Paul Asay

Just returned Monday (Feb 21st) from Haiti as part of a medical mission trip with Doctor Mark and 12 others including my youngest son Jacob.  The team all from Terre Haute visited Mountain Top Ministries located near the small mountain village of Gramothe just a few miles up from Petionville.  Traveling from a Monday to a Monday we worked in a medical clinic across from the school on Tuesday through Friday.  We were able to treat over 650 patients for those 4 days and had the experience of a lifetime.  We were also able to do some sight-seeing on Saturday afternoon and church with the village on Sunday.  To keep my fitness up during these trips I try to walk the mountain each day instead of riding the truck or the 4 wheelers.  This time I ran some of the downhill and flat sections, but it is so steep up the climb I don’t even attempt to run that part.  Usually I get a heavy sweat going just walking up to the school and clinic. I mentioned to Willem Charles who runs Mountain Top that

I remember watching Ironman Hawaii not too many years ago when Natasha Badmann was rolling out of T1 (swim to bike transition) when she went out of her way to say “have a great day” to the volunteers just before crushing the competition and winning yet again.  Just the way she had a smile on her face the whole day and was such an inspiration to everyone around her, I can still picture it.  These days Chrissie Wellington has taken up the mantle in Hawaii and wherever else she goes to be very much like Natasha.  Have to admit triathlon has brought out some of the most positive people on the planet.  How exactly do you gain that sense and keep it has been on my mind of late. This winter has been tough on everyone who lives remotely north, yet from a mental acuity standpoint this has been one of the best for me, if not the best I can remember.  A number of days this winter I get up early to ride before work on the indoor trainer and get off feeling just super positive about the upcoming d