Cmdr. Jim Goudreau crosses the finish line with a fellow TNT athlete Alexis Secka at the Lavaman Triathlon. Richard Goudreau

OFFICER HELPS CANCER-FIGHTING SOCIETY

By Jim Markle

Cmdr. Jim Goudreau wasn’t thinking about the level of competition during his first triathlon or all the training and pain that went into preparing for it. Instead, for every step, stroke and pedal he took on to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society during the Lavaman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii, one person and two numbers were going through his mind: Marty, 10 and 6,500.

Marty is the name of Goudreau’s sister-in-law who died in January 2006 from leukemia.

Ten is the recurring number of minutes another person dies from leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma (bone marrow cancer), and 6,500 was the dollar goal Goudreau set to raise to help the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fight blood cancers.

Goudreau, site manager for Fleet Industrial and Supply Center San Diego (FISCSD) at Fleet Readiness Center Southwest (FRCSW), entered the triathlon through a non-profit organization: Team in Training (TNT). It is the world’s largest endurance sports training program and trains people to compete in marathons, triathlons and century bike rides.

Though he had run several marathons, Goudreau said he had never been inclined to try a triathlon. “I’d always known TNT did endurance events that benefited the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. And I always thought it was a great cause, and certainly after Marty passed away it was much more personal,” he stated.

Soon after transferring from Naval Inventory Control Point (NAVICP) in Philadelphia, Pa., to FISCSD, a TNT mail flyer announced team formations for the 2007 spring season events and featured the 10K run, 40K bike ride and 1.5K swim of the Lavaman Triathlon.

Goudreau went to the meeting, looked at TNT’s training program and committed himself to participate.
“I realized, ‘You know, I can do this.’ An actual triathlon can be tough but I can do this. This is easier than any chemo or radiation treatment that any leukemia patient has gone through and I’m going to do this,” he said.

The four-month triathlon training program began in late November 2006 with 150 registrants. Ultimately, 98 competed in the triathlon; several of whom, were leukemia survivors. Goudreau noted that for one survivor, a male in his mid-30s, it was his 14th TNT endurance event since he completed leukemia treatments. “Some of the monies raised through TNT are used to fund research for new drugs and treatments, some of which have been used with great success over the last few years in treatments,” adding, “funds are also used to support the society’s educational and service programs for patients undergoing treatment and their families.”

At the onset of training, Goudreau said he had doubts about his abilities and conditioning. Though he was managing minimal workouts and had gone mountain biking sporadically, he hadn’t ridden a road bike or swam laps in a pool for years. His stamina would quickly change. “The coaching staffs are literally some world-class guys who are involved in mentoring and training the TNT here in San Diego for the triathlons. They were an enormous asset,” he said.

The training regimen set by the coaching staff required five to six days of workout commitments each week. Within three months, he was bike riding almost 40 miles, ocean swimming more than two miles, and running eight to nine miles for his long workout each week. But more importantly, he had achieved 88 percent of his $6,500 fundraising goal. The minimum required fund raising is $5,000 per participant.

As his job required traveling, Goudreau said he often worked out on treadmills and exercise bikes in hotels to help improve his conditioning.

“It was an amazing experience training for the event and learning to push myself far beyond limits that I wouldn’t normally set. To end up going out for a 45-mile bike ride in the mountains on a Saturday morning that lasts four hours, is something I wouldn’t just do on my own,” he recalled.

“The people involved are amazing, wonderful people who have made a commitment to make a personal sacrifice to accomplish this. They may have had a connection to someone who had suffered from blood cancer, whether they’ve passed away, or still battling it, or they had a friend who knew someone or they just recognized it is a big issue in society and just wanted to make a difference. It was pretty incredible being around a large group of folks who believed in doing something for someone other than themselves,” he said.

The TNT San Diego team raised more than $400,000 during the event, and overall, $1.1 million was raised for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society at the Lavaman Triathlon. In the past 18 years, TNT has raised more than $700 million. “None of this is possible without the coaches, mentors and volunteers who keep the programs running and the teams motivated,” Goudreau said.

In the three hours, 28 minutes and 44 seconds it took Goudreau to finish the triathlon, approximately 21 people died from blood cancers.