Last night I had the good fortune of spending the evening with some truly amazing multi-sport athletes.\u00a0 I was invited to dinner at my friend Teri\u2019s house.\u00a0 \u00a0I pulled up to Teri\u2019s home and at first glance my SUV with Thule bike rack seemed to fit in perfectly with the other vehicles lining the street.\u00a0 However, mine was lacking something. I felt a flutter of adrenaline, as I parked behind a jeep displaying the Mdot logo, indicating the driver is an Ironman. \u00a0That feeling of adrenaline increased, as I walked past car after car with 140.6 stickers.\u00a0 Amazing! \u00a0Who am I to be invited into the company of such accomplished greatness?! In July, I will merely attempt to do HALF of what several of these women have already completed, some multiple times.\u00a0 Some while fighting incredible odds.\u00a0 One whose name is Teri Griege.<\/p>\n
I still remember the first time I met Teri.\u00a0 I had just\u00a0been working at FLEET FEET for a very short amount of time; I don\u2019t even think I was fitting shoes yet.\u00a0 Teri and her daughter came into the store to find something for her to wear on TV.\u00a0 Huh?\u00a0 What kind of TV show do you go on in running apparel? The kind where they send a\u00a0film crew to your house so you can be one of the highlighted competitors at the KONA Ironman World Championships, that\u2019s what kind.\u00a0 Teri started to tell us her story.\u00a0 She had been invited to Kona as an inspirational athlete because she had just missed qualifying when she competed in\u00a0Ironman Louisville.\u00a0 But here\u2019s the kicker\u2026Teri came within minutes qualifying for the Ironman Worlds, while she had cancer<\/b>.\u00a0 Only 2 weeks after completing that race in Louisville, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Colon Cancer.\u00a0 Teri took that news and turned it into strength.\u00a0 She continued to train despite chemotherapy.\u00a0 Last week at swimming practice, someone told me that Teri will go to a chemo treatment and then come straight to the pool for a workout.\u00a0 Incredible.<\/p>\n
As Teri stood there in Fleet Feet that day, telling her story, the 6 or so of us who were working, in addition to the other customers in the store, were all crowded around listening. \u00a0I can\u2019t remember who all was there, I know Faith was standing next to me and I think Jess was with us, too. \u00a0I\u2019m pretty sure every last one of us was crying.\u00a0 I know I was.\u00a0 And I still get choked up when I think about how absolutely amazing my friend Teri is for all that she\u2019s accomplished.<\/p>\n
Last October, despite a diagnosis of Colon cancer that had spread to her liver, major surgery, and many chemo treatments, Teri went to Kona and completed the 2.4 mile swim in the Pacific Ocean, followed by a 112 mile bike and then\u00a0a full marathon.\u00a0 Everyone knows I love running marathons, but I really can\u2019t even fathom throwing down 26.2 after an already full day of athletic activities like that.\u00a0 And I especially can\u2019t fathom doing it while battling a vicious, grueling disease.\u00a0 Teri can.\u00a0 And she continues to fight.<\/p>\n
About a month ago, Teri came into the store because her daughter Katie needed some running shoes.\u00a0 While I helped Katie\u00a0with shoes, Teri asked what I am currently training for.\u00a0 I told her the Vancouver marathon and Racine 70.3.\u00a0 Teri said she is going to be in Racine too, which is awesome, because just knowing that Teri will be there too gives me inspiration.\u00a0 She will likely be using it as training for some other Ironman race, while I am just hoping to finish it.\u00a0 As we talked, Teri said she\u2019s planning on Ironman Arizona 2014.\u00a0 She wanted me to think about doing it too.\u00a0 Are you kidding?!\u00a0 That\u2019s the coolest invitation I\u2019ve ever had to anything in my life!\u00a0 But, I haven\u2019t even completed 70.3 yet, I have no idea how that\u2019s gonna go.\u00a0 And as I sat there, with the wheels turning in my head, waves of doubt crashing around and\u00a0coliding with\u00a0thoughts of \u201cWell, maybe?\u201d \u00a0I was physically unable to utter the words \u201cI can\u2019t\u201d to this woman.\u00a0 Because this is Teri Griege, you don\u2019t say \u201cI can\u2019t\u201d to her about anything.\u00a0 If she can, and she HAS, then you at least try.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know that this is the right time for me to attempt something of that magnitude, what with having 3 small children and adjusting to a new lifestyle.\u00a0 But I know that if the opportunity was to present itself, the only logical response to Teri is, \u201cI can and I will.\u201d<\/p>\n
I am humbled and blessed to call Teri my friend.\u00a0 More than anything, she inspires me to remember that anything is possible!<\/p>\n
Here is the link to Teri’s website.\u00a0 http:\/\/terigriege.com\/<\/a>\u00a0She truly is Powered By Hope.<\/p>\n
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