Slow Twitch Spotlights The Extraordinary Caroline Gaynor

Six years ago, I met the fabulous, talented, and beautiful, Caroline Gaynor. I went to New York for the first time to race in my first ever triathlon. I am not a confident swimmer so of course, I pick the New York City Triathlon and its one mile in the Hudson river as my first ever race. A month after that experience, I saw Caroline in Chicago the night before the Chicago Triathlon. Caroline mentioned how nice it was to see that I could smile and that I actually had teeth. The month before, she had tried speaking to me several different times throughout the weekend, but I had apparently ignored her attempts. Someone told her that it probably had to do with the fact that I was so anxious about the swim. I was so in my head worried that I did not even realize Caroline had tried striking up a conversation with me on several different occasions.

Readers to this blog have probably seen my past posts highlighting some of Caroline's athletic achievements. She has been part of a group racing across the country. Cyclists started in San Francisco and finished on the east coast one week later. Caroline became the first woman in history to guide a blind woman through 140.6 miles of the Ironman Triathlon. She has since accomplished that a few more times. Caroline is a gifted rower, cyclist, swimmer, runner, and guide. Caroline is one of those who jumps at the chance to guide blind and visually impaired athletes in any race. In fact, to the best of my knowledge, I believe when she has been a race guide in an event where regional or national titles are on the line for the blind or athlete with a disability of any kind, Caroline and her given athlete have never finished lower than second place and often finish well ahead of the field comfortably in first place.

For more on the fabulous, Caroline, please take a moment to read an interview Slow Twitch did with her. On a personal note, thank you Caroline for being the magnificent you. It is an honor to know you and be your friend. My dream is that one day I will be fast enough that Caroline will consider to be my eyes for an event.