“Willie who?” you say? Ha. More like, “Lance who?”
For those of you who don’t know, I have on multiple occasions claimed to be training for my first triathlon. I’ve even made this claim to multiple residency interviewers, so I kind of feel obligated to actually follow through. (I can just see my first day of residency: “So, Jerry, how was the triathlon?” “Oh, I was just saying that to make myself look better on paper…”)
“One-Armed” Willie Stewart is the director of Team PossAbilities (which I happen to be a member of), a team of athletes made up of “able-bodied” and challenged-athletes (labeling people is fairly ridiciculous–this became evident to me while getting lapped on the University track by a guy with a metal leg a few months back) whose primary goal is to raise awareness about the PossAbilities Program (a program affiliated with the Loma Linda University Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation Institute which provides resources for disabled individuals to help them achieve their goals in having a life that is not defined by whatever different needs they may possess). Willie (along with a bunch of other folks), just happened to finish ahead of Lance Armstrong in the New York City Marathon last November 5th.
“But Jerry, Lance is a biker, and he had only trained for–”
Whatever. Willie Stewart spent the 2 weeks preceding this marathon: finishing 11:16 in an Ironman, riding an 86 mile bike race, and running for 3 hours (plenty of time for Mr. Stewart to complete a marathon) for a science experiment. I’m not trying to speak poorly of Mr. Armstrong, per se, but if had to pick a sports hero, I think Willie’s got my vote. Pardon me, but I have to get some things done so I can get the gym. I’m horribly out of shape right now, and I’d hate to sully the good name of Mr. Stewart.
[read the full article of Willie's NYC Marathon experience here via Competitor Magazine Online. Also, get a little background on The Man himself via the Challenged Athletes Foundation.]
(What the heck is a Physiatrist? See the link in the Sidebar)
- While Lance is an icon, his “cheat on your wife” bracelets enrage me. Reason #40922 to be less than enthusiastica about Lance: he had a wife & kids who stayed with him through his metastatic testicular cancer, who watched him rise in prominence, and who watched him begin his reign as “King of Two-Wheeled Locomotion Machines,” only to divorce her and to leave the kids so that he could marry celebrity wife Sheryl Crow. Watch out Sheryl – the day after he gets some chest pain then comes back to wil 24 gold medals at the 2024 Olympics, you’ll be on the street.
- Why does Physiatrist sound so fun?
Completely agree, but have the following two comments to add:
1) Hotchy, let’s not misdirect our disdain for cheaters or bandwagoners toward cancer patients (the bracelets), and 2) Lance and Sheryl aren’t married. They like, totally broke off their engagement and stuff.
I was a roomate of Willie’s for a few years in Breckenridge, Colorado. Oh man, could I tell you some stories. If only I could remember them… Tell Willie I said Hi. Bill Guffey