Blazeman

It is said that observation creates inspiration. I am witness to the power of seeing. In 2005 I watched in Kona as Jon Blais, aka Blazeman, willed his way through the 140 rugged miles of the Ironman World Championships. He was joined that October day by almost 2,000 of the fittest athletes in the world. Yet he was alone in the fact that he was fighting ALS as well as the harsh conditions of the Ironman course. Hailed as the Warrior Poet, John's courageous story was eloquently told by NBC (DVD here) in their annual Emmy winning coverage of this incredible once-a-year event. I am moved every time I watch. Dot one.

Jon finished the Ironman in 2005. The next year, as Jons condition worsened, a surrogate triathlete from Chicago, Brian Breen, ran the event in his honor, celebrating the can-do spirit that Jon so valorously embodied. A legend was being born literally as we watched. Dot two.

Jon's fight for ALS research, his desire to help others, led to the creation of Team Blazeman, an NPO obsessed with raising funds for this noble cause. His symbolic finish-line log roll has been taken up by pro athletes and age groupers alike. His spirit, his poetry, his commitment to an ideal, lives on with each finish, every roll.

Jon died of ALS on May 27, 2007.

Although I feel like I have known them for years, I met Jon's parents, Bob and Mary Ann Blais in St. George, Utah two weeks ago. They were hosting the Blazeman booth across from us and I wandered over during a slow moment to say hi and introduce myself. To say thanks. We started talking, and a during the course of our conversation, a voice in my head began to direct the chat into a plan, an idea, almost like a thousand dots simultaneously being connected by an energy source of unknown, mysterious origin. Dot, dot, dash.

Turns out that Jon's favorite section of the Kona course is the climb to Hawi. He spoke of it many times with friends, its allure, challenge, alignment with the rich values of Hawaiian lore. I have been there, rode there, filmed there, been inspired there. Just last year we filmed that section off the fabled Queen K and as fatigued as my back was I found a magical inner strength to endure. Dots connecting.

Maybe we could do a special edition of our Real Course Videos of that stretch and use it as a fund raiser for the Blazeman Foundation, I blurted. More dots. We already have the video in the can, it is spectacular, all the GPS, and we could film an introduction with you talking about Jon, this section of the course, ALS, Team Blazeman, get some Pros to do likewise and offer it as a fund raiser. BIG DOTS, connecting fast.....

Bob looked at me with huge, sincere, bloodshot Boston eyes, and, with tears about to fall, asked, What do we need to do?

Mega dots. Just say yes, I said, and I will do the rest.

Mary Ann beat him to the verbal punch and I stood there, energized, inspired and suddenly, on a mission, the receiving end of the Blazeman Purple Heart, it felt. And I understood very clearly as a result, where that voice had originated.

CompuTrainer is pleased to announce the launch of a very special product. In Kona for the 2010 Ironman World Championships, A CompuTrainer Real Course Video of the Climb to Hawi will make its debut. This special Blazeman RCV will honor the spirit and courage of Jon Blais, Ironman, Warrior Poet and casualty to ALS. Profits will benefit the Team Blazeman foundation for ALS research.

Observation is inspiration. All dots connected.