I love a good inspiring story, and I have a feeling this won’t be the first one that I will blog about. My brother-in-law shared this one on facebook today and I knew I had to share it. “This Is Not a Story About Last Place” by Jason Gay of the Wall Street Journal should be required reading for all kids, athletes, adults, non-athletes … okay, everyone. You can read the entire story by clicking the link above, but I will summarize it here too, for those of you in a hurry, (or perhaps with a toddler clinging to your leg demanding a snack). I can’t do Mr. Gay’s writing justice though, so if you have the time, please read his version first.
Taylor Phinney’s solo ride during the Tirreno-Adriatico. Taken by Stefano Sirotti.
Taylor Phinney is a 22-year old cyclist who was competing in a race in Italy recently. The course was very difficult (27% grades where many cyclists got off and walked their bikes uphill), the weather was horrendous, he had parts break and had to replace them during the race, and he just wasn’t having his best day. At one point he found himself far behind the lead pack with a group of cyclists who were all contemplating dropping out. They wouldn’t be alone, many others had already done just that – at the end of the day one third of the cyclists did not finish (DNF). Every other rider in that pack DID drop out and Taylor found himself alone pedaling to the finish. Even after all that, he did not make the time limit he needed to compete the next day.
So, so far, this is the story of a young man who had a bad day and finished last in a race. He finished, but where is the inspiration in this? Taylor is the son of two cyclists, one of whom – his father – has Parkinsons Disease. Amidst this crappy day, Taylor just thought of his dad.
“I knew that if my dad could be in my shoes for one day—if all he had to do was struggle on a bike for six hours, but be healthy and fully functional—he would be me on that day in a heartbeat,” Taylor Phinney said. “Every time I wanted to quit, every time I wanted to cry, I just thought about that.”
How often do you have a bad day and quit? I know I give up on little things all the time or don’t even attempt the bigger things because I fear I may fail. If only we could all sit back and think about the people who can’t do what we can, who don’t have what we have … wouldn’t we do so much more, try harder, not give up? I know I would. This story is an inspiration to anyone who read it and really thought about what they could do, or do better, if every time they wanted to quit, they thought like Taylor Phinney did and decided to carry on. I know that is what it did for me.
Perhaps the most important person that this story inspired is Davis Phinney, Taylor’s dad.
“I have almost no words for how amazing it makes me feel,” Davis Phinney said. He wrote in an email to his son: You make me so happy and beyond proud—and that is better than any medicine and can defeat any disease.
I am thankful that my brother-in-law and Mr. Gay decided this story was worth sharing, because I know that Taylor Phinney’s example will inspire others, the way it inspired me. We are always in need of people who can inspire us and I look forward to following his career in cycling and continuing to see the young man we saw competing in this race.
thanks, speedy God ... 