Dan Hutchins
California
Dan Hutchins
In October 2008, when I registered for the Gay Games, I was a 45 year old HIV positive gay man who was ninety days clean and sober from drugs and alcohol. I was told that in sobriety anything was possible. It was suggested that I dream big. It was recommended that I set a goal for myself; find something that I could work towards, something that seemed so insurmountable, so foreign to my previous life of drugs and alcohol – and go for it. So I decided to participate as an athlete in the 2010 Gay Games in Cologne, Germany. Why not? What would be a better way to celebrate sobriety than as an athlete?
Growing up I had always participated in sports. From Little League Baseball in grade school to soccer in junior high to high school football. Even in college I was very active with swimming and cycling. And later in my thirties I even bicycled as a Positive Pedaler in AIDS Rides #6 – #8 from San Francisco to Los Angeles. But in my addiction that all stopped. So to pick participating in the Gay Games as my goal seems so natural yet so far from my current reality.
I chose the sprint triathlon as my event for the Gay Games because I figured that I would not get bored or discouraged with training with three different sports involved: swimming, bicycling and running. I remember on my first days of training I could barely swim or jog a lap or even bicycle a mile. But with determination I continued to train every day and slowly my strength and distances increased. I would alternate my workout schedules between running, cycling, swimming and weight training. It seemed that most of my focus has been on the swimming since that has been my weakest sport. I have competed in several local events in preparation and I have watched my times and confidence improved with each one. I am ready for Cologne!
This will be my first time at the Gay Games and I am very excited to be not only attending but actually participating. To me, participating in the Gay Games is a wonderful celebration of life where ANYTHING is possible!
Gay Games VIII will take place this Saturday in Cologne, Germany, July 31 to August 7, 2010. Athletes and artists throughout the world are training and preparing for this quadrennial LGBT sports & cultural festival.
Leading up to the Gay Games VIII, we are proud to share stories from some athletes competing in this year’s games.
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