Kick er' Down--yes dad, I think I will

As my father once said in a fit of pure joy in his life, fueled by friends, family, beer and a sense of pride for what he's accomplished...."Kick er' Down!". Silly three words, but to the point of what one must do when faced with the choice to sit and contemplate (when more contemplation would just muddy the waters) or to act. It is in those words, and with the advice of many, that I've chosen to act. I have decided to start this journey of a blog, in hopes of sharing my story, that it may touch and inspire at least ONE person out there who has lost sight of the silver lining in their cloud. My story is perhaps an interesting one, perhaps a cliche one; you be the judge. As you will get to know, i tend to be long winded, philosphical on a basic level, sentimental, proud, stubborn---well actually VERY stubborn, and a person that thinks excuses are ones way of deciding that the obstacles in their lives have won. If you stick with me, it is my hopes that you will gain a greater sense of appreciation for your own life, for your talents, for your loved ones, for your ABILITIES and for those who maybe are struggling in silence, but who maybe need a bit of your encouragement and understanding. So, let me tell you a bit about myself and lets see where this journey takes us. Apologies that this will probably be the longest blog EVER....
I was born in 1979, the youngest of three children, to very supportive, but strict parents. I was brought up in a country home, with lots of animals, lots of love, lots of food and space, and the overall opportunities that many take for granted (as I'm sure I did many times). I loved hockey, played it constantly, loved building forts, skating on the river or outdoor fields that have puddled up and frozen over. I was raised to believe that your name is all you have, so don't screw it up. Be proud of who you are, no matter if you are a factory worker or a CEO, and never look down on others because they may appear to be less of a person based on their income or living conditions. I was raised to believe that the world doesn't OWE you anything, and that hard work, getting sweaty and dirty, is the path to real achievement. This however could be anybody's story, more or less.... I guess my story begins here then. When I was young (1 year or so), my parents noticed that I would stare at lights, as many pictures show. Being good parents they took me to get checked out. Around the age of 3 I was officially diagnosed with a degenerative eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). This diesease causes the light absorbing cells in the back of your eye, to slowly die off, leaving the victim with fading perhipheral vision, night blindness, and eventually total blindness. I was told about my problem when I was 5, got my first pair of glasses, and life went on. My parents were told (as I recently found out), that they could either gaurd me, protect me from every bump and bruise, or could let me figure it out for myself, lead a "normal" life, and when I fall, learn to pick myself up.....well actually when i slammed into an object in a dark room, then learn to not do it twice! Some may think this cruel or unnessary, but to me this was the greatest thing they ever did. As I grew up, I quickly learned that in order to keep up, I would have to adapt much quicker and develop extra skills to cope, I learned that unless I tried extra hard, I'd get left behind. So, I learned the coping mechanisms, developed the will power and drive to keep up, honed my stubbornness, and the rest is history---sort of.
Fast forward about 20 years....now out of high school, my sight worse but not debilitating, I had become fond of running (since sports with balls and hand eye coordination were getting too tough and my face too bloody)...and I did a couple duathlons. The whole time I had been watching the Hawaii Ironman and with my personality being what it is; knew I needed to try that some day. In 2000 I did my first triathlon, 2003 my first 1/2 Ironman, 2004 my first Ironman, and now I have 6 Ironman's under my belt (5 finishes, but that is a story for later)....
This past year (2008) I decided was my final year to be a solo triathlete, meaning I would hang up my beautiful Cervelo after my Kona (Hawaii Ironman debut, yes I did get there, but again a story for later). Riding has just become too dangerous, and in 2007 when the doctor tells you you've lost 10-15% of your already fragile vision, you know the end is near. Even today, out for a run, I know the difficulties are only beginning to increase, but again this is to be expected. I managed to try and truly appreciate all my triathlon experiences up to this point, as I knew this day would come HENCE the reason for this blog, the reason for Moving Forward--Life & Sport in general. My life is taking a turn, as I endeavor to begin my "new career" as a tandem or paratriathlete. I always knew the day would come when I would have to quit another sport (like I had to quit hockey, quit playing catch with a football, playing volleyball, tennis, and currently curling). That day came last Oct.11th in Hawaii, and true to my word, my bike is in the basement, retired, after many years of great memories. So, 2009 marks a new beginning, as my lovely wife Mindy says "Who else get's to do their 1st Ironman, TWICE!!?" Again, the silver lining presents itself...as I look forward to the new challenges, not saying "poor me", but saying "let's go for it". I hope by moving forward in my life, and in sport, I will be able to show others that excuses are not my obstacles winning, at least not yet. Join me as I strive to show you how much I appreciate what I can still do, and as my father said (which the next blog will be dedicated to)..KICK ER' DOWN !!! Yes Dad, I think I will.