DiPietro - Against the wind: an Ironwomans race for her familys survival

Copyright 2015 by Lee DiPietro

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Rain Saukas

Cover photo credit: Lee DiPietro

Print ISBN: 978-1-63450-452-2

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-63450-470-6

Printed in the United States of America

Dedication

To my husband, Lee,
and our two sons, Tim and Cryder,
for their love, their trust,
and their courage

Contents

Prologue

On a cold and dark February morning in 2010, my husband and I drove from our home about twenty minutes north of Baltimore to the massive Johns Hopkins Hospital. We had allowed ourselves plenty of time just in case morning rush hour had begun. In all the years wed lived so nearby, Id never been to the Hopkins medical center, though Id certainly heard of its excellent reputation and felt lucky to have it in our backyard, particularly now. We rode in silence on the highway toward the city, both of us nervous and anxious to have answers to our questions. The what-ifs were haunting me, but I kept those fears to myself.

Reaching our exit and turning left toward Hopkins, we navigated our way through a rough part of the city where Id never been. I stared out my window and watched the life of the inner city unfold. A few minutes later, Lee wound the car up to the fifth floor of the crowded concrete garage and parked; then we trudged down five flights of stairs to a long brick walkway that led us to a large complex of buildings. Finally, we entered the main level of the Hopkins Outpatient Center, which was just as crowded as the garage, though with people rather than cars.

The two-story foyer is intimidatingcold glass and steeland I felt a chill run through my body. I reached for Lees hand, wanting to feel the warmth of his skin as we threaded our way between throngs of people. At the reception desk, visitors bands were fastened around our wrists; then, along with everyone else, we shuffled through the turnstile. In the elevator Lee and I clasped hands, though Im not sure who was reassuring whom. Most people kept their eyes focused ahead, not bothering to share a good morning smile. The doors opened onto the third floor, and we walked down a portrait-lined corridor to the office of a surgeon who held our future in his hands.

His secretary greeted us and we introduced ourselves, apologizing for being a little early. She ushered us through a door to our right.

The doctor rose from his desk to greet us as we stepped through his doorway and invited us to sit at a small conference table in the middle of the room. He was as I had imagined: somewhere in his late fifties, graying hair, reading glasses perched on his nose, and a friendly demeanor. He smiled as he commented on how unusual it was for my husband and me to have the same first namesLee and Lee. We were used to thiswed heard the remark often in the more than thirty years that we had been together. Then the doctor excused himself for a minute and returned to his desk to finish answering an email.

Nervously lost in our own thoughts, Lee and I scanned the documents on the walls and photos on the shelves. I wanted to say something to break the silence, make us relax a little, but I couldnt think of anything so I again reached for Lees hand, this time under the table. His palms were damp like mine. Finally, the doctor turned from his computer and joined us, sitting at the head of the table to my left. Lee sat at my right. We were ready to begin a difficult conversation.

But it didnt go the way I had imagined.

He apologized again for tending to his emails. Then, looking inquisitively at me over the top of his reading glasses, he said: So I hear you are quite an accomplished runner and triathlete? He asked me about my marathons and seemed especially impressed that I had competed in several Ironman triathlons in Hawaii. I was surprised he knew all this and wondered why.

I had, indeed, been running for nearly thirty years, winning a number of races and moving up the running echelon into elite status. I had started running in my mid-twenties, and now at fifty-one I still ran competitively. But it was my triathlon experience, particularly in the Ironman, that amazed people. Just what, they strove to understand, drives a person to tackle such a test of endurance, both physical and mental? To swim 2.4 miles, then sprint out of the water to bike for 112 miles, followed by a full marathon of 26.2 miles, all in the same day and without stopping. And not just completing these distances but racing them. Insanity? Surely a bit. Persistence? Yes. Passion, ambition, and dedication? Definitely. The Ironman triathlon is a challenge to see just what your body can do when pushed to extremes. It tests you both physically and mentally, and it lets you know the stuff you are made of. Competing in the race is an incredible accomplishment. Succeed in an Ironman and you feel you can face any trial.

To the doctor I wanted to say, I am many things, a mother, a wife, a sister, and a daughter. But being a runner and triathlete has made me who I am. Then, returning his curious gaze, I finally answered him. Yes, Dr. Frassica, I am a runner and a triathlete.

His smile faded as he picked up his pen to make some notes and sketch several diagrams on a white pad of paper. Staring at the drawings, I clutched Lees hand as the doctor began to explain the battle that lay ahead for us.

Running: The Beginning

There was a time in my life, in my mid-thirties to mid-forties, that I was somewhat famous. Not as a celebrity but as a world-class long-distance runner and professional triathlete. I was a local hero not only to runners but to those who saw me run everywhere and every day, in rain, snow, sleet, or heat waves. I was always there, like the mailman. You could count on that. And nationally, I made a name for myself amongst the endurance athletesrunners, triathletes, and duathletesand their followers, some that I raced against and some that knew of my reputation. I was not only a mom of two young sons and a wife, I had another identity, one that gave me confidence and fed my appetite to be strong and stand out. I became like Clark Kent and Superman; put on my running gear and I transformed from ordinary mom and wife to Superwoman. I was ready to tackle anything that challenged me or my family.

At the peak of my career at age thirty-nine, I placed sixth in the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, ranking me among the top female Ironman triathletes in the world. And in my forties I was ranked among the top masters long-distance runners in the country. My passion for endurance sports has led me on a path I never would have imagined, a path that was my destiny for a reason. But this was a life that had not been planned since childhood, it was one I fell into from a simple suggestion.