A Saul Raisin update
Saul Raisin is juggling quite a few things these days. He is managing his raisinhope foundation, is heavily involved with the Wounded Warrior project, and trains like possessed for an Ironman. He shared some of his thoughts with slowtwitch.
ST: Saul, where are you now in terms of your recovery from you accident?
Saul: I am in the acceptance phase. This time in my life I am at the point where I accept what has happened to me and use the challenges I face to help inspire others that are injured or sick. I love challenges because they make you grow stronger and change you into a better person.
ST: Are you listening to your doctors?
Saul: About what?? I no longer see doctors. My doctors released me a year ago to return to competitive cycling. But I chose not to go back to racing because cycling is not worth my life. I prefer to one day have kids and a family then race bikes any day. Sports are only a part of my life and that's the way they should be. When you make things affect your life and the lives of the people you love you take it to far over the edge.
ST: Sorry Saul, I must have misunderstood. I thought you are still not back 100%.
Saul: I have progressed so far that I am beyond where doctors can help me. The problems that I have now are up for me to conquer and get over. I still have problems with the fine motor coordination in my left hand and leg. I am left handed and I still sometimes have problems writing when I am tired. Same thing with my left leg. When I get very tired I begin to limp a little. I am also still impulsive and if I see something I want, I jump on it. One day when it is all said and done, I want others to look back on my life and say "That kid had one of the most severe brain injury someone can have and he over came it. So can I."
ST: Talk about your New York City Marathon experience.
Saul: Amazing. It was a real dream come true. Simply while running the last 200 meters of the race I ran with tears streaming down my face because I remember back to when I wore a stent in my leg and gate belt relearning how to walk in therapy and could not because my left side was paralyzed and I had not balance and here I was running 26.2 miles. Wow, I thank God I am truly blessed, so lucky.
ST: Do you slowly feel like a triathlete?
Saul: Yes, I feel like a all around athlete. My core strength is ten fold better than it has ever been. I am as lean as ever but I have put on 15lbs of muscle in my upper body.
ST: With whom do you mostly train with these days?
Saul: My self, I train seriously alone. I did participate in the Air Force academy cycling team training camp. We did over 600 miles and 30 hours in Tucson, AZ.
ST: Which of the 3, or should I say 2 new sports do you find the hardest to deal with?
Saul: The training aspect. I wake up at 5:00am to be in the water at 5:30am. Also the double day of swimming/running or running/riding beat the hell out of a person. Training to be a triathlete takes a completely different mental attitude than cycling. It makes you so much stronger in many aspects.
ST: Are you still in touch with some of your former teammates from Credit Agricole and various other Pros?
Saul: Yes, I talk to many of my former teammates and other Pros quite often. I have made some life long friends in the Pro peloton.
ST: When some of these Pro cyclists hear about your new adventures in triathlon and marathon running, do you get curious questions?
Saul: Honestly, not really. They all know that I am as stubborn as a mule and support me in anything I decide to do. I set my goals so high that most think I am nuts and I attack them with everything I have.
ST: Do you have your new tri bike selected for this upcoming year and is it already built up?
Saul: Not yet still waiting. I'll be in the wind tunnel January 28th to test my speed hump, and that is exciting. I'll tell you how it goes.
ST: In terms of cycling, how much time to you spend on your road bike versus on your TT bike?
Saul: I ride my road bike a lot, because power is power and it is important to be able to throw down the power on the road or TT bike. Training on both will carry over to help each one.
ST: Are your parents at all worried about you getting involved in this sport?
Saul: Not at all… they support me 100%
ST: What events are on your schedule the next few months?
Saul: Eat, train, and sleep plus I have several motivational speeches. I am going to participate in as many of the wounded warrior project rides as many I can. Next one is the Tour of California ride February 17th-23rd. These wounded heroes coming back from the middle east need to know that they are not alone and I want to help them in any way that I can. For more information. About the wounded warrior project please visit: woundedwarriorproject.org
ST: Will we see you in Hawaii later this year?
Saul: That is my goal!!!!!!!!!!!
ST: What are your goals for that event?
Saul: To do my best, that is all that I can do.
ST: Before we let you go, give us an update on your foundation.
Saul: We are still trying to get on our feet. The truth is, if you are American and get a brain injury, the resources for you and your family are very limited. If you ask someone what cancer is, they can tell you something about it. If you ask someone about a brain injury, unless they have someone close to them that has been affected by one they do not know much. Considering how catastrophic and life changing a brain injury is, it is horrific to know that there is not much out there for people. A brain injury is something you take with you the rest of your life. Because there is so much unknown about the brain we can’t give people answers. But we can be that shoulder for people to cry on. I honestly believe it will be about 5 years after the war in the Middle East when it hits our country on how devastating that war has been and how severe brain injuries can be. Because for these tens of thousands of our wounded warriors coming back with brain injuries it is going to rip there lives and families apart. They need to know that they are not alone and that they can get through it. FYI: I hope to be able to give each soldier at those Wounded Warrior rides a copy of my book Tour de Life.
For more information about my foundation please go to raisinhope.org
