Smiling. Smiddy. for. Adam only spent eight days. Getting to know Adam

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Smiling for Smiddy Getting to know Adam You may have seen the kit at Noosa, or heard about one of the famous rides, but for some, the name Adam Smiddy might not be too familiar.

1 Smiling for Smiddy Getting to know Adam You may have seen the kit at Noosa, or heard about one of the famous rides, but for some, the name Adam Smiddy might not be too familiar. Mark Sharky Smoothy has penned this piece to tell you a little more about Adam, and the impact Smiling for Smiddy has had on the Australian triathlon and cycling community. Words: Mark Sharky Smoothy Photography: Courtesy of Supersport Images Adam only spent eight days in hospital. Eight days for the life of a very talented young triathlete and vibrant young man, cut tragically short by an aggressive melanoma. Cancer cruelly took Adam Smiddy, just 26, but it failed to dull that big, beautiful, welcoming grin of his that beamed out to all who knew him. And, to the very end, it failed to dent the heart of one of the nicest people you could ever dream to meet a heart that was the size of Phar Lap. Adam was one of those rare blokes we all know: quiet but self-assured. He didn t need to prove himself to others. He was intelligent, but never in a way to draw attention to himself. He was as fierce as a lion in competition, but the first to shake your hand and pat you on the back at the finish line. He was always there ready to lend a hand. And not once, not ever, did I hear him say a bad word about anyone or anything. Adam always took everything life dished out in his stride without any panic or stress. At a party, he was the type of guy who was happy to sit back and not be the centre of attention; rather, he was one of the greatest listeners I have ever known. If you were speaking to Adam, you had his full, undivided attention. I hope this helps to explain what, or rather who, Smiling for Smiddy is all about. It s about an exceptional young man and an extraordinary event that was started in his honour. 54 Triathlon & Multi Sport Magazine

Adam s intuition When I think back now to all the times I spent with Adam over the five short years I knew him, I believe he spent his life as if somewhere deep down inside he knew he was going to

Adam dreamt of reaching his potential in triathlon. In triathlon terms Adam was a natural. His body had a nice symmetry to it.

From his very first training session with the University of Queensland triathlon squad, which I coach, I likened him to a freight train in controlled express mode.

2 Adam s intuition When I think back now to all the times I spent with Adam over the five short years I knew him, I believe he spent his life as if somewhere deep down inside he knew he was going to die young. In Adam was intuition; that s my opinion of watching Adam squeeze a lifetime of education, sport, family, friends and experiences into his young life. Adam dreamt of reaching his potential in triathlon. In triathlon terms Adam was a natural. His body had a nice symmetry to it. He was a picture of health and happiness and took to triathlon like a duck to water. From his very first training session with the University of Queensland triathlon squad, which I coach, I likened him to a freight train in controlled express mode. The raw potential that he showed just out of his 20s suggested he had what it took to get to a world level as an age group competitor. From there, we will never know if he could have raced at a professional level. Losing a mate It was around 5pm on a Sunday morning in August 2006 when I found out about Adam s passing. My phone rang: and it was one of those calls you pray never to get. Mark, it s David Smiddy, Adam s father; I am sorry to have to tell you this...but Adam just passed away. I was lost for words. I had to suck a big breath in to regain my voice and express my condolences to David and Maria, Adam s mother. It was after I hung up that the tears began to flow and when I silently vowed to do something special to honour my mate s name. Obviously I knew Adam was in hospital and very ill. I had just seen him four days earlier, beaming from his Mater Private Hospital bed. I was nervous as I entered the room, but immediately Adam put me at ease with that grin of his. He had just been chatting to his parents and looked like he had not a worry in the world. But, he looked terrible. He had lost so much weight since I last saw him before he went into hospital. In the hour that I spent with him that evening he was his usually positive self. I remember him whispering his concern to me about the health Triathlon & Multi Sport Magazine 55

Instead, I was left only with my memories, and a determination that he would not be forgotten.

3 and wellbeing of his parents; that he worried about them. He mentioned his brother, Paul, and talked often about all his close friends. Never did he talk of himself, want pity, or complain about the pain that he so obviously was in. I was due to pay my next visit that very Sunday. Instead, I was left only with my memories, and a determination that he would not be forgotten. That first Smiddy ride The idea to cycle from Brisbane to Townsville, Adam s hometown, was a shared dream. Adam and I spoke often of doing this ride with nothing but a backpack and a credit card in our back pockets. But we never got that chance. My mate suffered from an incurable melanoma and never complained once. I wanted to suffer, raise money for research and at the same time remember my mate. Five weeks after Adam s passing, I joined two mates, Ron Steel and Oliver Bodak, and Smiling for Smiddy was born. Not only did the three of us successfully finish that first year, but we also raised an amazing $24,000, and thousands of people along the route began to The idea to cycle from Brisbane to Townsville, Adam s hometown, was a shared dream. Adam and I spoke often of doing this ride with nothing but a backpack and a credit card in our back pockets. 56 Triathlon & Multi Sport Magazine

4 COURAGE. VICTORY. FELT. Mirinda Carfrae : World Champion FELT DA Distributed in Australia by Southcott Pty Ltd Freecall or

Sharing the Smiddy spirit The growth that followed was phenomenal. The second Challenge event drew 22 riders, raised $192,000 and confirmed a new 1,600-kilometre, eight-day course.

Each night a function was held and a friend of Adam s would tell a story and we felt like our mate was riding alongside of us.

5 hear of the Adam Smiddy story. That first year was meant to be a one off ride, but after finishing it was decided the only true way to honour Adam s legacy, and to make sure he was never forgotten, was to make it an annual event. Sharing the Smiddy spirit The growth that followed was phenomenal. The second Challenge event drew 22 riders, raised $192,000 and confirmed a new 1,600-kilometre, eight-day course. Olympic champion Duncan Armstrong rode and we were fortunate to have Adam s mother, Maria Smiddy, show incredible courage to become part of the road crew. Each night a function was held and a friend of Adam s would tell a story and we felt like our mate was riding alongside of us. In 2008, we capped it at 50 cyclists and we achieved huge success with a mind-blowing $420,000 for cancer research. Maria was now a permanent fixture on the road crew. The Smiddy team was instrumental in obtaining the support of Brisbane City Council to rename a park in Milton, Brisbane to Adam Smiddy Park. The name unveiling was done in front of 200 people, and Maria and David were in tears along with me and half of the people in attendance at having a park named after Adam. By 2009, 60 riders and 12 road crew, which now included David Smiddy, were on board for the full eight days. Cycling legend Phil Anderson rode with us for four days, much to the delight of the team. Over half a million dollars was raised and a documentary crew produced Journey of Friends, which was screened statewide on Win TV. My mate Adam Smiddy was now known across Queensland! In 2010, we added two new events to accompany our signature Smiddy Challenge. We wanted to share the Smiddy phenomena beyond the long road to Townsville. We offered a three-day Midi- Smiddy, with 60 cyclists tackling 570 kilometres over three days, and Australia s most successful Paralympian, Michael Milton, who lost a leg to cancer as a child, joined us. We were also keen to acknowledge our triathlon roots and used the sold-out Noosa Triathlon, one of Adam s favourite events, as a fundraiser with 30 triathletes raising $35,000. The Adam Smiddy story was now being heard nationally as riders came from across Australia to take part. Another staggering $570,000 was raised that year and a second documentary dubbed The Long Road was produced on Smiddy s story again winning its time slot on Win TV Queensland. In 2011, we added yet another two events a four-day, 600-kilometre ride out of Sydney and a five-day 900-kilometre ride in northern New South Wales. Our Noosa slots increased to 50 thanks to USM Events and, in a year dogged by natural disasters and a tough economic climate, we raised an amazing $720,000. New events to honour Adam This year we cycle new horizons in France to tackle an epic five-day, 750 kilometre Pyrenees Challenge. We ve also launched our triathlon program Tri to Fight Cancer to provide free coaching for your next event in return for fundraising for cancer research. It s an exciting program supported by three times Ironman World Champion Craig Alexander. Motivation on a long road Every cyclist and triathlete who joins the Smiddy journey has his or her own reasons from tales of survivorship to stories of loved ones lost. Smiling for Smiddy is now about so much more than our mate Adam. It is a personal journey for so many who want to challenge themselves to fight cancer. Since Adam s passing in 2006, hundreds of cyclists and triathletes, backed by thousands of donors, have raised more than $3 million for research into our most common cancers, including prostate cancer, melanoma and ovarian cancer. We ve also invested in complementary therapies to improve quality of life for cancer patients. Thank you to Triathlon and Multisport Magazine for allowing me to share this story of my exceptional mate, Adam Smiddy. How can you help? It goes without saying that readers of this magazine are dedicated triathletes who enjoy the lifestyle and the camaraderie of achieving a hard goal in the most enjoyable way with your mates. I encourage you to make your next triathlon about more than you and the finish line and raise funds for cancer research through our Tri to Fight Cancer program. You ll receive up to 16 weeks coaching with a coach of your choice and be making a significant contribution to fight this deadly disease. We would be delighted to welcome you to the ever-growing Smiddy family, which is making its mark for people fighting cancer. There are so many great charity initiatives, but I invite you to support a cause that took one of our own. Above: Adam powering on the run at Gold Coast Half Ironman 58 Triathlon & Multi Sport Magazine

Noosa. Smiddy Challenge. 600 kilometres in 4 days. Supporting Cancer Research. Challenge overview. Funding cancer research

Noosa. Smiddy Challenge. 600 kilometres in 4 days. Supporting Cancer Research. Challenge overview. Funding cancer research Noosa Smiddy Challenge Funding cancer research 600 kilometres in 4 days Challenge overview Challenge dates: Thursday 24 April Sunday 27 April 2014 Cycle Brisbane to Noosa, and then stay on for three days