The string of disappointments started, as we all know, in early March. Those of us on campus watched our springs and summers pass by from our childhood homes, many hundreds or thousands of miles from the campus and people that we love. The ‘24s watched their senior semesters get cut short, their graduations move online (and overtaken by bromide-laden speeches that sound much like this introduction), and countless other opportunities ripped from underneath them. But we all adapted. Everyone adjusted to Zoom classes. We grew accustomed to scanning problem sets, syrup metaphors, working only a few feet from where we sleep, and seeing our friends through a 13-inch screen. Swimming, biking and running together in this environment is immensely difficult, so we adjusted to the one hour a week that many of us shared as a collective exercise opportunity: strength.
To the uneducated observer, we are simply standing in garages, backyards, and home gyms, blaring pop music as loud as our already overheated laptops will allow between occasional pushups. For me, however, it was always a highlight of my week, in part because it was a bit of respite from sitting at my desk working, but mostly because I missed the team. In the spring term, strength was a chance for me to see the seniors and get in a good workout. Over the summer, organizing the practices was placed in my hands, and we had some fun opportunities to mix in some workout challenges. However, with the 20’s leaving and our motivation seeping the longer we stayed apart, it was not quite the same. Then came the fall, and more importantly, the ‘24s.
After finally being returned to campus and dealing with quarantine, we started up Zoom strength again. The excitement of the ‘24s seemed to immediately spread through the whole team. Something about hearing new voices and meeting new people while talking about the sport we love always brings vitality back to the team. Maybe it’s just because I am tired of seeing our captain, Jackson Danis (’21), outshining my beard with his own, but the fresh faces during Zoom strength always makes my (Tues)day. The few new members I have had the opportunity to meet in breakout rooms have reminded me that the ‘24s are truly that best class ever — at least for the time being. We will continue to get stronger over the remainder of the term, and I am so excited to see more people joining the triathlon community every time we meet.
SBR
-Thomas Clark ’22
About the Author
Thomas (left in image below) is a ’22 engineering major modified with computer science (he wishes it communicated that he is more interesting than that major implies). He enjoys spending time with his friends, board games, and teaching. In his free time, he can be found arguing over truly pointless subjects, staring blankly at crosswords, and writing self-indulgent bios for blog posts.
