I like to consider myself to be an honest, good person, who expects to be treated the way I treat others…with respect.
As Sam Roberts said: “Where have all the good people gone?”
As you may know (from my last blog entry) that I fell victim to the theft of my bike during my last Half-Iron distance triathlon. It was stolen during the event – from the transition zone – while I was out running the half-marathon to finish the race.
For the complete story, please read my last blog and the article that was written in the Ottawa Citizen.
I feel that at this time it is important for me to share my thoughts on what has occurred in the last couple weeks.
I am still bewildered by the comments made by the Somersault Events race directors not only to me directly, but to the media as well. It is clear to me that Somersault Events has failed to meet its own publicized mission statement and standards in that it failed to meet the following key elements:
“deliver to the participants those event elements that have been advertised and communicated to them prior to the event,
treat each participant equitably and with respect, regardless of age or stage,
provide event supervision as much as possible, to ensure a safe, and fair event,
make best efforts to ensure Somersault event workers and officials perform their event tasks well,
provide an appeal mechanism to allow for participant protests or appeals, and
seek and respond to participant feedback and suggestion.”
Its important to acknowledge that Somersault has recognized its own failure by publicly acknowledging its failed security mandates and have set a plan to implement more reasonable security moving forward…as they should! Less than a week after my bike was stolen, Somersault sent out a newsletter to all their participants explaining that they’d be increasing security measures to their transition zones. Unfortunately for me…this was a bit late.
My bike is gone…it would be somewhat unrealistic for me to expect it to be found. At the very least, I expected the race directors to take some ownership for their negligence, but instead they said to me that it was my responsibility to look after my own equipment…that one still boggles my mind!
So here’s the bottom line: Somersault Events (in their mind) is not accountable for the theft of my bike and is doing nothing to compensate me for it. NOTHING. I am very disappointed in the manner of which this was handled by them and for some reason have taken it very personally. I know this theft was not my fault. I did nothing to invite it into my life and there was nothing that I could’ve done to prevent it. It could’ve happened to any other triathlete in that race, on that day. But it happened to me…why? I’ll never know.
But what I do know is this: I am a healthy, happy, fit, proud husband and father of two beautiful children. I didn’t deserve what happened to me, but everything happens for a reason. On a positive note, other triathlon organizations have now implemented heightened security measures for their transition zones…which will hopefully ensure that what happened to me, doesn’t happen to anyone else!
To put it in perspective, Rich Roll gave me this advice: “For all you know there was a hairline fracture in the frame and it was going to collapse underneath you on your next ride, putting you in the hospital. We just don’t have the bigger picture.”
I took that to heart. I am moving on. As I put this whole drama behind me, I think it is important for our community to be aware of Somersault Events in Ottawa and how they treated me – with no respect, without taking accountability for their negligence and without meeting their own mission statement.
I will not be signing up for any events organized by Somersault Events ever again. If you are an athlete who races in triathlons, duathlons, runs, swims or paddles…you may want to find another company to race with, but that would be your choice to make.
So where have all the good people gone? They are still here…I still trust that people are not out there to take advantage of us. People can be honest and fair. I still look for the good in people rather than the bad. I’m a good person and want to surround myself with others that are good people too.
This has been a difficult month for me and while I realize this is just a bike, a material thing, it must remain just that. I need to thank the Ottawa and surrounding areas for your ongoing support in helping to find my bike as well as the positive comments you’ve given me. I would also like to thank Vinnie Tortorich for having me on the show to discuss my story and of course Drake Fenton from the Ottawa Citizen for covering the story initially. I also really appreciate the support I received from my triathlon club – Mettle Multisport. And most importantly, my wife, for being my rock!
What’s next for me?
I have not been back on a bike since this event…but will be getting another one soon. I’m running the Scotiabank Marathon in a couple weeks and then start my serious training with Coach Brett for my first Ironman…in Texas in May 2014…and I’m stoked!
