Justin Lee
Editor’s Note
An UnbreAkAble Spirit It started innocently enough. In the summer of 2005 I was on assignment for a city magazine when I knocked on Jim MacLaren’s door. Jim invited me into his downtown San Diego condo and, over the next hour, shared his story with me. You may have already heard his story—it has the makings of an urban legend. Jim was in the prime of his life—he had moved to New York City after graduating from Yale, where he was an All-American football star, to pursue an acting career. He was riding his motorcycle home from a late-night rehearsal when a city bus struck him. Arriving at the hospital, he was pronounced dead. Jim’s life as he knew it may have ended, but eight days later he awoke from a coma. The lower half of his left leg was gone. A lifelong athlete, Jim eventually regained his health and, supported by a prosthetic leg, began training for triathlon. He became one of the top amputee triathletes in the world, routinely finishing ahead of 80 percent of ablebodied athletes. He even crossed that hallowed Ironman finish line in Kona. Life was good. Then, during a race on a closed course, Jim was two miles into the bike leg when a renegade van plowed into him, hurling him headfirst into a signpost and breaking his neck. At that moment he adopted another identity: quadriplegic. Seated before me in his motorized wheelchair, Jim explains that in the aftermath of his second debilitating accident he had to make 24
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a choice: Would he let this new, cruel reality define him, or would he create a new life that dwells in positivity and possibility? His answer: “I must create a life.” You’ve likely seen “disabled” athletes in your training and racing communities. Many of these courageous, talented athletes are out there with the support of the Challenged Athletes Foundation, which was created to support Jim after his second near-fatal accident. As an early spokesperson for the Challenged Athletes Foundation, motivational speaker and mentor to others, he has helped countless people—athletes and non-athletes—embrace their potential under even the toughest circumstances. It’s something he knows a thing or two about. Driving home from my visit with Jim, I decided to sign up for an Ironman. My purpose was twofold: I wanted to raise money for Jim’s charitable organization, Choose Living, and I felt compelled to internalize Jim’s message of human potential realized. I’d done some sprint races but never ventured beyond the distance. With Jim at my back, there was no question of if I could do it. Only when. I set my sights on Ironman Arizona. I sent out a copy of my published article on Jim with a letter soliciting donations for Jim and moral support for me. By race day, I had raised $2,000. And when I crossed that finish line in the dark, I thought of Jim and felt gratitude for my race-battered body. Turns out, that race changed my life’s course in a few ways. I met the man I’d end up marrying in the transition area that morning as we struggled into our wetsuits in the pre-dawn light. Though it’s been my only Ironman so far, that race ignited my passion for the sport. In pursuit of tri idolatry—let’s call it tridolatry—I’ve been able to ride my mountain bike in the remote jungles of Panama and swim with giant turtles in Hawaii. Most importantly, though, triathlon makes me feel like I’m living my life in full. When I’m sweaty, exhausted and pushing toward the finish line, I feel all the layers peeled away and it’s just me. I did this. I got here. While triathlon is an individual sport, there’s no denying the strong sense of community triathletes share. It is my goal to make each of issue of Triathlete a living, breathing gathering spot for triathletes of all backgrounds and abilities. Tell us what you want out of your magazine; you’re likely to see your ideas implemented in future issues. Or just share your own triathlon story with us. As with Jim’s story, there could be one mighty ripple effect. Julia Beeson Polloreno Editor-in-Chief jpolloreno@competitorgroup.com
No. 314 | June 2010 Editorial Director TJ Murphy, tjmurphy@competitorgroup.com Editor-in-Chief Julia Beeson Polloreno, jpolloreno@competitorgroup.com Managing Editor Somyr McLean Perry, sperry@competitorgroup.com Senior Editor Matt Fitzgerald, mfitzgerald@competitorgroup.com Senior Tech Editor Aaron Hersh, ahersh@competitorgroup.com Assistant Editor Bethany Leach, bleach@competitorgroup.com Copyeditor Marilyn Iturri Photo Editor Nils Nilsen nnilsen@competitorgroup.com Graphic Designer Oliver Baker, obaker@competitorgroup.com Online Content Director Kurt Hoy, khoy@competitorgroup.com Web Producer Liz Hichens, lhichens@competitorgroup.com Senior Video Producer Steve Godwin, sgodwin@competitorgroup.com Video Producer Kevin LaClaire, klaclaire@competitorgroup.com Medical Advisory Board Jordan Metzl, MD; Jeff Sankoff, MD Advertising EVP, Media Andrew R. Hersam, ahersam@competitorgroup.com VP, Endemic Sales Kevin Burnette, kburnette@competitorgroup.com Director, Digital Advertising Sales Jason Rossiter, jrossiter@competitorgroup.com San Diego, CA Account Executive Lisa Bilotti, lbilotti@competitorgroup.com Account Executive Lars Finanger, lfinanger@competitorgroup.com Account Executive Justin Sands, jsands@competitorgroup.com Marketplace Sales Laura Agcaoili, lagcaoili@competitorgroup.com Boulder, CO Account Executive Nathan Forbes, nforbes@competitorgroup.com Account Executive Mark Gouge, mgouge@competitorgroup.com Account Executive David Walker, dwalker@competitorgroup.com Advertising Manager Deena Hancock, dhancock@competitorgroup.com Advertising Coordinator Lisa McGinn, lmcginn@competitorgroup.com Director, Audience Development John Francis, jfrancis@competitorgroup.com Fulfillment Manager Leslie Dodds, ldodds@competitorgroup.com Triathlete Magazine Offices
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