A Decade of Racing

 Hello, “Wheels of Fire” Followers!

No. I am not dead. Yes, I am still racing. I know I have not posted here in a long time. A lot of my creative energy has been going into my Youtube channel (more about that later). I felt that it was a good time to post here because I have now been wheelchair racing for 10 years!

I was asked the question, “How has sport positively impacted your life?” which caused me to start reflecting on the past 10 years. Every area of my life has been touched in some way by sport.

First, racing has impacted my family. My youngest brothers don't even remember when I was not racing. Thaddeus was not even two when he started shouting, "Fast hands, Aerelle!" This spring,
Zaccharias was confused at a local 5K. Used to seeing other wheelchair racers at the starting line, he asked what the able-bodied athletes were doing. I told him, "running." He looked at me quizzically

and asked, "Why?" My family has traveled with me and gotten to see a lot of the US.  My relationship with my dad would not be the same without him being my coach.  I deeply value the quality of our relationship. Without the work we have done to communicate clearly with each other, it would not be the same.

Second, racing has allowed me to grow new appreciations and loves. I have grown my love of travel. I had no idea how much I love airplanes.  Racing has grown my appreciation for other disabilities.  I have gotten to meet some of the most incredible people. I could probably write another blog about all the things people with different disabilities have to go through.  Racing has even changed the way I think: I think like an athlete. My coworker laughs at me because I hear "exercise" when she hears "extra fries."

Third, racing has provided a forum for things I already love.  I have a love of learning. I have learned about wheelchair racing itself and am still learning. I have learned about equipment with gloves, tires, handrims, and racing chairs. I have learned about the human body with food, sleep, and anatomy.  I have a love of sharing. I have been able to share through this blog (even if sporadically) and in person.  Because of racing, doors have been opened for a bunch of different public speaking opportunities.  I have been able to advocate for adaptive sports in public schools, churches, and other venues. Now I share through my YouTube channel. Wheels of Fire is where I share all I have learned about wheelchair racing so others who need practical help can see how to get started.

Most importantly, racing has grown my faith.  God has clearly given me racing for His glory and my benefit. It's a reminder that God loves to give good gifts to his children.  Racing is my joy; God continues to pour into that joy.  The number of resources God has given me over the years proves His grace and providence.  I mean, my first racing chair came from Craigslist. Who has that story? Never have I been in want financially.  God has time and time again provided through grants or donors.  It astounds me the number of people God has connected me with locally: a machine shop who welds aluminum, a personal trainer who has worked with pro athletes, the local Jessamine County Schools administration who is willing to let me use both high school tracks. I have not even touched on  the national and international connections I have made.  Time and time again, God chooses to provide what I need when I need it, showing himself as Provider.  Beyond that, God has consistently challenged my character. God has used racing to foster the grit, endurance, and perseverance needed in life.  Racing has also given me a good perspective on my faith.  There are so many parallels between the Christian life and sports, like trusting the process of the coach for growth. This perspective has given me what I need to keep going for 10 years.  

I am so grateful for the past 10 years! Thank you for being a part of this journey.  

For His glory

Aerelle

PS If you want to keep up with what I am learning and sharing about wheelchair racing, please see my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/WheelsOfFireRacing

2019 Season

Dear Blog followers,

I am training full time and still reaching to the highest level.  I still have a long way to go. This next season I am looking to try and qualify for the Para-pan American games in Lima, Peru.  In order to qualify for this event I have to push qualifying times at several track meets in the US. Unfortunately, I do not live close to any of these events, so I have to travel.  In the past I have had the help of a few grants to help me cover the cost of this travel. This year, however, one of these grants has reduced the amount that they will give to each athlete.  I am looking to partner with you to help me get to these competitions. I cannot achieve my goals without you!  You can donate by going to my GoFundMe HERE (or using the link at the bottom of the page).

My goal is to not only make the Para-pan American games but to also continue to love on other athletes along the way.  God had done some really cool things through my wheelchair racing.  Please realize that if you give you are being used by God to impact my life and the lives of others that I am able to see by traveling to these events.  Please remember to pray for me and my family as we travel this season.

https://www.gofundme.com/aerelle-jones-2019-wheelchair-racing-season

Aerelle

Drafting

Dear Blog Followers,

One of my favorite moments in my 2018 track season happened at the Desert Challenge Games in Arizona.  It was during the 1500 meter race; that is three and three-quarter laps around an outdoor track (slightly less than a mile).  It can feel like a long distance.  One of the things that competitors do is work together by drafting off one another to make a faster time.  In the Rio 2016 Paralympic games this strategy worked very well for the US Women's team in the 5000 meter race.  By working together they made a clean sweep of the podium.  Because I train alone, I don't get much practice drafting.  The 1500 was the last race of the event.  There were two young ladies competing who ran similar times to mine.  Dad had the idea and approached their coach about the three of us drafting.  Everyone agreed that it would be a lot of fun.  It turned out that Paralympian Amanda McGrory did not have anyone to draft with, and she asked if she could join us.  We were thrilled and said, "YES!"  The race was exhilarating!  Even though Amanda knew that she would win, she chose to sacrifice her time to stick with us.  In the end, we all enjoyed ourselves and achieved better times than we would have had we chosen to run alone (except for Amanda, of course).


When wheelchair racers draft, the purpose is for one person to cut through the wind while everyone else behind them is in the slipstream, not having to do as much work.  When drafting is done properly, athletes trade off pulling everyone else and riding in the slipstream so that everyone is doing the same amount of work.  After all of the athletes get in a line, the athlete in the first position pulls everyone for a while.  When their turn is done, they slide over to the outside and allow the others to pass them, falling into last place in the draft.  The athlete in the second position becomes the athlete in the first position, and when their turn is done they move into last place.  Athlete's keep doing this until the very end when they all sprint for the finish.

Several metaphors about the Christian walk can be drawn from drafting.  When someone decides to follow Jesus, he gains the body of Christ to help him through life and growth in Christ.  Life is like a longer race where you can try running by yourself, but you will not have the results that you're looking for.

There are those who try to run by themselves but wear out quickly.  There are also those who try to hide in the slipstream without sharing the work.  They can get left behind if they are not working with the team.  When you draft, you have to communicate well.  Without communication, a draft line will become too far apart, losing any efficiency. The Bible talks about Christians bearing one anothers' burdens and loving each other just as Christ loves us.  We have to stick together and communicate with each other about our burdens.  By choosing to share life and be honest with each other, we find the life to the fullest that Jesus talked about.  God made us to live together with Him. 

Track Season Overveiw

Dear Blog Followers,

I have gotten seriously behind keeping you updated.  Instead of trying to catch up and confusing you,  I have made a list of major races and given a brief summary about each race.  Here goes:

   April

• Turnstone Endeavor Games, Fort Wayne, IN--Please read about this event Here

Start of the Kessler 10K

  May

• Fast Cow, Urbana-Champaign, IL / Great Lakes Games, Lake Forest, IL --You can read about these events Here
• Tri-State Games, Hillsdale, NJ / Kessler Foundation 10K, Ridgewood, NJ-- This event is exceptional.  The level of hospitality was incredible.  The track was very fast, so I was able to make some of my fastest times of the season.  Because I was already there for the track meet, I stayed for the Kessler Foundation 10K on Memorial Day, which also had a wonderful level of hospitality.  They sent a guide cyclist with each wheelchair racer to help him or her avoid potholes and follow the course.  Both of these events are on my list of possible races for next year.

  June

Start of 100m at Bluegrass State Games

• Bluegrass State Games, Danville, KY-- Until this event, I had never participated in a track meet in Kentucky.  Huge thanks to the coordinator for allowing me to participate.  The Bluegrass State Games provides amateur athletes with an outlet for healthy competition with over thirty different sports all over Kentucky.  I would love to see the adaptive divisions grow in future years.
• Desert Challenge Games, Tempe, AZ-- The Desert Challenge Games are a World Para-Athletics Grand Prix.  This means that this is an international event and a great place to make record times.  My fastest times of the season were at this event.  I think a fast track, good competition, and good weather are what made this event a success.  (Be on a lookout for a story from this event coming soon!)

The Big Dogs and the Rain

In May, I had the chance to "run with the big dogs," and then I ran in the rain.  Here is what happened: 

The third weekend in May, I competed at Fast Cow which was held on University of Illinois campus at Urbana–Champaign.  The competitors at this race were some of the fastest and most experienced in the US.  Going in, I knew that I would be one of the slowest competitors.  Even though I was the slowest in my events, I decided that I would still give my everything in each race.  My times were not my fastest but still fairly decent.  I wished that I could be faster, but I was not too disappointed in my performance. 

In the same weekend I went up to Lake Forest, Illinois for the Great Lakes Games put on by the Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association (GLASA).  When I had looked at the weather for the weekend, I noticed that it was going to rain, however, I did not notice the temperature.  The entire track meet it was raining, windy, and in the forties. All of my times were very s-l-o-w.  All of us out there were very cold.  Few athletes had realized that the temperature would be so low and had dressed appropriately.  I had not packed for it to be cold.  We were all soaked to the bone and shivering.  The track meet did not stop, nor did the athletes go home; we all stayed out there enduring the weather that we could not control, and we finished what we had come for.

The Apostle Paul, when speaking of knowing Christ said "But I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.  Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.  But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 3:12-14)  In both of my events that weekend I had a chance to give up, but by God's grace I endured to the end.  I want to remember in my spiritual journey that I can't just give up.  Just as I hold on and push through when it is hard in racing, I need to hold on and push through in my relationship with Jesus.

Endeavor Games

Dear Blog Followers,

I know that you have not heard form me recently.  I have been in a training season, which gives me very little to write about. This spring there has been a little more going on.  Dad and I helped coordinate an Adaptive Sports and Recreation Expo at our local library.  We had seven different sports that people could try: Adaptive Equine, Wheelchair Basketball, Wheelchair Tennis, Sled Hockey, Boccia, Fencing, and, of course, Wheelchair Racing.  Each of the sports (with the exception of Boccia) had a local opportunity that those interested could participate in.  Groups that were represented included Easter Seals Cardinal Hill, Lexington Parks and Recreation, Central Kentucky Riding for Hope, Asbury University Equine Program, and All Abilities Drama Camp.  It was a huge success!  One hundred thirty people came to the event.  Beyond the great turnout, we have one new athlete that is participating as a result of the Expo.  His name is Trenton, and he has joined the Wheels of Fire racing team!

Dad at the clinic

My first track meet of the season was in Fort Wayne, Indiana, at the Turnstone Endeavor Games.  This meet is great for those who have little experience with adaptive sports.  This year there were seven different sports offered.  The day before competition, clinics were offered so that those who have never tried the sport could learn how to play.  If you have no experience, this would be a great meet to learn and compete.  We brought Trenton with us to the Endeavor Games.  He had a blast.  He glowed the entire weekend.  Dad got a chance to volunteer at the track clinic and be an official.  I have been really proud to see how much dad's skills as a coach have improved.  My times were not my best, but since it was my first track meet, it can only get better.

Many thanks to Howard for the pictures!

Desert Challenge and US Nationals

ASU Track and Field Stadium, Arizona

In May of this year I was in Phoenix, Arizona for the Desert Challenge Games.  It is the only World Para Athletics Grand Prix in the United States, which makes it one of the best places to qualify for other events.  I achieved some of my best times of the season there, so all of the training in California and changes to my seat paid off.  I qualified for US Nationals!  It also gave me the chance to touch base with the athletes that I met in California, most of whom were there.

While in Arizona, we thoroughly enjoyed spending time with our cousins who hosted us for the week.  Besides the competition, we also took the time to see the Grand Canyon.

Drake Stadium, UCLA

The first weekend of June, Dad and I traveled to Los Angeles, California for US Nationals, the highest level of athletic competition I had been in so far.  Athletes were competing for a chance to go to either the London World Championships or the Junior World Championships in Switzerland. US Nationals was run as a time trials. I was not able to make either team.  Although I'm disappointed, I think it was okay. I knew that there were three girls I had to beat if I wanted to make the team. Those three girls went to Switzerland because they were just flat-out faster than me.  There was no “Oh, had I just pushed a little harder,” or “If this hadn't gone wrong, I would have passed them.”

Lizzy Becker and me

Visiting Los Angeles, California was pretty cool. Dad and I got a chance to drive down Sunset Boulevard and Rodeo Drive and see the Hollywood sign. We enjoyed experiencing a track meet with just the two of us.  Although it was okay, I missed having everyone else with me. I met up with athletes I had met along the way and made new friends. One of these friends was Lizzy Becker, a friend from summer camp.  It was encouraging to talk with her and her family about the ministry side of wheelchair racing as well as the sport side.