Stan was an amazing person. He was the most unselfish person I have ever known. He never complained, and he had the self confidence of a giant. Stan believed he coud do anything. If what he wanted to do was physical or mental, it didn't matter if it was difficult, he just kept trying until he mastered what he set out to do. Stan's positive attitude inspired me to do things I never would have thought of doing.
Stan was the perfect example of what someone can accomplish if they believe they can. When Stan decided to enter a triathlon, he jumped in with both feet. He entered a half ironman for his first race. He was a poor swimmer but he trained seriously. I can't imagine how hard swimming must have been for him because it wasn't hard for me. He did the same yardage I did in training, not at first, but he built up to it. It wasn't his favorite part of the triathlon but he never wavered. He did however love riding the bike. Cycling was tough for Stan and so was the running. But he loved being an athlete. I was happy for him. As a child, Stan was an asthmatic and was never able to do sports. So in his mid sixties taking up participating in a sport must have been something he never thought he could do.
When we were first married Stan's asthma was a constant issue. He suffered so much. But he never complained. He said he had always had it and just accepted it. Treatment for asthmatics when Stan was growing up was not very advanced. The first time I saw him have an asthma attack I thought he was dying. His asthma attacks were a way of life for Stan but somehow over the years they became less and less until they were almost non existent. He continued to have sinus issues however, sometimes severe. But by his sixties he was able to exercise fairly normally without allergy issues, at least well enough to train seriously several hours a day.
Remembering all the training we did together are some of my most beautiful memories. Stan always said I was better than him but he could climb hills like they were no 'big deal'. When we trained in Hunt Valley, Stan would always beat me up a hill. In fact there were hills I was never able to climb but Stan stood up in the pedals and pumped like it was easy. He had such strong legs. Frequently I would have to walk part way so Stan would wait for me at the top of the hill. Sometimes he had a long wait, since walking a bike is pretty slow. I was better at long distance but Stan was the better climber. He liked to tell people I was faster than him, so I was glad he excelled in the climb. Stan's climbing ability earned him a 4th place finish in the Lake Placid Ironman. I was so proud of him. Lake Placid in my opinion is harder than the Hawaiian Ironman. I have his Lake Placid 4th place medal hanging on the wall.
