Thursday, July 1, 2010

it can be done: pro racing with Crohn's

Today I was finishing up my breakfast and scanning the pages of my latest edition of Velo News when I spotted something incredible: a report of an American racing professionally while living with Crohn's disease. My jaw dropped. Really? An elite racer with Crohn's who's still racing? Successfully?

Intrigued, I went online and looked up his team, and read his rider profile.
And there is it. Phil Zajicek is an Elite level racer on the mostly-Australian Fly V club, and he has Crohn's disease -- and it hasn't stopped him from racking up some palmares (wins) in the sport.

Damn. How cool.

Of course, he's younger -- way younger -- and fitter than me, and his Crohn's appears to be in official remission (which mine is not). But still, that's pretty damned cool. It made me smile so hard I thought my face would fall off. In the absence of local racers with Crohn's besides myself, this is some much-needed encouragement, even if I never finish out of last place.

Rock on, Phil. Have a great season.

No comments: