Triathlon Reflections - Part of Something Greater

It is early; the day after the Breezy Point Triathlon, as darkness gives way to light the colors of the garden are just starting to show.

I think about yesterday and strangely my thoughts are not mostly about the race. Instead, I see people, many we have known for decades, and many more I have met in the last week. All are intense, most are smiling, all are determined, and all are moving toward a common goal.

JOHNNY, Tim, Mikes and Nate’s friend who showed up on Thursday for a weekend with the Blackwood’s prior to his summer on the tall ship the Virginia. He was truly a deckhand in our home. He pitched in wonderfully in countless way. GARTH similarly, although not competing was an invaluable presence and servant. We are indebted to both these guys as they were the oil that keeps the machine running.

CHRIS and HEATHER generously opened their home and waterfront to all of us last week on Saturday, and again on Wednesday when we dropped in and on Thursday when we “dropped in again” and on Friday when we arrived I said to Heather “I’m home”. I said it as a joke but after meeting both Heather and Chris parents it was obvious why each of them have such large hearts. There is a connection that links our family to theirs across generations. Not to mention there daughter Holly whom I feel more like their uncle than her doctor.

RONNIE is long time patient of mine who has done dozens of Triathlons - but none since 1990. Our silent encouragement of each other in the “Old Guys Rule” club was broken as he greeted me by crossing well over the street with a big smile and high five. “At this point I’m just running for the beer” he joked as we both “ran” in opposite directions.

KATIE is long-term university friend of Naomi. This was her first experience in our Virginia home, first triathlon and first Blackwood cappuccino from Brewtus.

The WILLIAMS family, Neil Rosemarie, Chase, Logan and Lauren. I may owe my life to Logan who swam with me across Chris’ lake last week. She kept asking are you OK Dr. Robb? Who knows if not for her I would probably be on the bottom of the lake right now. Seriously, it takes a lot to keep an initiative like this growing and moving forward. Young families like this are great friends who have a wonderful ability to catch the vision of the larger picture and put all their heart and soul into the effort.

SCOTT and KAREN KEENAN. Probably more than anyone Scott has had a practical vision and has come alongside all of us as an encourager. He has the biggest heart and is out front of even many of the Blackwoods when it comes to seeing what needs to be done and making suggestions for practical implementation of these goals.

The LOUD family took two of their own road bikes in for a tune up to get them ready for our family members to ride. Without their generosity, some of us would have been unable to participate. Where would we be without their support?

Anna’s friends from Norfolk Academy ABBI, MEGAN, KELSEY, SARA, JENNIFER, ALLISON, MICHELE, BECCA, KATHERINE, RACHEL, and from Oscar Smith KAITLIN, JADE, NICOLE, and KERRY were all willing to sacrifice. Yesterday they gave up valuable study time to race and help out in different ways, some were the first to meet their fundraising goal and who were willing to say months ago, “ I don’t want birthday presents this year, please give to help Anna’s mom instead.

Then there was MIKE ROMASH, my biking buddy and JON his son, whose humor and support of Jesse was terrific. He was the first to have his own fundraising page. They had to leave the party “early” to drive Jon back to Pittsburg where he attends medical school.

Thinking of long drives, LAUREN and her husband NICK who I met for the first time yesterday, arrived from Boston to participate as a team in the Triathlon Lauren is the executive director of Caring for Carcinoid Foundation and their presence and participation here made us feel connected with part of the larger picture. We are very grateful for their support

Many other have supported the Tri for Life with their own fundraising pages including the LAW FAMILY, , the CUMMING FAMILY, the ROWLEY FAMILY, MATT LEE and NATHALIE.


“Family” members, who though always present deserve special mention. NANCY whose grand love for her sister spills over in the countless ways she supports her and our entire family. I am immensely proud of my family many of whom finished fast. Nate achieved second in his age group is normally laidback pushed himself to puke at the end but it paid off. Nate was followed closely by Joe age 14 who placed 5th and Davey 7th in the same age group that went all the way to 29 years. Anna’s time was 4th overall in the women despite broken laces she needed to stop twice to tie. Naomi 4th in her age group. Ben and Jesse did 11th and 12th in the men's open category. Had they done age group their times would have placed them 1st and 2nd. Catherine achieved second place in the team swim. All tolled our family including Bruce, Patrick, Nicole and Nancy swam 14000 meters, biked 280 km and ran 70 km

My greatest “high” of the day however was finishing the race not by myself but with my brother in-law BRUCE. The triathlon concept applied to carcinoid is not only to finish but also to finish together. Together we stepped across the finish line. This was a powerful image of the most important aspect of where we are in this process. In this race the win is the cure. Completing yesterday’s race gives all of us confidence that we have done it. It gives us encouragement to press on, a hope to endure and a reference point for the next race and the surety that we will be able to accomplish what was once a mere dream.

Many others not mentioned are watching this race and are a constant source of encouragment to Catherine with their hearts, concerns and prayers.

The felt pen marker on the back of my right hand is fading but the image of those mentioned above is not, most are smiling, all are determined and all are moving toward a common goal.

Looking outside, darkness has giving way to light and the colors of the garden are brilliant. We are on the edge of something great. The next years will truly be a turning point in neuroendocrine research. The effects of which will profoundly affect our ability to find many types of cancer biochemically and treat to cure.

Looking to the future, won’t it be great if all of us can look back on this time and say “I was part of something great that changed the world in a big way”. Isn’t it wonderful to turn something bad into something good, sickness into health, fear into hope, ignorance into knowledge, and loneliness into friendship?