On any given day, Rob Van Geen can be found on a snorkeling adventure just off the ½-mile buoy in Kailua Bay. Eyes alert and focused, his breathing relaxed and rhythm-like — the only sound from his private underwater aquarium comes from the beating of his own heart. And for Van Geen, that’s music to his ears.
On any given day, Rob Van Geen can be found on a snorkeling adventure just off the ½-mile buoy in Kailua Bay. Eyes alert and focused, his breathing relaxed and rhythm-like — the only sound from his private underwater aquarium comes from the beating of his own heart. And for Van Geen, that’s music to his ears.
It’s hard to imagine that just over a year ago, Van Geen, an avid ultra-endurance, adventure-seeking athlete, lay motionless on the side of South Kona’s Highway 11. Van Geen was 20 miles into what would have been a two-day bicycle ride around the Big Island with two other cyclists, when he was critically injured by a moving motor vehicle. Unable to see, speak or move because of the severity of his injuries, Van Geen’s heightened sense of awareness, adrenaline rush and excruciating pain made him realize that he was still alive as he heard others summoning for help. But most importantly, he felt the thunderous beating of his own heart.
“I realized that I was gravely injured and I did all that was possible to survive and let the professionals take over,” Van Geen said. “I always felt that I was in good hands and trusted the doctors and nurses to do their best during my care.”
Within three weeks of leaving the hospital, Van Geen, who suffered facial fractures of both eye sockets, cheekbones, temple and jaw, five broken ribs, a fractured vertebrae, injury to the sinus and nasal cavities, and severe muscle and nerve damage, set out on a personal journey to gain back the fitness and form he had before.
“I began hiking with friends on familiar trails for up to 5 miles at a time,” Van Geen said. “I wanted to get back to what was normal for me which was exercising. And I am thankful to all of my friends who came out to support me during some difficult times. That’s what accelerated my healing. They made me feel that I was coming back to normalcy in some way.”
In three months, Van Geen’s perseverance and determination to heal his body and mind from the traumatic ordeal led him to compete in the grueling 6.5-mile hill climb of Kaloko Drive. At seven months, he finished December’s Honolulu Marathon in 6 hours 37 minutes and 52 seconds. And just two weeks ago, Van Geen conquered the Hawaii Ultra Running Team Run With A View event in Oahu — an extreme and challenging 10-mile off-road trail race in a time of 2:51:36.
Although it may seem Van Geen’s road to recovery has been smooth sailing — especially when seeing his bright smile, outgoing personality, contagious sense of humor and quick return to the racing scene — it has been anything but. Constant headaches, nerve pain, muscle imbalances and at one point, depression, are some of the challenges Van Geen is striving to overcome.
“I keep having to pinch myself,” he said. “It’s amazing how the body heals and I feel so lucky to be alive. It hasn’t been easy though. It could’ve so easily have gone the other way and I think about that every day.”
Now preparing for his ultimate comeback race — Ironman Hawaii 70.3, May 31 — Van Geen has been swimming 15 miles per week and runs four or five days per week, an average of 30 miles. Cycling is the biggest challenge for the Waikoloa resident who hopes to gain a Big Island Lottery slot into October’s Ironman World Championship — a race he finished in 2006, 2007 and 2008. In addition, Van Geen is gearing up for a 50-mile trail race in Lake Tahoe in July.
It wasn’t a surprise to see Van Geen toeing the line at Sunday’s Queen Kaahumanu Triathlon Club’s Half Marathon & 10K training event at the Old Kona Airport Park.
Clear, sunny skies set the stage for the hot and humid conditions that led participants onto Kuakini Highway, Alii Drive and back to the park.
Helgi Olafson and Keish Doi quickly darted to the front of the half marathon, leaving John Ferdico, Brian Pruitt and Jason Braswell in the chase pack. By mile 6, Doi had taken over the lead from Olafson who began to fade, and continued his quick pace to finish first overall in 1:30:06.
Deciding to run the race together were Braswell and Pruitt, who finished second and third in 1:33:11 and 1:33:12 respectively. My son Cole and I took fourth overall and first for the women with 1:34:38.
Canadian Shirley Van Dyke was the next female to finish at 1:46:52, with Mercedes DeCarli, who just finished her first year at Colorado State University, and Cary Aurand finishing together with their time of 2:06:23.
Thirteen-year-old Josiah Randerson, who was the youngest competitor in the half marathon, finished his first 13.1-mile distance in an impressive 1:50:12.
In the 10K race for first, Jeremy Withrow lead wire-to-wire to win in a great time of 45:58. Heather Lopez finished first for the women in 47:01. Third overall and second for women went to Susannah Roy in 48:50, with Ali Steiner as the third female to finish with her time of 54:22.
Following Withrow in the men’s division was Scott Kruis in 50:11 and Todd Weinmann in 50:50.
Van Geen continued to amaze as he cruised through the finish line smiling with a time of 56:29.
“I will never stop being active, while I’m alive and breathing,” Van Geen said. “I’ve just got to continue to mitigate risks with everything I do. I live to inspire and motivate others to enjoy the freedom of the outdoors — especially in our beautiful waters.”