On Sunday morning, I will mount my bike and take to the streets of St. Louis. A few months ago, I got an email from my friend Teri, who I’ve mentioned before. Teri was recruiting members for her team for Pedal the Cause. This is an event to raise money for cancer, all proceeds will stay right here in St. Louis and benefit the Siteman Cancer Center and St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
If you had told me a few years ago that I would A) own a road bike, B) be participating in triathlons and C) be getting ready to sign up for a full Ironman with the encouragement of my awesome friend Teri; I would have told you that you were out of your MIND!
Teri has been integral in my attempt to become a triathlete. Lindsey Farrell may have been the one who initially put the idea in my head and has talked me through most of it. But Teri is my inspiration.
I’ve mentioned before that Teri is an Ironman. I’ve also mentioned that a very short time after competing in Ironman Louisville, in an effort to qualify for the National Championships in Kona, and falling just barely short of that goal, Teri was diagnosed with Stage IV Colon Cancer. And yet she continued to train through chemo and was invited to Kona as one of the special guest athletes.
Teri inspires me to do more than I ever thought possible. She is fighting this disease by not letting it take over her life. It’s part of who she is, but it doesn’t have a hold on her. She is living, and competing, and growing, and using her situation to raise awareness and lift others up.
When we go through rough spots in life, it would be so easy to either lay down and give up, or become bitter that we’ve been dealt a bad hand. But if Teri can be Powered by Hope in her situation, then I sure as anything can be too! I won’t give up. I won’t be bitter. Instead, I will fight the good fight. I will keep the faith. And I will forge ahead to all that is before me.
I recently reconnected with a good friend from Jr. High who happens to live right here in the St. Louis area, as well. Inga is, without a doubt, one of the nicest people you could ever meet anywhere! We used to have slumber parties and we played basketball together as kids. I will never forget being in awe of Inga’s passion on the basketball court and how she fought with aggression. Inga has been battling inflammatory breast cancer for several years. It literally came on overnight, but she never wavered in her willingness to fight it. That same passion still shines bright through Inga.
This is a girl who tells me that I’m amazing and that I inspire her. But I can’t begin to see how I could be half as amazing or inspiring as Inga. She goes from one activity to another with her 5 kids, and then back to chemo, always smiling, always being sweet Inga, always keeping the faith. She speaks about it openly among our group of girlfriends that tries to get together regularly for lunch. I know she won’t let it get the best of her.
I think it’s very true that you never know how strong you are until you come face to face with something that requires you to prove what you are really capable of. Teri and Inga both have a never give up attitude that inspires me to be better than I ever believed I could be and to push through the “I’m tired” and the “It’s hard” and the “I don’t want to”. “The words “I can’t” are not even an option. If Teri can do what she does while her body is fighting for life, then I can at least continue to try to be better and stronger.
I still don’t consider myself much of a cyclist, but if there was ever a good reason to put the runner girl in me aside and just ride, this is it! This weekend, I will proudly wear my yellow and black Team Teri jersey that reads Powered by Hope. I am honored that I have been asked to ride with Teri on Sunday. And equally as honored that I have been invited to be with Inga at her treatment next week. My presence at both of these events isn’t going to change the world, but I know it’s going to change me. And if I can, in some small way, give hope and help continue the fight, then you better believe that I’ll do it!
Everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer. If you would like to donate to Pedal the Cause, you can donate to Teri’s team or through me as a rider at:
http://stlouis.pedalthecause.org/donate.jsp
Every dollar is appreciated!
RRG and Teri Griege-Ironwoman