Whenever I wallow in a little self pity over my lack of athletic accomplishments Diane reminds me to knock it off – and she is right (as she usually is!). I guess because I was born with cerebral palsy and wore leg braces until I was six the thought of me doing any sports activity was never going to happen. I was extremely lucky on many fronts though. It was a very mild case and I was taught early – by family and friends – that I could do anything they could do. This was a nice concept – but in reality no team ever chose me first. And when I was chosen most of the time I was on the sideline. Rarely did I see any action. There was the time I caught the ball in right field (I always thought that the Peter, Paul and Mary song Right Field https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXVnb0wveRg
was written specifically about me) at Camp Captree (but we still lost the game).

It was my cousin Richie who was the real motivator in my early sports career: he taught me how to ride a bike. I was about eight, the age every boy already knows how to ride a two wheeler, except me that is. But Richie kept telling me I could and he remembered when I did ride one. I certainly didn’t remember – but his early use of reverse psychology and his running alongside me on his two wheeler did the trick. By the end of the summer I was riding my bicycle all over town like any other eight year old.

Flash forward 30 years. I am living in Omaha, Nebraska. I actually like it. Other than the fact that my career went nowhere, my income was barely sustainable and I missed New York City, I did like Nebraska. Why? I was surrounded by supportive family – including great in-laws, a house Diane and I could never have afforded in New York – and – I started to run.

What my cousin Richie was to biking, my friend Bill was to running. I mentioned to him that I would like to run but couldn’t and I’d look ridiculous running. He said that most people looked ridiculous running (especially in marathons). Cut to the chase – literally – with encouragement from my family and friends I did two New York City Marathons. The second one was the best because Diane, Madeline and Kerry were there to see me finish (and I shaved 30 minutes off the first time). Both times I never looked back during the 26.2 miles for fear I would realize I was the last one and get really demoralized. But in both races after I finished I was shocked to see thousands of people come in after me!

So now on to swimming – my own triathlon over 50 years in the making