The Gold Coast Marathon attracts thousands of professional runners, wheelchair athletes, walkers and weekend warriors. In years past, our cycle club provided rider escorts for the wheelchair athletes because the course gets very crowded at times. At the end of the event, one athlete and rider were still out on the course. He was a distant last place. Athletes faced one final rise in the road just before the finish line. The look on his face when he saw this rise would be the same if he had to climb Mt Everest.
He had little muscle bulk and looked totally spent. All he could say was, "Tired". He started up the rise so slowly I thought he would roll backwards ending in a world of hurt. Then the large silent crowd, began waving and shouting, "Come on, come on, yes, yes you can!". With the crowd roaring louder by the second he bent his little body to his wheels. With agonising slowness he eventually rolled his machine to the top of the rise. A journey of some 40metres taking about 4mins. The cheering was deafening. This great crowd of encouragers poured into their young athlete, the courage to find what he needed to wheel over his Mt Everest. I never did see him cross the finish line. Probably some grit blown into my eyes. Something like that. An old friend, a Tour de France rider of many decades past, who also had a few tears, said, "Absolute privilege to see that." It was all of that. And more.
This athlete remains my champion to this day. He just would not give in to his pain and disability. The man showed a depth of character beyond his years. He encourages me a lot. Maybe you too?