The late starter

Many of us don’t start triathlon until we’re in our mid thirties or even into our forties. We’re all late starters. I heard a great story this week of another late starter.

I did a little job for a friend who is a car dealer and greyhound owner/trainer. We’ve recently bought a car from Darryl Kavanah. He asked if I could help him secure a large picture board to his office wall.

The picture board had the photos of “Smokey Deister” a champion greyhound. Darryl told me Smokey’s story.

Smokey Deister was a three year old dog who had broken his front leg in a race (if he was an athlete, he’d have a running injury). He hadn’t shown enough promise early and when he’d become lame, the owners were going to shoot him. Greyhounds are usually retired from racing at around three to three and a half years. It’s a good thing they don’t do that to injured triathletes.

Darryl’s wife, Denise asked the owners if she could keep him as a pet. She just liked him. The owners said to keep their books in order they’d have to put a price on him. They agreed on the price of one hundred dollars. Smokey Deister was saved. Denise put a double bed mattress out the back of the house for him and bandaged up his leg. He healed up and lived a good life with two loving owners.

A year or so later Darryl and his Denise were trialing some greyhound pups, teaching them to chase the lure. They don’t necessarily chase anything that moves, this has to be taught.

Smokey was lying in the back of the station wagon watching the action when something switched on inside him. He leapt out of the station wagon and passed the young dogs like they were nailed to the ground. Smokey was back.

They thought he had the speed but after a broken leg he might not handle the training load that a fit young dog would handle. They were inovative in their approach to his training. They would swim him in the upper reaches of the river by throwing sticks for him to fetch. Or by paddling a canoe and having chase after them. All good fun for a dog.

They entered him in a race. He tore the opposition apart. Well not literally, but he beat them easily. He won just about every race he entered. He won over every distance from 390m to 750m. In a 750m race he won by sixteen lengths. People would come along to see him race. He was promoted as the old dog, taking on the young ones. He raced up until he was five and a half years. Two years longer than when most racing dogs retire.

He had fifteen wins in his career and bought the proud owners a lot of prizemoney. The money was handy, but living the dog owners dream was the greatest reward. The rags to riches story. He was the Rocky of the greyhounds. And he was loved, I think that is a major contributer to his success.

Smokey lived out his life with two loving owners who now have a statue of him with his trophies in their loungeroom. When Darryl told me the story his eyes were misty, and I had goosebumps all over my arms and legs.

His picture board is securely fixed to the office wall. It’s like a tribute to the late starters. The athletes who have no idea what they can achieve until they give it a go. It’s amazing how much talent you can uncover with a bit of consistent work. Sometimes a slightly different approach can work wonders.

Also if you live in Brisbane and are looking for a new or great second hand car, give Darryl a ring 0418 878 880 dkav45@bigpond.net.au

Darryl has helped many of our club members find the car they’re looking for and only sells good cars. He has found Sandy’s  Mazda, which was owned by a little old lady who never went over 60kph. It’s in for a much harder life now, I hope it’s a late starter like Smokey Deister.