One of the biggest emotional times for me during this recent trip was helping at the aide station…
Yes I cheered.. I gave out water.. drinks… cleaned up.. met new people.. watched the pros and the elites and amazing atheletes come by and rehydrate.. it was all very inspiring…. but one incident stood out the most
As each athelete ran past.. there was one who came up walking.. slowly.. that was my first instinct que that something was wrong.. he didn’t look good… he had done 2.4 miles of swimming and 112 miles of biking and now probably at least 7 miles of running out of the 26.2
I ran over and asked ” what do you need my friend?” He replied “I need a chair..” he kept repeating over and over
I ran over and grabbed a chair and by now others at the station saw this and came over to help..
Sat him down and I said ” let’s hydrate and tell me what’s going on ”
He said he was dizzy, clammy and shaky
I told him “I am a cardiologist.. I can help you” and after a few more questions and came to the conclusion he was probably dehydrated and low on electrolytes…
I grabbed bananas…water…ice.. grapes and protein bar.. snd lots of potato chips and over the next 10 minutes kept having him slowly eat..hydrate.. rinse and repeat.. checked his pulse.. slowly but surely he got back his color
I cheered him up and told him what my friend Melvin Lwm Jeff Castonguay tells me when I am down.. ” all it takes is all you got and all you got is all it takes”
He nodded
I joked ” I am not gonna charge you for this consultation..but you have to promise me that you are going to meet me at the finish line.. and I promise I will too”
He smiled and said I will try
I said ” do or do not there is no try and you are going to do this”
He said yes I will and he slowly stood up and I made sure he had no more symptoms
He said ” thank you for this”
He started to jog away from me.. and pick up pace…
I went over to the opposite station and waited for him to come back down the loop and see me at the next station which he did 15 minutes later which felt like an eternity …
He looked better and stronger
I yelled out his name ” how you doing? And don’t forget to hydrate.. see you at the finish line ”
He replied with a smile ” I am back ”
I ran along side him till he passed the aide station and he was gone..
I kept looking for him on my journey back to camp on the road amongst 100s of runners then suddenly I spotted him 2 hours later running his second loop as I was waiting by the road side cheering others..
“How you doing my friend?” I screamed out…
“Great !”
“See you at the finish ”
Fast forward several more hours.. I am the finish line seeing all these folks complete their races and I have been scanning for him where ever I went… I was leaving then suddenly from the corner of my eye I saw him at the finish line with his mother hugging with joy
I ran over and congratulated him..
It was a tearful moment for both…
” I am so happy you made it.. how you feeling?”.
He replied softly ” good.. thank you for saving me.. ”
We took a picture together.. I was so happy for him that my heart swelled with gratitude
I will always remember him name and bib number…
Maybe we will meet again one day as atheletes on this gruesome course.. or maybe not..
But it was a synchronous story of 2 souls who had to meet and I am grateful that I had this opportunity to help him on his personal quest…
I got closure too… that no adversity is without help in any form or the other.. for me it was inspiring to serve and see his amazing struggle through and succeed
Moral…. you never know how the universe is going to provide assistance… but trusting that it will is the key….
Lots of tears..emotions and realizations of how we each can help another in simple ways and also why sometimes we are where we are meant to be
…………..
I love you
