I'm Not Fast But I Finish
I am Not Fast But I Finish
By Kevin Brown
Foreword:
Truth is I don’t read books that often so the fact that I am writing one may be a bit of hypocrisy but in my own way I want to leave something to my kids and maybe even to you about beating odds and making something of yourself by doing the next right thing. I have been blessed with many things along my path and I have nothing in my life which I regret any longer. In my mind and body and soul the most important part of this book is designed to touch your spirit and hopefully inspire you to be in spirit with who you are. We are all examples of life to someone out there and my hope is that you lead by an example that you would be proud of and help you sleep at night. I have been given a gift of which I am fortunate to realize each day to date and I pray I never forget that simple fact. Well here goes:
As in all things in my life the best for me has come in threes so hopefully my two Tri-Buds Joe Turcotte and Keith Kober are writing their forewords as well as inputting their stories into this book of us The TriNutz Guyz! We may not be fast but we finish….well Joey’s pretty fast ! We know Life is Nutz and we share it in a good way. We tri to lead by example and do the next right thing and make a difference in others. We hope when you are through you too will tri and make a difference with us and Join the Nutz Revolution just by one doing one simple thing B What U R!
I have a story to tell but it is more about US than it is about me. I am just an average guy who wanted to make a difference. I made a decision back in 2006 that I wanted to do an Ironman to raise money for a charity I believed in. I asked my best friend Joe Turcotte who had just completed all 5 in the contiguous USA that year when he and his girlfriend Diane came out to Massachusetts for a visit from Colorado if they thought I could do one. Joey said yes and before he was back home in Colorado I had gone online and signed up for a full Ironman in Arizona for April 15th 2007. That decision has literally changed me physically, mentally and most of all spiritually beyond measure. Then I decided along with MY GOOD FRIEND Keith Kober to do all 6 Ironmans in the contiguous USA within 11 months because we felt now we had to at least match what our best friend Joe had done and possibly better him by one... Nutz….you bet it’s Nutz. I hope you enjoy coming with me on this journey. It is that my hope for you will be that you will be enriched and hopefully changed for the better. Few things in my life have had as big an impact as triathlon, addiction and recovery. Never in a million years could I have scripted what I am about to share with you. I’ve come to learn from many that my experience, strength and hope are all that I have. 25 years ago I began to do the next right thing and now I stand before you prepared to share that journey. My hope is that this becomes a message that can help make you a better person, or to help make a difference in someone’s life in a positive way. My friend Billy consistently reminds me that I’m only responsible for the efforts not the outcomes. Another 2 friends I have never met Bill W. & Dr. Bob remind me to practice these principles that I have learned to the best of my ability and all things will be well in my life. Lastly what I truly know you could fit in a thimble. This simple statement has helped me remain teachable. Honesty, open-mindedness and willingness are the keys to which I subscribe each day. Many have taught me… many have listened …many have changed... My good friend Johnny V. shared his experience, strength and hope with me 25 years ago and I finally listened. He died 3 days after my first of those six Ironmans and I was able to dedicate that race to him and be there when he passed away at his bedside. It wasn’t that others hadn’t tried before I just was not listening. He would tell me this next quotation many times over the 25 years I knew him…… “many tries equal many chances, less tries equal less chances, no tries equal no chances. “ I hope you will Tri as best you can.
XOXO
Kevin :-)
