF, the athletes that put their heart and soul into training everyday, and the thousands of supporters/volunteers across the world.

Saturday was a whole day of activities, camps and demonstrations. Most of our crew got to hang out at the surf clinic where they got to help kids catch waves and then caught them on their way in. Those who were not in the water surfing, were at the running clinic where kids learned about different techniques and raced through hurdles.

Sunday was the big day. A year of planning and fundraising all for the triathlon. A triathlon were people of all ages and abilities travel from all over the world to race to the finish line. 1M swim, 15M run and 44M bike. A true test of resilience and endurance.

It was an honor that AAS got to be a part of this weekend every step of the way and we cannot wait for next year!