Caleb Topp…my triathlon inspiration. “Who is Caleb Topp”, you may ask? He was the youngest Olympic distance finisher at the 2012 Grand Rapids Triathlon–13 years old, finished in 2:35:56. I was at the finish line as he crossed and I don’t think I’ll ever forget the look of pure joy on his face, the pride his parents couldn’t contain, and the respect he seemed to garner from some of the more seasoned athletes who had crossed the finish line just ahead of him.
I was delighted to run into him again at the Millenium Park Tri when I found myself racked next to his mom in the ”more mature female” section of transition. He got right to work helping the ladies set up transition mats, snapping on timing chips, and giving helpful tips. He wasn’t able to compete that day due to injury, but his enthusiasm and passion for the sport was abundantly apparent. I made him take a picture with me in the hopes some of his mojo would rub off!
Came across the picture again today and was reminded of the many different ways we can be inspired.
3 Comments
That’s cool. I was actually racked right next to him at GR TRI and was amazed by him as well. I met him and his dad there and told him (more his father) that I would be more then willing to lend him a hand. What a great story to hear the whole family is involved in triathlon.
Nice! Makes me wonder how different things would be if living an active lifestyle was popular when we were growing up. Luckily for us, late is better than never!
A lot of teens could do a sprint without incredible amounts of training. To complete an Olympic-distance at that age shows a lot of determination and hard work though. I am in awe.