Disconnected

Most of the time I feel pretty connected to the people back home. We have so much technology available with Facebook, blogs, and email that I don’t realize how much I am missing. Today, I was surfing some blogs connected to MJ the Ironman. I clicked on Run Bubba Run, not even knowing who he is. His post was about a triathlete friend of his named Michelle who died from cancer. Even though I don’t know who Bubba is, I knew immediately who he was talking about.

I googled Michelle Chaput and found her obituary from June. I was sad that it took me over a month to find out that she died. Michelle was one of my first triathlon friends. She had started the Human Racers Triathlon team about the same time that I started racing.

The team was in Orland Park, quite a drive from Downers Grove – but I went for the weekly runs and Sunday morning bike rides on the Old Plank Trail. The bike rides were great fun. Dennis was always a little bit shocked and awed when Michelle passed him on the rides when he was going all out! Michelle taught us tons about riding and triathlons.

One year, Michelle had signed up for her first iron-distance race in the fall. You always have to sign up a year in advance for the long races. That winter, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Knowing that she couldn’t do the whole race after going through all the cancer treatments, she called the organizers and asked to change her registration to a team instead of individual entry. She asked a couple of friends to do the 2.4 mile swim and 26.2 mile run and she would train for the 112 mile bike ride. I got involved shortly before the race when one of her friends dropped out. I stepped in to do the swim. It was the closest I’ve been to an ironman and I was glad it was over after the swim! Most of all, it was inspiring to watch Michelle race after the mastectomy, chemo, and radiation. I can’t imagine where she found the energy to train!

Dennis and I gradually drifted away from the Human Racers team as we found training partners closer to home. We still ran into the old gang at some of the local races and I had heard that Michelle’s cancer had come back. But I hadn’t heard that it was back for a third round or that it had spread. She was only 41. Even though we had lost touch, she left a lasting impression on me. I’m sad about her death and I’m also sad to realize how disconnected I’ve become.