I’m Alive But a Little Gimpy

The Xterra triathlon  at Fort Custer State Park is over and I am thankfully alive and hobbling.  Going into the race there had never been a blind/VI individual to compete in an Xterra triathlon on a tandem bike.  After getting knocked over, clipped by trees, breaking chains, riding with broken spokes poking me in the legs, twisting my ankle far past its limits and tripping and falling hard on the dirt and rocks on the run, I now know why I was the first to ever complete this feat. I am still alive and gimpy and want to thank you all for your prayers and thoughts.  I am sure your thoughts and prayers were the string that held me together and the drive that kept me going when nature tried to stop me. 

 Was it worth it?  Heck yeah!  This event pushed me too my limits of patients and resiliency.  It solidified my belief that anything is possible.  This race humbled me as a person and as an elite level triathlete.  No matter how long it was going to take or to what extreme we had to go to we were going to finish this race.  We didn’t finish first or anywhere close to it but we did prove something big to others and ourselves watching.  Anything is possible! 

 Now that the race is over we are tallying up the damages and there are quite a few.  The bike is in the hospital getting a complete overhaul.  The back wheel was completely shattered and the chain snapped twice.  Other minor damages are also being fixed.  As for me, I have a bum right ankle from severely tweaking it in the woods.  If not for my flimsy ankles it would be broken.  I think I bruised my tailbone, also known as the coccyx.  In addition I woke up this morning with a swollen left knee and a lot of pain in my right hip.  These all from unknown crashes and falls.  My guide finished with blood gushing down both legs from being impelled by the bike pedal.  He also had a swollen left knee from unknown crashes.  We both are covered with other random cuts and bruises but these are too many to go into detail.  No major fractures, concussions, deep wounds or injuries were sustained.  We will both be gimpy for a few days but will be back in business before you know it. 

Well, this is just a teaser for the full race report, which will come out on the Adventures page of my site. Stay tuned for the detailed report coming soon.  Also, real live video of Josh and I in action will be uploaded to Aaron Scheidies TV via YouTube as well.  Stay tuned!