About
How it all began...
In September 2011, our journey began. Endurance athletes in Central Illinois with a common vision, common goal, and common direction. We have joined to increase our strength, for fellowship, and for His glory. Check us out, reach out to us, join us.
FCA Endurance Vision
"To see the endurance world impacted for Jesus Christ through the influence of athletes and coaches."
FCA Endurance Mission
"To present to athletes and coaches, and all whom they influence, the challenge and adventure of receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, serving Him in their relationships and in the fellowship of the Church."
Central IL Huddle Leaders
Trent Thompson, Huddle Leader
Trent retired from active duty with the Illinois Army National Guard in 2010, after 22 years of service which included tours in Iraq (1990-91) and Afghanistan (2008-9). Trent is married to Julie (20 years) and they have two boys, Alec and Brady. Trent currently serves as the Operations Chief for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.
Trent has been racing in one form or another for the past 25 years. Starting with 10k's and duathlons, he soon found his passion for cycling and began competing in road races, criterium's, and time trials. Over the years he transitioned into off-road cycling and has competed over the past 7 years in Multi-Sport Adventure Racing and Mountain Bike Racing. His team was a 2010 National Qualifier in the AR scene and his big "Annual" mountain biking event has become the Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race...in 2011 he completed the LT 100 in just over 11 hours and raised over $10,000 for Kailey's Krew - Pedal of Hope, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing support to families in the Central Illinois area whom are faced with the challenges of having a child suffering through a long-term illness. He continues to be an active member of Kailey's Krew Pedal of Hope...follow his blog at www.kaileyskrewpedalofhope.blogspot.com
Trent found a renewed calling to Christ in 2010. He became more active with church and then answered the calling to establish the first FCA-E Huddle in Illinois. With reach-out to fellow Teammates in the area, FCA-E Central Illinois became a reality. Trent has been described as being "energetic" and it is this "energy" for which he serves his Huddle, FCA-E, and Jesus Christ.
Mike Fitzgerald, Assistant Huddle Leader
Mike is a 23 year old athlete that recently graduated from U of I Urbana-Champaign as a mechanical engineer, and he now resides in Decatur, IL working as a gas planning engineer for Ameren Illinois. Growing up around the Word of God, Mike’s spiritual walk with God started from a very young age, but he fully committed his life to Jesus at age 18.
He grew up always involved in one sport or another but never anything related to endurance. After high school baseball and track whipped him into shape, he couldn’t resist the pursuit of finishing a half and then a full marathon. “I have always been captivated by the next greater challenge so going for the longer road races was natural.”
Being somewhat prone to running injury/overtraining, Mike wound up spending significant time on the bike and swimming laps in the pool as a way to stay in condition while healing. After developing good fitness in all three disciplines, he decided to start racing triathlons.
This is now his third year in triathlon, having finished several sprint, olympic, and half distance tri’s and is now working to complete an Ironman in 2013. “The tricky thing about Ironman is that it really challenges your body’s ability to heal and stay fueled. The training time is also more demanding.”
As triathlon became a larger part of Mike’s life, he sensed God directing him to seek a way to use the sport for His glory and to share the gospel of Jesus Christ. He stumbled onto FCA Endurance and loved what he saw from the start. “Fellowship of Christian Athletes Endurance challenges all endurance athletes to ask ‘Why Do I Race?’. Although our efforts and accomplishments as athletes are temporary and of some value compared to the greater call of God for our lives, we can still use our sports to offer praise to the God that makes us able.” As a member of FCA-E, Mike is excited to be a part of a fellowship of athletes that seek to share through endurance sports that God loves each us and offered His Son as the way of salvation and a relationship with the Creator.
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Andy Peterson, Assistant Huddle Leader
Andy Peterson's love for racing dates back to the summer of 1976 when he won his first bigwheel race at the age of 6. Later, to pass the time, he organized running races for his friends in the hot summer months at his boyhood home in Chicagoland, where the finish line was in his backyard pool. After track and cross country in high school and college, he discovered a love for the mountain bike, and has since coupled that love for singletrack with his involvement with the triathlon scene.
Andy became a believer at age 30, and shortly thereafter, dedicated his entire life to Christ - heart, mind, soul, and strength. Andy now races the way he endeavors to live - for God's glory. Andy is active in Cherry Hills Baptist Church men's ministry, is an Upward basketball coach for his two sons, and has led life groups, Bible studies, and classes at various venues.
Andy shares his passion for both Christ and racing with his family, also FCA-Endurance members.
For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? 1 Cor 4:7
Andy's Training Log