I went to Kona last year to cheer on my good friend Robert Key, who was competing in the Ironman World Championship through the Legacy Program. One of the bonuses of my trip was being able to watch Hiromu Inada become the oldest person to finish the race. A fascinating thing about his journey is that he didn't even do his first triathlon until he was 70, and first raced at Kona at the age of 78! There are very few people in the world that I would love to meet, but Hiromu Inada is at the top of the list. I've been trying to reach out to try to connect with him. I'll continue to seek him out when I arrive in Kona next Friday. Meeting him and getting a photo with him would be awesome!
Over a decade ago, Jeremy Bloom founded the Wish of a Lifetime Foundation. Its' mission is to shift the way society views and values our oldest generations by fulfilling seniors’ dreams and sharing their stories to inspire those of all ages. As a geriatrician, and someone who has dedicated his life to improving the lives of older adults, I am all too aware of the pervasive nature of ageism in our society. One of the reasons that I do Ironman is to show that getting older doesn't have to be associated with declining physical function. I've long promoted exercise as a much more effective "pill" than most of the prescription pharmaceuticals available today! Hiromu Inada embodies this concept.
As I post this blog today, I'm associating it with a fundraiser for the Wish of a Lifetime Foundation (https://www.facebook.com/donate/777704695998054/10220372831899198/). I'm generally hesitant about fundraising through social media, but I make exceptions for certain causes. Over the years I've focused my philanthropic efforts on highlighting the positive aspects of aging and older adults. It's a tough sell, and charities that focus on older adults struggle to raise money. I believe that one of the reasons for this is ageism itself. We shouldn't hear doctors explain away a problem because "you're getting old," anymore than we should hear such an excuse for any malady or problem an older person has. Hence, the need for organizations like Wish of a Lifetime.
In many ways, I'm living my own "Wish of a Lifetime" with my trip to Kona this year! This has been a nearly thirty year dream for me. But it's more than a dream, it's very much related to the purpose that I've found in my life. I often talk about another effective "pill" that I like to prescribe being the "purpose pill." There is plenty of evidence-based literature demonstrating the value of purpose in our lives. Ironman is a purposeful endeavor for me. Meeting people like Hiromu Inada takes on its own purpose, insofar as he highlights many of the things that I believe in. Watching him throughout the day last year and seeing him at the finish line carried great meaning to me and I recently realized that I don't want to miss the opportunity to actually meet him this year.
My journey to Kona has had a lot of personal meaning in relation to seeing what my 60 year old human body can achieve. It has helped to ground me at a time when I haven't been as certain of who I am and what my own purpose is. Associating my own dream with fundraising for Wish of a Lifetime just makes sense to me. Seeking out Hiromu Inada brings everything into focus.
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