Iron Horse Gravel Race

Jason’s first gravel race in 2019 was on the Frisco Trail. He finished in the top 10. It was a Sunday morning race so we tracked him on Garmin from the JRC west campus a good 30 minute drive away. He felt confident that he would not finish until well after noon but his average pace told me otherwise. We left during the second service and barely made it in time to see him finish.

Biking Breckenridge

Our week in the Dillon/Breckenridge area of Colorado in July was just beautiful! The weather was stunning. We stayed with really awesome friends from Springfield Brew Co.’s cycling team. I am taking 21 days to write specifically about the hike up Mt. Bierstadt but that was just one day out there. Together over the course of the week we covered over 100 miles together and Jason got an extra 50+ or so climbing Guanella Pass TWICE! Cycling was the main event in Colorado. And we all know that I am not the cyclist in Team Stratton. So I’ll let him take it from here…

Being surrounded by such beautiful creation in every direction was not just breathtaking it was inspiring. I couldn’t help but push the pedals a bit harder, to go further so I could see more of what was just up around the bend. Everywhere you look in Breckenridge the mountains meet the sky in an amazing display of glory and I felt the rocks were literally singing God’s praise as they reached for the heavens. Beyond the inspiration was the incredible challenge of not only riding at altitude with less oxygen, but also up inclines that you just don’t find around Springfield. The climbs just went on and on for miles and miles. Our first mountain pass ride was up Guanella Pass. Starting at Georgetown we rode to the summit of that pass, down the back side, then back up the back side, and finally back down the front. Basically two 14 mile climbs in one ride. The climb was tough, but the reward of scenery and good company was well worth it. Many thoughts run through your mind when you are climbing straight up a mountain on a bike for around 2 hours at a time. The first was, “who thought it was a good idea to put a road up this mountain side?” next was “why would anyone want to put themselves through this insanity?” closely followed by, “I will never agree to go on a ride like this ever again!” Very soon to follow are thoughts of turning around and coasting to the bottom to just hang out and have some coffee until everyone returns. I mean, it’s not a race. It seems I would lose nothing to just call it a day. In spite of that I just kept following the well marked road that lead me to the top. Many situations in life provoke those same sorts of thoughts and temptations. “Just turn around and coast. It’ll be easier than what you’re going through right now.” Now the big difference here is that I put myself in this situation, and often times the situations we find ourselves in in life are basically forced upon us. Regardless, the enemy of our heart is always there tempting us to give up and trade the reward for an easy way out. Don’t do it. The reward is likely similar to mine; the view will be amazing if you follow the well marked road that God has laid before you. And the friends and encouragement you find along the way will provide the strength you need to make it to the top. In the end you’ll be stronger for it and when you look around you’ll realize that you are seeing things you never would have been able to see had you not climbed that mountain! Don’t buy the lie that there’s nothing at stake. The reward will be breathtaking!

[pp_gallery id=”3679″]

Waffles One

The Toasty Waffles race series at Fellows Lake kicked off this week! Jason raced A and finished 11th. AJ raced B (his first road race ever!) and finished 15th. Photographing bike races fills my desire to be a sports photographer… Actually I really don’t want to be a sports photographer. I just want to follow my favorite athletes around and photograph everything they do. 😉

[pp_gallery id=”3602″]

All the Kits

When Jason came home one day from work last May to find that I had “installed” new walls and a raised platform in our dining area he didn’t even pause. Or maybe he did and I wasn’t looking at him for the fear of that look. It’s the look of an always supportive guy who thinks he knows what is going on in his wife’s crazy brain but is caught off guard for a split second. I don’t like to see that look because I know another hair turns grey every time I get a wild idea. It’s amazing how quickly he catches up to me though and while I’m sure he gets tired of my crazy, he never stops smiling. I’m thankful he’s still pursuing me and supporting my wild imagination 22 years into our relationship… “I got all I need when you came after me…”, Jason Stratton. xoxo

Jason was recruited to race for Springfield Brewing Company’s cycling team in 2013. The team was already a year old at that time so he missed out on the 2012 kit. BUT because God gives us the desires of our heart, he was able to get one of those old kits a few months ago. He now has one of each and wears them proudly when he’s commuting, racing, and out riding with his guys. He was quite happy to model them for me so I could work on my lighting set up in that wild idea of a studio space in what has never been our dining room. You can clearly see on that now handsome 40-year-old face – I’ve had a whole bunch of crazy ideas. 😉

 

Hannah’s Hope CX2

 

Jason and A.J. raced in the 2nd weekend of Hannah’s Hope CX  series (you can participate or come out and watch the final races on October 18th!) on Sunday at the Sac River Trail. And this time Alyssa joined the fun on her “Hello Kitty” bike. As you’ll see from the pics she had a little crash but Daddy was right behind her and helped her cross the finish line. A.J. had a great juniors race finishing 2nd behind Zane.

Jason and A.J. decided to participate in the costume contest for the junior race. However that way-too-big suit Jason was wearing was reduced to his kit and a clip-on tie for the “A” race. 🙂 Enjoy these, hope to see everyone again on the 18th!

Hannah’s Hope Cross 2015

It’s so encouraging to watch people live and do what they love for a bigger purpose.  We have made it a family goal to be at all of Jason’s cycling events to support him. But Saturday we had the opportunity to support Hannah’s Hope – Rosh Jenkins Memorial Fund which was established by Miss Hannah Jenkins in memory of her dad.

“This fund is in memory of Rosh Jenkins as a celebration of his life and in honor of other brain cancer patients. Funds are used to provide medical grants for brain cancer patients for treatment, rehabilitation and therapy, medications, travel assistance, research and other identified needs.”  Cox Health Foundation

We say it as often as we can through our work in photography… there’s always a story behind every photograph. These guys were racing for a bigger purpose on Saturday. I know Jason was thinking about his dad’s battle with cancer Saturday as he rode through the course, just as Hannah was thinking of her dad as she watched… and they both can keep going because of Hope! Hope is worth the race. We know Hope will be rewarded greatly at the end of our race. Because we know cancer doesn’t have the last word, Jesus does.