Sunday's triathlon has meaning for Jersey runner
Karl Wicks received a call from his doctor at 5:30 on a Friday afternoon to meet him. When he arrived, he was sent right into the office.
Karl Wicks received a call from his doctor at 5:30 on a Friday afternoon to meet him. When he arrived, he was sent right into the office.
That, Wicks said, should have been his first clue. It was serious.
Wicks' doctor sat him down and explained the situation. His white blood cell count was way too high, and Stage 4 leukemia was diagnosed. At the time, in January 2007, he didn't know much about the disease, but he started asking questions.
"From there, it was, 'What do I need to do next?' " Wicks said. "From there it was just a rollercoaster."
Wicks began participating in triathlons to stay healthy and fight off the disease. He doesn't know the cause, but he understood that he needed to change his lifestyle. On Sunday, he'll participate in the TriRock Philadelphia Triathlon, his fourth triathlon. Wicks is part of Team in Training, a group that raises money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
TriRock Triathlons, a weekend series of health-related events, also has events scheduled in Texas and Wisconsin. The organizers attempt to make triathlons fun for competitors of all ages by providing music along the course and a postrace concert and party.
Though he still has regular checkups, Wicks said there are no more cancer cells in his body. He attributes that to the doctors and training partners who have worked with him over the years.
One of the Team in Training coaches, Steve Brown, has a chronic form of leukemia. Others involved with the team are also supportive of Wicks.
"I realized that they are an inspiration to me," Wicks said.
Since 2007, the rollercoaster has included rounds of chemotherapy and a stem-cell transplant. After he returned to health, the cancer came back a year later. One of Wicks' hospital stays lasted 39 days.
Wicks, 51, travels from Hamilton, N.J., to Philadelphia to train each Saturday. He takes the hour-long trip because of people such as Brown, he said, even though he's experienced enough to do the training on his own.
"It's kind of overwhelming to see all these people in one room for one purpose," Wicks said.
Wicks got into triathlons three years ago after his son got involved with Team in Training. At first, he was tentative about the new challenge. But he recognized that it was a positive way to help him stay in shape.
Four years ago this week, Wicks received a stem-cell transplant, and his brother was the donor. Now, Wicks is gearing up for another race as his involvement in triathlons has mirrored his recent health upswing.
"I don't see myself stopping," he said.
