Why Race with Multiple Sclerosis

People tell me I'm extraordinary for doing what I do, given that I have MS.  I have always found that an odd comment.  I did my first triathlon in 1992 - Colorado's Longmont Triathlon still exists today!  Since then, I've raced at the collegiate national level (go CU Buffs!), the amateur national and world championship level, and the Ironman (IM) world championship level.  I've started - and finished -  16 Ironman races in 4 countries: the US, Canada, Switzerland, and most recently New Zealand this past March.  My fastest IM (9:10)  came in 2005 at Ironman Florida. 

I put this brief resume out there to illustrate what I hope people understand about me:  that I give it my all at races despite having MS.  Put another way, MS hasn't changed what I expect out of myself any more than any other barrier to training - family, friends, work, cooking, eating, sleeping, injury, rehab, body maintenance work.  The perception of these barriers takes on a positive or negative connotation in our own view.  I will look at an injury as a negative, of course, but having an injury may or may not limit my training - it depends on the injury. But I guarantee you that I (and just about any other competition-driven individual out there) would do the same - train as hard as reasonable given the circumstances.  Why should MS change that attitude?

In fact, I'd argue that it should, if anything, reinforce that attitude.  The stronger and more coordinated I am, the better.  The higher my level of endurance, the better.  The tougher mentally I am, the better.  MS is only, inevitably, going to strip those away from me.  The higher I set the bar now, the farther the bar can fall before it hits the bottom.  To this day I think one of the main reasons I stayed out of a wheelchair in 2008 when I had transverse myelitis is because I was so strong and had such good endurance to begin with - because getting up a single flight of stairs just about did me in each time.  Getting the mail certainly did.  

MS has changed the way I approach training.  I need naps now (rather than enjoy naps).  I stretch more. I have a renewed (and thankfully lasting) interest in lifting - I do a lot of TRX and kettle bell work now.  I wish I had done it years ago - it makes that much of a difference.  I swim generally two times per week now instead of three, because the gym work more than makes up for it in core strength, endurance, and coordination.  So, in a way, I suppose I need to thank my MS for that.  Never thought I'd say that...

It should not go unstated that I am truly thankful to have an understanding wife - and let me tell you that is the understatement of the day.  Micha has done 8 IM's herself, including a trip to Kona after qualifying at IM Wisconsin in 2006.  She understands why I do what I do.  She understands what it means to me to continue pushing myself to my limit.  She gives me permission to continue fighting, in no small part because she also realizes that I may not be able to do this when I'm 70 like I always thought I could.  Without her support, my goals and aspirations would fall apart.  Indeed, much of my ability to suffer well out there on the race course comes from thinking about whether she would keep pushing in my shoes - and she most certainly would.  So while I still can, I'll just continue to do what I've always done - race hard, race well, and (fingers crossed) race fast.

Good Training, and Good Night!

Next up:  Blue Lake Olympic Triathlon - this Sunday (6/9/2013)!