So, today I was feeling really tired. Maybe that was because I got up at 5 AM this morning and went to the UNC Wellness Sprint Triathlon in Chapel Hill, to support my mom. Funny, because it was very close to the hospital I spent so much quality time in a few weeks prior. So, we get up, and mom eats her pre-race meal; a bagel with peanut butter. A few minutes later, one of my brothers from another mother, Caussin, shows up. He's a good friend of mine, one I gave the triathlon bug to, and he loves my mom like I do, so he came out to support her with me. We got to the race on time for packet pick-up, and then Caussin and I went out for a little bike date. We have these dates from time to time, where we go out and ride together and talk about life. It's a high school triathlete thing. So, we rode the course, and got back just in time to see my mom go off in the swim. After she got in the water, we rode down the bike course a little bit and got off our bikes to cheer and spectate. We noticed that the race seemed a little mellow, with unenthusiastic spectators and volunteers, and we were like, "Guys, come on, it's a triathlon!' So, we decided to spice things up a bit. I was wearing my Castelli bib kit, and so I took of my jersey and ran with the cyclists, cheering and doing my best to hype them up. Caussin and I took turns running with the cyclists until mom passed through.
From there, we headed to the run turnaround. We cheered on everybody, yelling out special characteristics about the athletes, such as "Looking good, green shoes!", "Keep it up, polka-dot jersey guy!", and just specific numbers we saw who were struggling. Me and Caussin deemed ourselves the best spectators ever, because of how excited we got everybody. Once mom came by, we headed to the finish line to watch her come across. She ended up getting second in the Athena category! So, she was happy, and we were happy for her.
But I have to say, I met arguably the greatest and most inspirational triathlete ever today. I remember him well, because he responded to Caussin and I cheering with a lot of energy. We saw his bib number, 51, and cheered at him, specifically. He returned that with "Am I finished yet?", with a huge smile and waves. We said "Not yet, but you're close!" After that, we saw him pass by again after turning around, and he gave us the most joyous smile and waved. Later on, after mom passed, we biked down the run course cheering on the athletes as the ran back to the finish line. We came up on number 51, who insisted we cross the street before we did. As the best spectators ever, Caussin and I were like " No way man, this is your race, it's all you! Good job, you're almost there!" So, he crossed and gave us a wink and a thank-you. So, we made it back to the finish line a few minutes before him, but when he crossed, we were waiting for him in the chute. He greeted us with that unmistakable smile of a finisher, but we would learn so much more than that. He came straight to his family, who had come to watch him. They gave him a bouquet of flowers, and he was just gleaming with pride. So, this is a very emotionally inspiring story, prepare to be amazed. We walk up to this man, who is near tears of happiness, and he grabs my hand in a tight handshake/high-five, and pulled me in close for a huge, sweaty hug, which I did not mind at all. He did the same for Caussin, then introduced us to his family. "Hey, these are my buddies!! They were cheering for me on the run, come on, get a picture of me and my buddies!" I was thrilled, and me and Caussin posed for his picture, and we all had the biggest smiles on our faces. After the picture, we started to talk to this man for the first time, on a real note. We asked him all of the regular questions, you know, "is this your first race, How'd you get started, and so on and so forth." Boy, we did not expect this answer. First off, this man looked like a big teddy bear. He was about 5'6, and looked to weigh about 250-280 pound range, just a warm, round ball of a man. He had a young-looking face, and an amazing, vibrant personality. This man told us he was turning 69 years old in September. We were absolutely SHOCKED. I would've placed this man at no older than 35 or 40 years old, not almost 70! So, that isn't even close to the whole part of his amazing story. He gave us a big background, starting many years ago. He told us that in New York City, he was hit by a taxi cab, and, barely surviving, spent two years of his life completely paralyzed. We were shocked to hear that, but he got some vertebrae in his spine removed that allowed him to learn how to walk again. So, after that whole story, he tells us that a few years later, he was walking his dog and was hit by a truck, and dragged for about a quarter of a block. His injuries were minimal, compared to being paralyzed for two years. But, even afterwards, he told us of his recent surgery, only THREE weeks prior to this race. And what was the surgery for, you ask? He had tumors removed from his lungs, making him a recent survivor of lung cancer. I have a personal hatred of cancer, and I noticed the Livestrong bracelet on his right arm. I touched his arm there, with my Livestrong bracelets, which I wear two of at all times, and he gave me another hug. From then in his story, he tells me that he is currently struggling in a battle against prostrate cancer, another blow to me. I absolutely hate cancer and all the pain it causes people. But the people who do have cancer or people who have been affected by cancer's deadly ways, have my full love and support. I stood by this man as he told us of all his plights, and then the last thing on his list was a form of a stomach disease, which required him to get a quarter of his stomach removed in October. Why so long from now? He is training for a race in September, one he hopes to complete. Very much touched by this amazing man, we talked for a few minutes more then went our different ways. I thought about him on the whole car ride home, and he is truly a inspiration to everyone in the triathlon world, and an even bigger inspiration to the entire world. I think we can all learn from this man, his vibrant appearance could not be deterred by any of his experiences. He radiated pure happiness and joy, which is really what our sport is about. He really needs to serve as a beacon of triathlon, he is an amazing athlete. I will forever be affected by meeting this man, and he will inspire me for years to come. I hope that although I couldn't tell his story with the emotion he put forth in person, it still inspires all of you to do great things.
Happy training guys. Take nothing for granted, and never give up, never surrender. Happy training.
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