As noted in some of my earlier posts 2008 was a hell of a year and 2009 has tossed a few little "issues" my way, hopefully they'll be easy to resolve, go to see an orthopedic doc on Wed. so I'm confident I'll be given the it's just a strain , rest, Ice and buy a new damn set of running shoes script.
Any way back in November as I was sitting around debating which Ironman I was going to do and then debating doing none, as I looked at the check book, I was greeted by the 2005 Ironman highlight show on the TV. For those of you who don't know me that well last year I raced as a member of Team Blazeman, 
because I was inspired by Jon Blais's courage or racing the 2005 Ironman with ALS more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease or in the Commonwealth as Motor Neuron. Seeing the Blazeman's Ironman again reminded me of one of the major reasons I do this sport: Because I Can. While I watched Jon battle the tough Kona course with Paul Sherwin's and Al Trautwig's commentary and remember that the cruel disease that took his life in 2007, I began to think of people in my own life who have defeated the odds. One of them was one of my high school swim teammates. In our junior year she was diagnoised with a brain tumor. She underwent surgery in which everything that could go wrong did go wrong...essentially a surgery that was supposed to be a quick easy removal left her partially paralyzed. The thing was that despite this she still graduated high school, and went to college...and swam for a season. Her attitude was "I'm in a wheel chair tough shit. I'm still smart, I can still swim, I'm still me." The other was a person I had the privilegde of racing against twice in two of the toughest races in the Northeast. The guy is a member of a rival tri club, but still is equally inspiring. He had both of his legs amputated in high school, ending his football and track career, but from the ashes of these shattered dreams he picked himself up and started swimming and racing with a handcycle. I saw him perform the swim portion of a sprint race two years ago and last year, after working with a wheelchair marathoner, tackled the Griskus Olympic and Providence 70.3. the Griskus I didn't see much of him until after the race, but at Providence watching him gut up college hill in the racing chair earned my respect, especially since he had to do it twice, and he was passing some of the people walking up it. So as I sat there reflecting on this and watching others fufill their dreams I sat there and thought to myself "What the Hell is my excuse for not going back to New Zealand?" Bills, it's only money...doubt..I've done it before I know I can do it again and faster. What people will think? Since when did I ever care what people thought of me.
because I was inspired by Jon Blais's courage or racing the 2005 Ironman with ALS more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease or in the Commonwealth as Motor Neuron. Seeing the Blazeman's Ironman again reminded me of one of the major reasons I do this sport: Because I Can. While I watched Jon battle the tough Kona course with Paul Sherwin's and Al Trautwig's commentary and remember that the cruel disease that took his life in 2007, I began to think of people in my own life who have defeated the odds. One of them was one of my high school swim teammates. In our junior year she was diagnoised with a brain tumor. She underwent surgery in which everything that could go wrong did go wrong...essentially a surgery that was supposed to be a quick easy removal left her partially paralyzed. The thing was that despite this she still graduated high school, and went to college...and swam for a season. Her attitude was "I'm in a wheel chair tough shit. I'm still smart, I can still swim, I'm still me." The other was a person I had the privilegde of racing against twice in two of the toughest races in the Northeast. The guy is a member of a rival tri club, but still is equally inspiring. He had both of his legs amputated in high school, ending his football and track career, but from the ashes of these shattered dreams he picked himself up and started swimming and racing with a handcycle. I saw him perform the swim portion of a sprint race two years ago and last year, after working with a wheelchair marathoner, tackled the Griskus Olympic and Providence 70.3. the Griskus I didn't see much of him until after the race, but at Providence watching him gut up college hill in the racing chair earned my respect, especially since he had to do it twice, and he was passing some of the people walking up it. So as I sat there reflecting on this and watching others fufill their dreams I sat there and thought to myself "What the Hell is my excuse for not going back to New Zealand?" Bills, it's only money...doubt..I've done it before I know I can do it again and faster. What people will think? Since when did I ever care what people thought of me.It's selfish...ok..maybe it is but it's my life....
Regardless once this little injury gets taken care of I know who I'm towing the line for in Taupo on March 7...it's not just for the people who can't get out there and do it. It's for the people who are told they can't and respond by saying , " Watch me!"
R.D.
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