By BILL OGDEN

May 12, 2022

I am writing  a story about my friend, training partner, and Infinite Multisport Triathlon Club teammate Ved Kapic (bib 437). Ved raced with us on May 7, 2022 at the 2021 Ironman World Championship at St. George. This article may be a bit long, but it's well worth your time to read. 

Ved had been competing in Ironman triathlons for ten (10) years and trying to qualify for Kona has always been his goal. For this 2021 Championship, Ved recently qualified in Florida, and all winter here in Michigan he was vigorously preparing for St. George in the hopes of gaining a Kona slot. Ved told us he was even doing his indoor trainer rides with space heaters on to try and heat acclimate. St. George was Ved's "A" race and we all knew Ved was prepared....but the gusting winds had a different plan for him.

Ved had the extremely unfortunate experience of having a traffic cone blown into his path on mile 2 of the bike. The cone stuck in his front fork, locked his front wheel, and flipped him and his bike upside down. Ved landed on his right shoulder and helmet, and broke his left aero shifter. This wayward cone also broke his clavicle bone (see x-ray photo) and possibly his last rib (waiting on new imaging, see body photos).

Here mght be the most unbelievable fact about this story and it may be the most amazing thing you'll ever read about triathlon ......

VED FINISHED THIS INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING COURSE IN 14:26:06!!!

Literally a superhuman effort. Just look again at that severe break on the x-ray in the pictures below, it's nearly a compound fracture!!!! 110 grueling miles ridden while barely able to hold aero on a compromised bike...then 26.2 run/walk miles holding his arm steady to his chest with his hand "strapped" into his water/bib belt and an extremely awkward gait. 

I just cannot fathom the effort. I cannot begin to imagine all the tensing up and guarding that was occurring during this suffer-fest we all endured. Think about how much focus and energy Ved had to spend just ignoring the pain; this was extra effort, (extraordinary effort would better describe it), that no other competitor had to cope with. 

Every bump, every step, every shift, every unplanned movement thanks to a wind gust would cause Ved pain over and over and over again. His broken clavicle was literally stabbing himself on the inside for twelve plus hours straight in 90-95 degree heat with winds 20-30 mph on what many have called the toughest Ironman long course ever.

Ved's mental fortitude was immense, immeasurable, and in my very humble opinion, LEGENDARY. He told me that he'll have surgery in 6 days and his orthopedic doc (also a triathlete) has told him that he can bike train as tolerated immediately and they are going to keep a special plate in his shoulder until after his season is finished so he can compete later this year. IM Lake Placid is off Ved's calendar but he told me today that he's looking at IM CHOO or Florida as a replacement. 

For as much as I've already typed, I'm truly at a loss for words over this. I was lucky enough to catch up to Ved at about mile 4 of the run and join him for a mile or two. 

He beat me by over an hour. Monster. Unreal. Legend.