FEATURES

My Mother, The Bear

By Dave Carney

 On October 5, 2023, my beloved mother, affectionately known as The Bear, passed away. Allow me to tell you about my loving and wonderful Cheerleader.

 Mom always supported me as a child in sports, but her attendance was minimal as she was a single parent raising five kiddos. Her hands were full for sure. Sports were not her love or passion, being a  mother was.. Mom would tell us she did a horrible job and mistakes were made. But to me, she was perfectly imperfect and I wouldn’t change a thing.

During my triathlon days, Mom became my biggest supporter. From driving me to local Minnesota triathlons to encouraging me at Ironman Wisconsin, her encouragement propelled me forward. Then at Ironman Waco, her words of wisdom “God has your wings, let him do it through you” rocked my race and earned me a spot at Kona. It broke my heart she was unable to travel to Kona due to health limitations…

 Our last triathlon together was Chisago Lakes 1/2 Iron in July 2023. At packet pickup mom got to chat it up with some racers and then we rolled down to the beach and simply talked life. On race day, seeing her twice on the course was beyond special. Then we went for a burger and fries at The Stone Inn which is next to the course. These moments are etched in my heart forever.

 I will never forget my mom’s reaction when I mentioned running Twin Cities Marathon in the fall after Chisago 1/2 Iron. She said, “Well, that’s not very challenging.” I still laugh at her comment today. On a couple spots on the marathon course where I saw her last year, I will probably take a knee and pray, thanking “The Big Man” for blessing me with such a remarkable mother.

 Mom’s passing was not surprising. We were prepared for this day as it was just her time and her body was tired. She lived to 80, which was wonderful for her health struggles.

 In honor of my mother, aka The Bear, BEARwinks Racing (which I now call myself) will be racing the 1/2 Iron at Chisago Lakes every year until my body say’s “no more.” I’m going to rip it and empty the tank, but Triathlon is not all about finishing 1st place. It’s about the quality of life and these shared moments with our loved ones.