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Ordinary men, women and children overcome huge odds to accomplish extraordinary feats. Inspiring triathlon stories that every athlete must read for motivation. For more information visit https://justwetsuits.com/product-category/wetsuits/brands/zone3/
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Extraordinary Triathlon Stories Every (Tri)Athlete Must Read!
“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, and others make it happen.” ~ Michael Jordan This post is about people who, in Michael Jordan’s words, “make it happen.” It is about people who overcome extraordinary odds to achieve extraordinary things. It is about ordinary men, women, and children with extraordinary stories – stories that every triathlete must know and draw inspiration from.
Noah Aldrich, Brother, Triathlete Noah’s is a story that will tug at your heartstrings and leave you teary-eyed. His is as much an inspiring triathlon story as it is a story of brotherly love. When 8-year-old Noah Aldrich decided to participate in the Y-Not Mini Triathlon in Boise, Idaho, it was to help his little brother Lucas with special needs experience what it is like to live a full, “normal” life.
While there are abundant stories of parents helping their children with special needs compete in athletic events, seldom do you come across 8-year-olds with as much sensitivity, maturity, and love in their hearts as Noah displayed for his brother that day. Born with a rare genetic condition, Lucas is unable to walk, talk or eat his own food. During the event, Noah pushed Lucas in a jogging stroller for the course's 1-mile run, pulled the stroller behind his bike for the 3-mile ride and made the 200-meter swim with a harness around his chest that was attached to a raft holding his brother. "He most of the time doesn't get what I get to do. Like when I play sports, he has to just watch. I just wanted to finish with Lucas,” said Noah.
Bailey Matthews, Boy Wonder In one afternoon, Bailey Matthews proved to the world that he may have cerebral palsy, but cerebral palsy does not have him. The 8-year-old boy overcame debilitating odds to not just compete in a grueling triathlon event, but finish it unaided, bringing the crowd to tears. An emotional crowd cheered him on as he completed the 100 meter swim, 4km bike ride, and 1.3km run, casting aside his specially-adapted walking frame to finish the last 20 meters of the race unaided at the Castle Howard Triathlon in North Yorkshire.
Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 18 months, Bailey became interested in taking on a triathlon when his dad, Jonathan Matthews, started pushing him around a 5-km course at a weekly park run event. Jonathan then adapted a walking frame to allow Bailey to get round the course himself. Soon after, Bailey expressed his wish to take on a triathlon and began training on a special bike and swimming in a lake. "Bailey has always been very determined. If he wants to do something he will find a way to do it, even if it is not the conventional way," says his mother, Julie Hardcastle. That afternoon, as the crowd cheered and waited for Bailey to cross the finish line, even though he was the last one to do it, the little boy gave a whole new meaning to the phrase “There are no losers in life, just the last winners.” These are just a small sampling of extraordinary stories about ordinary people who had the grit, passion and determination to achieve the impossible. We’re sure each triathlete has a story of their own. Just Wetsuits is proud to be able to deliver high quality triathlon wetsuits and other triathlon gear to all you triathletes out there who are scripting remarkable stories each day.