Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Welcome to The Training Center

Well, at 4:45 this morning, it was 18 degrees and I was in “The Training Center” putting some time in on my bike and then a short run. The Training Center is actually a metal “machine shed” building with a concrete floor, no insulation, and no heat or AC. This means, it is freezing cold right now and if I’m forced to use it this summer, I’m sure it will be sweltering hot. I’d like to say it was part of some plan I have to put me in peak condition for the ride this fall, but mainly, my bike is out there because there’s no room for it in the house. I actually do have a great group of people who are going to support me both training and during the ride, which I’ll discuss down the road.

Throughout this blog I want to share some of my experiences in training for this event to benefit CASANA, but also provide some of our family’s thoughts and experiences in dealing with our son’s condition. Last night my wife and I attended a parent workshop in St. Louis conducted by a national expert we’ve been fortunate to work with over the past year. The room was filled with parents, grandparents, and others with two things in common, a child in their lives with Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) and their desire to do whatever they can to help them. Lots of good information was presented, as well as a real message of hope. Like many conditions, tremendous progress can be made given the right commitment of time and resources. However, nothing will happen unless that first step is taken. Information must be sought, calls must be made, evaluations undertaken …… we personally know the list can go on and on. If you sense something is wrong or have concerns about the development of your child, take action now. Parents must be relentless advocates for their children throughout their treatment, especially as their child works to find their own voice.