When I started my blog just over a week ago, I didn’t write my first blog post immediately. I really wanted it to be inspirational, give you some insight into who I am, the reason I started my blog and to share my journey to health including triathlon, food and fitness in general. But, that changed last Friday when our community lost a special person – Bruce Gordon. Then I realized, I can still provide some of the insights in this inaugural blog post and also honour Bruce.
I started into the triathlon world in 2013 which also led me to join a female cycling group, The Pedal Wenches. I had never cycled on highways and busy city roads in Saskatoon and I was a bit nervous about it all. The first Pedal Wench ride was also the first time I met Bruce. He provided a safety talk and my nerves lessened. Each week I would try to ride with his group because I knew I would be safe, he was good company if I happened to ride next to him and he provided an excellent draft if I was lucky enough to ride behind him on a windy day. I rode with the group for two years, my confidence riding on the roads grew and now I regularly ride for 2+ hours by myself.
Then Bruce joined our triathlon swim group where I was able to get to know him better and still benefit from the draft, but this time in the pool! We called ourselves the one speed wonders because no matter what target pace our coach set for us (easy/moderate/fast), Bruce and I continued to swim every set at almost exactly the same pace. Boy did we laugh at ourselves that year!
I remember one day very clearly when we were walking onto the pool deck together. He commented on a cross-country skiing photo I had put on facebook that weekend. I rolled my eyes and said something about I posted too many photos and didn’t want to look like I was bragging about our weekend activities. He told me how much he appreciated my posts about our adventures and that I looked genuinely happy, never composed or fake in my photos. He encouraged me to keep posting and sharing my adventures because you never know who you might inspire to get active. His comments led me to eventually start an Instagram account, Fit_Fuel_Fearless, to share my triathlon journey with others and to document it for myself. And now that Instagram account has grown into a blog for me to write about my journey, not just photograph it.
You never know how your comments and attitude can influence other people. The smallest things, can have a big impact. Through the many stories of Bruce shared by people over the last few months, he had a positive influence on so many people. I’m lucky enough to be one of them. Bruce, you will be missed, but we will try to continue to promote your legacy:
- It’s all about the bike
- Make every second count
- Take the trip, eat the cake
- Community above all else
The world would be a much better place if we could all #belikebruce.
Fit Fuel Fearless 
I too met Bruce as a newbie biker although I knew who he was when I started doing triathlons. He had instant status in my head as an IRON MAN! He was also a super friendly, helpful, caring man. I never got to know him very well but well enough to know those facts.
Cancer sucks and that’s a fact. Gone too soon for his wife, his family, his little granddaughters and his communities. But as you said let’s leave the world a better place by leading by example like he did.
LikeLike