When Rob DeCou crawls through seemingly endless, dark Pacific swells one night next October, he will not be worrying about sharks, leg cramps, 53-degree water, body aches, fatigue or any of the other things that might terrify a mortal swimmer attempting to traverse a deep, pitch black ocean between Catalina Island and the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
He also will not be contemplating an immediately awaiting bike ride from the shore of Palos Verdes to Death Valley, followed by a run from the sea-level desert floor to the 8,500-foot-high portal of Mount Whitney. Though never before in uninterrupted combination, he has conquered greater single physical hurdles in the past. As he moves through the water Rob will be thinking only of the next stroke, one after another. Right arm forward, kick, kick; now left, kick, kick, then right again, in a quietly comforting rhythmic renewal of muscle memory and a deep emotional confidence in his own capacity to endure.
The 456-mile Uberman 2020 course has only been completed by a small handful of triathletes. As with his previous rides and runs, Rob will do it to raise money to end human suffering—previously to end brain cancer, then to end Polio, and now hideous human slavery.
Last Friday at Rotary the former high school wrestler described a lifelong motivation that developed during a year in India as a member of Rotary Youth Exchange, when he discovered he could pedal a bicycle for longer distances than the average human being. He has taken that rare physical gift and put it into service of humanity, a destiny he attributes to a teenage awakening of religious faith that has transformed him physically and spiritually. His passion for Rotary’s newest cause of human trafficking was sparked years ago by finding that on return from India that his close female high school friend and classmate had been drawn into the dark world of trafficking when a pimp persuaded her to sell herself to fund a vicious addiction to drugs.
“I am not alone when I swim long distance,” Rob said. “If needed, my team can pull me from the water and into the boat.” He noted by contrast that the victims of human trafficking have no boat, no team, no true friends to pull them out of addiction and prostitution. That is why Rob will swim, ride and run The Uberman. The money he raises will save lives.
The inspiring details of his remarkable journey is what you missed last Friday at Rotary. If you want to help this superb athlete and heroic Playa-Venice Sunrise Rotarian, go to the Rotary District 5280 special website https://gorobgo.org/
New Member Application Received
Frank Vranesic
Retired Information Technology
Previous Rotarian from the Folsom Lake Club joined in 2017
Recently relocated to the Palos Verdes area. Sponsored by Lynne Neuman.
If there are any objections to the aforementioned membership application, please contact Membership Chair, Lynne Neuman.
