Keane's Great Day In Kona Comes With Special Motivation

Keane's Great Day In Kona Comes With Special Motivation

It was the day before the Ford Ironman World Championship. Lynn Keane was checking her e-mail in the lobby of her hotel. Moments after logging on she was sobbing, unable to move. It was an email from Anne, her best friend, letting her know her cancer had spread ...

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The month of October has so many meanings. The time changes and our days get shorter, we celebrate Halloween and the arrival of Fall. Normally, Keane would be like other competitors in Kona, looking forward to October as “the month” … the month when she would be competing at the Hawaii Ironman.  

 

There is another group of folks, however, who look to October as a month of healing, inspiration, remembrance and awareness. They don’t care about racing. For them, this month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

 

Months earlier, Keane had made the decision to combine her Ironman with Breast Cancer Awareness month and signed on with the Janus Charity Foundation to raise money for their local Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

 

“My mom, my sister, my sister-in-law and my best friend are survivors of this monster called Breast Cancer,” she said in a whisper. “For my loved ones and those of other families around the world who have fought or are fighting this battle, I wanted to do something to make a difference.”

 

It is a well-known fact not a single Ironman athlete makes it to the start line without the support and encouragement of family and friends. When Keane took her spot at the start line of the Ironman World Championships on October 15th, her final motivation came from that e-mail from Anne.

 

“I could not stop crying,” Keane said in a phone interview from her Gold River, California home.  “I felt helpless … I have always been there to do something and I was so far away.”

 

She quickly emailed Anne words of encouragement and strength.

 

“I am sorry I am not home to hug you, but I will be there soon. For what it is worth, I will race my heart out with your name on my jersey.”

 

In Anne’s reply, you are given a quick lesson in why she is a survivor.

 

“Don’t you get weak and sappy on me now. You are in the home stretch … you are strong, committed and can do anything you set your mind to!! Now go kick some water, wind and pavement. Love you, Anne.”

 

In the months leading up to Ironman, Lynn’s husband and coach, Kevin, and her two children were by her side every step of the way. From patiently waiting for her return from a long day of training to developing and preparing fundraising packets, they were there to encourage her when she felt overwhelmed.

 

“I remember one day in particular when I was on the edge. My son, Ryan, pulled me aside after seeing a picture of bald Anne holding her son Alex in the pool and he said Mom, I just want you to know you are SO doing the right thing.”

 

It is no wonder that Lynn is now the defending women’s 40-44 age-group champion with a time of 10:12:00.

 

“I cannot even begin to describe what my day was like except to say it was pure magic. I had the race of my life. The conditions were beyond amazing but when the day started to challenge me I just remembered what Kevin told me when we read Anne’s email … The best way you can help Anne right now is to go out there and have a great race. It really hurt, but I found strength in the power of love, friendship and hope. I never thought Ironman would give me a whole different perspective, but if I could sum up my experience, it would be to say that goodness is exponential.  I received more than I gave and I would be able to say that regardless of what the time on the clock said when I crossed that lovely finish line.”

 

FROM ANNE’S PERSPECTIVE

 

Lynn along with many other “angels on earth” helped me navigate my way through appointments, tests, and scans. Previously, Lynn held my hand and was there when I sobbed in her arms that my cancer had metastasized in my bones.

 

During this year’s Ironman, I felt more connected to Lynn during her race than previous years.  The friendship bond that was between us was much deeper this year. And this year Lynn decided to be a part of the Janus Charity Challenge and raise money for the Sacramento Affiliate of the Susan G. Komen Foundation. During her race, as my husband and I watched her times on the internet, I swear I could almost feel what she was going through. When she was about 5 miles from the finish, I cried as I sent her an email cheering her on. I knew what she was going through at the end and wanted her to know I was there with her. My husband predicted her time within 2 minutes, and we were jumping for joy when we saw her times finally post. Lynn says that she was carried through the race by the love of family and friends, and the experience she had while raising funds.  And it must have been a lot of love to fit in her huge heart because we reap what we sow…and for Lynn it is a bountiful garden!

 

If you want to read more about these two amazing women, go to: www.faithhopecourage.com.

 

Writer’s note:  At the time of this posting, Anne has undergone surgery to remove her ovaries and is recovering well.  She is scheduled to start chemotherapy on November 2, 2005.  Our thoughts and prayers are hers.

 

You may contact Gaylia Osterlund at gosterlund@ironmanlive.com