can't change speed of character controller in code

[benisagreatguy]

I've tried multiple messages after reading every post I can find. 

I AM using MIS but doesn't seem like that should matter as its just a wrapper around the basic classes.

In my current iteration I am doing the following:

public GameObject player_character;  //this is set to the current invector player

player_character.GetComponent<com.mobilin.games.mvThirdPersonController>().freeSpeed.walkSpeed = boosted_walk_speed;

player_character.GetComponent<com.mobilin.games.mvThirdPersonController>().freeSpeed.runningSpeed = boosted_run_speed;

player_character.GetComponent<com.mobilin.games.mvThirdPersonController>().freeSpeed.sprintSpeed = boosted_sprint_speed;


player_character.GetComponent<com.mobilin.games.mvThirdPersonController>().SetControllerMoveSpeed(player_character.GetComponent<com.mobilin.games.mvThirdPersonController>().freeSpeed);


I've spent days on this at multiple points in my project and don't see what I am missing.   Much harder to change than health vars.  

[Invector]

just a simple example that you can use with a vSimpleTrigger but that's basically it, access controller and change the speed

using Invector.vCharacterController;
using UnityEngine;

public class changeSpeedTest : MonoBehaviour
{
   public float runningSpeed = 10f;
   public void ChangeSpeed(Collider other)
   {
       var tpController = other.GetComponent<vThirdPersonController>();
       tpController.freeSpeed.runningSpeed = runningSpeed;
   }
}