Trust Your Power - Derrick Coleman, Seattle Seahawks

[David Baxter PhD]

Trust Your Power - NFL's Derrick Coleman, Seattle Seahawks

Professional football player Derrick Coleman explains in this touching video (an advertisement for Duracell batteries) how he'd faced adversity all his life due to his deafness. Despite this difficulty, he pushed past the naysayers to follow his dreams. Now he's playing professional football for one of the strongest NFL teams in the league.



When the world tells you "no", you have two options: You can roll over and quit -- or you can trust your power. Derrick Coleman, running back for the Seattle Seahawks, trusted the power within.

Although he's deaf, he never let adversity stand in his way, on his road to the NFL.

 

[Peter]

When I was fifty years old, I was still smoking, obese, arthritic in right hip, and breathless.
I could not run, and could only manage to walk a 100 yrds before my hip caused too much pain to bear.
Then I heard on the radio that exercise and losing excess weight would reduce arthritis. So I stopped smoking and started to ride a bicycle.
At first I could only manage about 2 miles every third day. My legs took two days to recover before another attempt.
One year later, I lost 25 kg (55 lbs), and was riding an average of 250 km (155 ml) per week. I no longer had any pain in my hip.

All my cycling friends were 40-65 y.o. After each ride we would stop at a cafe, drink and eat cake, and chat.
The following year I lost another 10 kg, and my physical ability even exceeded my longer days.

A year later I told my cycling friends, I was going to join a cycling club to learn how to race. They just laughed at me.
They said: "You are too old to race"; "It's too risky for older folk to be involved with crashes"; "What for, it is pointless to compete against the youngsters", and so on.
I started to ride away from them, waiting every 10 km for them to catch up. Later I started to ride with younger riders who had a pace that pushed my limits.

After another I joined a racing club. Started at D grade and slowly worked my way up.
My old friends still did not believe it possible to be a competitive racer, and they did not want to know. So I kept quiet about it.

A years later, I told my friends I will be away for a week or so. "Where are you going?" they asked. "To compete in the World Masters Games". They thought I was joking.
When I came back they were surprise to hear that I finished the (50-54 age group) race in mid-field.

The next year, I told my friends I will be away for a month or so. "Where are you going?" they asked. "To compete in the World Masters Championships". They still thought I was joking.
This time I was in the 55-59 age group. In training, I was riding 650 km (400 ml) per week. However, during the event, I crashed and received head injuries.
When I came back they already heard about my incident. They were very supportive and keen to see me get back on the bike; a very different attitude indeed.
They were no longer surprised when I told them that one day I will return to finish that race. I think they secretly hope that I will.

 

[Retired]

However, during the event, I crashed and received head injuries.

No doubt you were wearing your helmet, Peter, which surely must have saved you from more serious injury!

Commendations for your accomplishment and for demonstrating it is never too late to take on new challenges.

Care to tell us about the very nice bicycle you have been riding? Is the bike on which you had the crash repairable?

 

[PrincessX]

Thank you for sharing your story with us! You are very inspiring!

 

[Peter]

Hello Steve.

No doubt you were wearing your helmet, Peter, which surely must have saved you from more serious injury!
Yes, I always wear a helmet. The WMC rule is that all competitors must wear a helmet. Though I did see many training on the circuit without a helmet.
I was unconscious for 40 minutes, split open my chin and received 11 stitches, a black eye, and lost a tooth. Doctor said that my helmet may have saved my life.

Commendations for your accomplishment and for demonstrating it is never too late to take on new challenges.
Thank you Steve. Or old dogs can learn new tricks. :lol:

Care to tell us about the very nice bicycle you have been riding? Is the bike on which you had the crash repairable?
At the time I rode an Avanti road bike, with a carbon fibre frame. All the running gear (metal bits) were top of the line Shimano.
After the crash, I found the carbon fibre frame broken in four places, and both wheels had repairable damage.
I replaced the frame for a Specialized S-Works Roubaix ($3600). All the Shimano running gear was attached to this new frame. (Best road bike ever IMHO).