On March 8, 2015 the Challenged Athletes Foundation and the Roth Group held a Grit Cycle-lead fundraiser spin class. I stumbled upon this incredible event because I attend Grit Cycle's normal classes about once a week. The event was held on the pool deck of the Ritz Carlton in Laguna Niguel, California and from start to finish was executed flawlessly. Riders had a choice to donate $100 and ride for one of the two offered sessions, or donate $200 and ride for both sessions for a total of one and half hours. Both options set up a successful fiscal outcome for the Challenged Athletes Foundation.
The spin class was the usual Grit-styled sweat-pouring workout, but the special guest riders are what made the this particular spin class extra special. There were bikes set up around the instructors from Grit, with some particularly awesome riders. Bill Walton had a stationary set up for his bike where he could ride to the beat up front, while three of the Foundation's athletes rode along with him. While we did not get to hear all of the athlete's stories, we did have the pleasure of hearing one speak, when we learned he had lost his leg in Afghanistan while deployed for the U.S. Military.
I had anticipated something inspiring from the speaker, but I had no clue just how much cooler these athletes are than me. The speaker went through his story of how he lost his leg, and then hit us with a casual, "and then I completed an Iron Man 22 months later." Excuse me? My jaw absolutely dropped and hit the ground as I attempted to piece together what kind of timeline that meant for his recovery and his training.
Challenged Athletes Foundation gave him the opportunity and the tools to complete that Iron Man, and has continued to give him more opportunities to set newer, bigger goals. As he said, there isn't something they can't help you accomplish in their view. I mean, the man completed an Iron Man for pete's sake. It doesn't get much harder than that. He said he probably would have completed an Iron Man eventually had he not found CAF, but it would not have been nearly as soon. He explained how the Foundation is like a family, and it's not a one-time type of deal. All of the athletes involved have some type of physical challenge, that some may see as a barrier to living an active lifestyle. CAF does not see it that way. As their mission statement describes, "[t]he Challenged Athletes Foundation believes that involvement in sports at any level increases self-esteem, encourages independence and enhances quality of life." As someone who participated in youth sports growing up, and who finds exercising as my escape, I can whole-heartily agree with that statement.
CAF is based out of San Diego, California and they hold many interactive events that allow you to contribute to the Foundation either through time, money or both. Their athletic events are composed of everything from triathlons to cycle events, while just this past weekend, they held a Gala to honor the legacy of Robin Williams, who was a long time supporter of CAF.
This foundation is the perfect cause for especially athletes to support and get involved with. If nothing else, take a moment to visit their website to gather some inspiration for when you feel like you cannot accomplish something. I hope to attend more CAF events in the future so I have the opportunity to hear more of the athletes' stories. Although I only contributed $100, and about 3 hours of my time, I left the fundraiser with far less excuses than when I arrived, and I know this experience will inspire me in all my workouts and other challenges to come.
