However, its important to understand and appreciate that there is so much more going on in life than just what exists in our own “boxes”.

I like to think as a doctor that hopefully I’ve developed a little more sense or understanding of this. Patients come into my life for a variety of reasons, some self-limiting that will get better with just a little time and rest, others with a life-changing and perspection altering disease that not only changes their view of life, but that of the people around them. However, I think I’m just as guilty as most where I don’t always realize when someone like this walks into or past my own little “box” of life. Too busy, focused on other “things” in the box, I’m sure I don’t always bother to cast my gaze outward to notice when these events occur.

Fortunately, I was paying attention for some reason this past Tuesday at the Triathlon Club of San Diego meeting with Chris Carmichael. Otherwise I would have never met the “man with the mask.”

Don’t know if other people noticed the tall bald-headed newcomer (not to be confused with the recently golden locks-shorn Buck) at the meeting wearing the surgical mask. It was the first time I had seen him at a Tri Club event. I didn’t think much about him in the hectic controlled “chaos” I feel when we host one of these events. Maybe a “Hope he doesn’t have TB or H1N1″ though crossed my mind as I returned my focus back to my own little “box”…

Chris Carmichael with Clayton Treska

Clayton is battling stage 4 testicular cancer. If you’re not familar with cancer staging, the higher the number, the further the disease has spread. Stage 4 is not where you want to start your battle against cancer. It means the testicular cancer has spread to other parts of the body and makes the job of treating the testicular cancer a lot tougher.

Its kind of like starting a baseball game in the ninth inning with two outs, two strikes and down by two runs with nobody on base. Its not impossible, but its a hard road to come back from, but with enough belief, drive, perserverance and maybe just a little bit of luck, it can be done. Just ask Lance Armstrong.

Clayton has been undergoing chemotherapy which has supressed his immune system, hence the surgical mask, and as I watched him shake hands, the reason he pulls out hand sanitizer after he shakes somebody’s hand. But as I learned later, be careful shaking his hand – he was the Armed Forces “Fleet Week” arm wrestling champion one year (oh, and he won boh left and right handed divisions, so don’t fall for the old “I’ll arm wrestle you with my bad arm” ploy…). He’s getting ready to undergo another round of chemo followed by a bone marrow transplant later this month.

I’ve dealt with a lot of people that have battled serious medical problems and its interesting to observe what drives how some people respond to the challenge with a full-hearted, 100% never-quit effort. Clayton is surprisingly upbeat when he talked about his diagnosis and the long treatment road in front of him.

How upbeat?

He’s gone ahead and registered for the Honu Ironman 70.3 Triathlon next May and has been training as much as his treatment allows. You have to like the odds of someone who thinks like this… “Gee, I have cancer and it sounds pretty bad… hmm…guess I’ll whip it and then go race an Ironman to celebrate…”

Gotta love an attitude like that, and hopefully Clayton’s attitude reminds all of us of the importance of being more aware of the people outside of our “boxes”.

Welcome to the Tri Club, Clayton.

I have full confidence after meeting you that you’ll do exactly what you plan to do. Beat cancer and cross the finishline in Hawaii.

P.S.

Oh, and thanks for reminding me to look outside my “box”

The original topic was supposed to be about the recent 50 game suspension of Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Manny Ramirez, but sports anchor Rick Willis is a big marathon fan and decided to focus more on the healthy aspects of running and training for running races from the local 5 km fun runs to the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon.

Note that Dr Martinez had to slouch down to fit in the camera shot, and if the beginning seems a little disjointed – apparently the wireless microphone box kept unclipping and falling to to ground as they were about to come back from the commerical break!

Wow!

That may be an understatement after we just finished up hosting Craig Alexander, the current Ironman Triathlon World Champion at our San Diego sports medicine center for the Triathlon Club of San Diego’s January club meeting and the kick-off event for the Competitor Magazine’s Endurance Sports Awards weekend.

The event was a huge success with over 300+ triathlon club members there to hear the Craig Alexander interview with Bob Babbitt of Competitor Magazine and John Duke of Triathlete Magazine. 

My highlight?

While there were a lot to choose from, including a surprise appearance by 6-time Ironman World Champion Dave Scott, and a great interview by Bob and John with Craig Alexander; my highlight was the triathlon club’s presentation to club member Skip Gleavey and his comments that he gets up every morning and pushes himself because he doesn’t want to let other club members down. That’s a outstanding statement coming from someone who serves as a role model of persistence, inspiration and never-quitting. If you don’t know Skip’s story – read about it here.

Bob Babbitt knows everyone in the endurance sports community and has done wonders with his involvement with Challenged Athletes Foundation. But…I’ve learned in the past year, when Bob calls, get ready to move quickly. And the past 48 hours have been no different. 

I was sending a follow up email with Babbitt, only to get the add-on of “hey Chrissie Wellington may be in town some time soon, can we do a Q&A at your place?…” Sure, I think, next week would be great. I have time to get stuff set up over the weekend, plus a lot of the Tri Club is on the way to Vegas for P-man and the USAT Club Championships. I figure I have time to work with Brian Long, the Tri Club president to get everything organized…”No problem” I think to myself… The last email I get is “I’ll know in an hour…. The hour goes by, and then quite a few…twenty-four hours later (on Thursday) I get the following email at noon:

Bob
—————————-

Dear Tri Clubbers…..

We apologize for the late notice, but we have a really cool opportunity
Friday evening at 6:30 PM. Chrissie Wellington, fresh off her second
consecutive win at the Ford Ironman World Championship on October 11th in
Kona, Hawaii, will be with us for a Q&A with Bob Babbitt of Competitor
Magazine at Coastal Sports and Wellness in Sorrento Valley. Chrissie has
never been to San Diego before and this is a great opportunity to hear one
of the world’s rising stars and unique personalities in person.

We hope you can make it

Bob Babbitt

Fortunately, I took an extra semester of “Calender Interpretation” in college. From what I remember, Friday comes after Thursday, in most countries. I double check my old lecture notes. Yep, the U.S. follows the “Friday after Thursday” rule. Wow, that means I have until next Friday to get everything organized, because there’s no way that means tomorrow…oops… Bob did mean tomorrow!

Fortunately, with a great staff and lots (and lots) of help from the Tri Club of San Diego, only 24 hours later, we had 200+ folks listening to Bob Babbitt interview Chrissie Wellington in our gym. And it was a great interview. How does someone go from working for an NGO in Nepal to winning the Ironman World Championship – not once, but twice? And setting the run split record…AND winning three other Ironman races…AND an ITU World Championship? AND still be remarkably humble and upbeat about the last two years?

I have just met the latest ambassador for the sport of triathlon and realize that we are in great hands. 

She’s a delightful person with a refreshing view on the world. Maybe more of us (present company included) need to experience the deep and richness that exists out there to really appreciate our successes in life.

Thank you Chrissie for reminding us that there is a big world out there that we can all touch if we really want to. 

Thanks to Bob Babbitt and Brian Long. Both are great inspirations. Thanks to everyone that was able to show up on late notice. A great thanks to the Triathlon Club of San Diego for having the organization and people to help behind the scenes get things set up and cleaned up. If you’re in San Diego and a triathlete, you should be a member of this club!

Chrissie Wellington Ironman Triathlon World Champion

A big thanks to Scott Powers at SuperColor that printed Chrissie’s finish line photo on two big banners and had it to us in 12 hours! You have to like when the Ironman World Champ walks into the room and is impressed by the big finish line photo banners of her only 6 days earlier.

The whole interview should be up on the Competitor Magazine website in the next few days.

We hope you can make it!

Location
Coastal Sports and Wellness Medical Center
4010 Sorrento Valley Blvd, Suite 300
San Diego, CA 92121
P: 858-678-0300

Normann Stadler, the 2004 and 2006 Ironman Triathlon World Champion will be the featured guest speaker at the Triathlon Club of San Diego’s September meeting this Tuesday, September 23^rd. Normann will be interviewed by Bob Babbitt, publisher of Competitor Magazine, and the event will be hosted at Coastal Sports & Wellness Medical Center.

The event starts at 5 pm with food and beverages, general club announcements at 6pm and Normann and Bob scheduled to start at 6:30 pm. The club meeting is open to non-club members and admission is free of charge.

Triathlon club president Brian Long said,  “Last year Normann came and spoke to the club and I think everyone went away with a better appreciation of who Normann really is as an athlete and person. He was very honest, gracious and genuine… We were fortunate to have him sit down with Bob Babbitt and TCSD (Triathlon Club of San Diego) last year and we’re blessed to have this opportunity again.”

Normann Stadler is sponsored by Dresdner Kleinwort and Deutsche Steinzeug and races with Scott bicycles, Giro helmets and blue seventy wetsuits.