Times-Herald (Vallejo, CA)Aug. 1, 2008The art of living Author: RYAN GARNER/Times-Herald sports writer
When he began training nine months ago, Roman Seguerre had a simple obstacle preventing him from competing in his first triathlon: He couldn’t swim. “Playing in someone’s pool was the extent of my experience,” Seguerre said. “I went to a pool with the lanes and I could barely make it across from one side to the other.” Seguerre will compete in the Vineman Triathlon in Sonoma County on Saturday, pushing his body through a grueling Ironman distance that consists of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike race and 26.2-mile marathon. While the figures sound daunting, they’re minuscule compared to the journey Seguerre has endured over the last six years. The Benicia native was diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia on January 8, 2003, drastically changing his outlook on life. Seguerre began treatment immediately by taking Gleevec, a pill developed in 2001 by Brian Druker, chair of leukemia research and professor of medicine at the Oregon Health and Science University Cancer Institute. “My treatment at the time I was diagnosed was relatively new,” Seguerre said. “I take it every night, and the great part is that it targets the bad cells and leaves the good cells alone. As far as side effects, I wish I could blame my bald head on it but that’s all natural.” Gleevec helped stave off the disease, and Seguerre’s cancer went into remission on July 8, 2003, exactly six months after his initial diagnosis. “I had a new lease on life, and wanted to give back to the cancer community,” Seguerre said. “I had always wanted to do a triathlon since I was a teenager. … I decided I’d love to do it but I couldn’t swim, so I said ‘I’m not going to do this.’ Then I thought about competing in a marathon, but I didn’t like to run. They make you run in high school and I hated all that, but a bike ride sounded more my speed.” Climbing aboard the bike with a sense of purpose, Seguerre began training regularly and participated in his first 100-mile cycling race, also known as a century, just 11 months after he was diagnosed with leukemia. He followed it up with two more century races, in Lake Tahoe and Honolulu. Years progressed without incident, thanks to Segeurre’s daily dose of Gleevec and his commitment to living a healthy lifestyle. As the fifth-year anniversary of remission approached, he began thinking about doing something big to celebrate the milestone. “One of my friends told me about the Ironman coming up and I thought there’s no way I can do that,” Seguerre said. “But the impossibility was almost intriguing to me. … The timing seemed right, so I decided I would try to do it. I figured why not try and punish myself.” The impossibility was compounded by the fact Seguerre couldn’t swim. After a little effort, and the help of a supportive coach, that obstacle proved to be child’s play compared to the hurdles he’d already cleared. “My first time outdoor swim with a wetsuit was in Lake Sonoma and there was nothing to hold on to,” Seguerre said. “It’s very lonely out there, and I was worried I was going to drown. When I got back to the shore I told my coach I thought I had a mini panic attack out there, and he said ‘No, it was a full one.’ I thought I wouldn’t be able to do the Ironman, but my coach had me swim out to a buoy, then asked if I wanted to go to the next one or back to shore. I kept going, and swam around three buoys and then back to shore.” Preparing himself physically and mentally, Seguerre began working with Team In Training, a fundraising group organized by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society that prepares athletes for endurance races. He began training one to three hours on weekdays and 10 to 15 hours on weekends, eventually pushing himself through standard and Olympic triathlon distances. “It’s difficult because doing centuries you ride 20 miles and stop and eat. It’s almost like a rolling picnic,” Seguerre said. “With the bike part of the triathlon it’s constant motion, constant effort. It’s very frowned upon if you stop and my teammates were like ‘You’re going to have to pee on your bike and just keep going.’ I thought they were just having fun with the new guy, but some of them do, they’re that serious about it.” Through months of intense training, Seguerre has bonded with his Team in Training teammates. His accomplishments are enhanced by the fact he’s a cancer survivor, and that fact isn’t lost on his teammates. “They know that I’m an honoree and they say to me ‘If I had gone through what you had I wouldn’t be out here,’ ” Seguerre said. “But I’m still one of the teammates. They tell me ’suck it up buttercup,’ or ‘come on princess.’ They encourage me and kick my butt. We all have lots of different reasons why we do this and I’m really honored to call those people my teammates. It’s a little embarrassing because I didn’t choose to have cancer. I don’t feel special, but I’m just privileged to be able to help other people.” His story inspires, but Seguerre is also giving back to the cancer community. He’s enlisted friends and family to donate toward cancer research, and has a blog called “The Art of Living” which accepts donations and provides updates on his progress. Seguerre estimates he’s raised $6,000 this year, and approximately $20,000 combined over the last six years. “It’s an incredible story,” said Megan Kilkenny, who volunteers with Team In Training in San Francisco. “To compete at that distance, it gives a lot of hope to other cancer survivors that they can do anything.” Even more remarkably, Seguerre’s participation with Team In Training has brought him full circle in the fight against cancer. Team In Training helped raise the initial funds for the research and development of Gleevec, which has helped thousands of people manage and overcome leukemia. “The FDA approved the drug, Gleevec, in record time,” Seguerre pointed out. “If I was diagnosed two or three years before Gleevec was available who knows where I’d be. And because it deals with the blood many of the oncologists are watching it to see if it could potentially help find cures for other cancers.” Seguerre reached the five-year anniversary of his cancer going into remission on July 8, 2008, and marked the occasion by going out to dinner with his wife, Jean, and seven-year-old daughter, Gillian. The evening provided a, “quiet celebration and a really intimate time with my family,” Seguerre said. He’s saving the party for Saturday’s race, and has a trip to Disneyland planned afterward. Participants have to complete the Ironman in under 16 hours to get credit for finishing the race. After everything he’s accomplished, Seguerre’s only goal is to make it across the finish line within that time period. “I’m still the slowest swimmer on the team, but it’s not the time it’s the distance,” Seguerre said. “One of the things my oncologist told me early on was the best thing was to be healthy overall. I feel great just because I’m in great shape. I feel great because of how far I’ve come and my accomplishment.” After overcoming leukemia, Seguerre doesn’t just live as a cancer survivor but thrives and motivates others with his inspirational story. For Roman Seguerre, in both life and the upcoming Ironman that awaits him this Saturday, it’s not the time it’s the distance. Roman Seguerreem: rseguerre@aol.com

blog: rseguerre.blogspot.com