INSIDE THIS ISSUE
November 2011
TCSD Contacts Board Members Volunteer Committee Weekly Workout Calendar
TRIATHLON CLUB OF SAN DIEGO
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Member Profile New Members TCSD Conversation Coach’s Corner
Saturday November 5th 6am registration opens 7am race start Location: Fiesta Island
NOVEMBER CLUB MEETING Thursday November 17th Special Guests: Julie Moss & Kathleen McCartney Location: CAF Headquarters
TUEDSAY NIGHT BOARDWALK RUN It’s Back Tuesdays at 6pm Location: Mission Beach, Start at Jetty Parking Lot Route: http://xr.com/v3eg
It’s the Law Made with Kashi Race Reports
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TriNews
T NOVEMBER CLUB TRIATHLON
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he first time I saw Donny I knew he didn’t belong with the other twenty inmates who walked into the classroom dressed in jailhouse blues. Short and wiry, he strode with a jaunty gait towards me at the front of the room instead of to one of the desks. Up close I noted he was rather homely with an oversized nose and a scraggly beard that hardly masked his youthful face. I’m Donny,” he said with a friendly grin. “Let me know if I can assist you.” He turned and took a seat in the back of the room. That was the first day of my teaching job at the jail. The class was designed to promote critical thinking and socially acceptable communication skills to help inmates once they rejoined society. The program was part of my master’s degree, equal parts learning and teaching. The first thing I learned was Donny didn’t fit in my preconceived mold of an inmate in county jail. I started the class with each man reading aloud to assess his basic skills in English. Donny quietly sidled up to men who faltered and helped them sound out difficult words. “We’re working on it,” Donny said so I would move on to the next student. By the end of the hour both
Running
Donny and I moved among the students assessing their skills. Just before the guard announced the end of class, I stepped aside with Donny. “What’s your story, Donny? You don’t seem to belong here.” “It’s a long tale that started with a coln io ct lege crossA Tale of Fi country run that went vor By Barbara Ja bad.” “A college run?” The picture in my mind perplexed me. “How?” The guard blew his whistle. “Time’s up. Line up to return to your cells.” Donny turned to me and shrugged. I could hardly wait until our next meeting to hear his story. During the second class meeting Donny again volunteered as a teacher’s aide. Most of the inmates accepted his help as if they already knew him as a mentor. Near the end of the session, I pulled him aside. “I’m curious what happened while running that landed you in jail.” He glanced at the clock. “The story started in high school where I was an unpopular, scrawny
mits i L t u o h t i w
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