Royce Laine, Jr., son of Royce Laine of Lake Isabella, has gotten a new lease on life through fitness, and has inspired people across the nation to get moving.
A former triathalete who had planned on someday going pro, Laine had been honorably discharged from the Air Force as a disabled veteran due to cumulative back injuries when he had a freak accident that lost him the use of his legs forever. While at a local men’s basketball game twelve years ago, Laine ran onto the court to celebrate his team’s win and get on T.V. When he reached the floor, he dropped his t-shirt and slipped while picking it up, and was subsequently trampled by the crowd, crushing his spine. 'I got onto T.V. the wrong way,' he said.
 Royce Laine Jr. |
A single dad since 2001 to daughters Regina, who will turn 15 later this month, and Sarah, 13, Laine knew he had to do something to turn his life around. He got out of the powered chair and into a recumbent bike, and began training for his first triathalon since his disability; the Chili Harvest Triathalon in Socorro, NM, where he currently resides, which he completed in 1 hour 45 minutes.
Laine credits his return to fitness and racing for improving the quality of his own life and that of his daughters, as well. The entire family rides bicycles together now, and Laine himself rides 10-30 miles a day on his recumbent bike, which he says is basically an upside-down bicycle with a U frame. 'Now, I’m a lot more peaceful and relaxed, but I’m still high strung. Things that used to get me angry just don’t matter any more, now that I have learned to deal with them,' said Laine, adding, 'When I hurt, I get on the hand cycle to loosen up my body and feel better. I don’t use medication; the hand cycle is my medication.'
Despite his positive, can-do attitude, Laine still does have frustration with the difficulty of completing seemingly simple tasks that most people take for granted, such as changing a light bulb or mopping the floor. As a single dad, Laine is grateful to his daughters for their help in cleaning the house and being morally supportive. He says that his own father has always been a wonderful mentor, and taught him so many things he needed to know. 'I used to love doing construction and woodwork with him, as well as working on the car and fixing things at home; skills which have come in very handy now. You don’t know what you are learning from your parents when you’re younger, but you realize it when you are older.'
Laine just finished a three-week visit to California, where he and his daughters visited Royce Sr. for the holidays and took the opportunity to go to every amusement park in Southern California; California Adventure, Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Magic Mountain, and Universal Studios. The family of self-proclaimed roller coaster junkies had a wonderful time, but Laine found himself frustrated with people who were abusing privileges normally given to handicapped people by renting wheelchairs and faking a disability. When he returns home, Laine plans to visit the local schools to do in-school demonstrations and let kids ride his bike to give them a different perspective and hopefully get them to respect the position of the disabled.
Respect is something that Laine definitely deserves. Following his first race, he became the first wheelchair-bound person to ever complete the Milkman Triathalon in Dexter, NM, a challenging course which includes an open-water swim and a 2.5 mile sandy portion of the run, which Laine did not have the proper chair for. Despite the difficulties, and hearing the other athletes and the race director voice their disbelief that he could make it through the entire course, Laine completed the race in 2 hours 27 minutes to a standing ovation. 'When you have 400+ people thinking you can’t finish the race, it motivates you to finish. I heard this big cheer when I hit the pavement and thought they were announcing the winners, but when I came around the corner to the finish line, it was to a complete standing ovation of over 400 athletes. That was a rewarding experience,' he recalled.
In that triathalon, Laine hurt his shoulder during the swimming portion, and said he will now add swimming to his training schedule of riding 10-30 miles each day. He is currently training to do the New York Triathalon, in which there are physically challenged championships. The race, which occurs every July, has a 36.5 mile course; 1.5K swim, 25K bike, and10K run. Laine was offered a spot in the race last year, but didn’t feel ready. He hopes to enter and win the physically challenged category this year, and finally fulfill his dream of being a triathalon champion. 'The story to me isn’t about riding a bicycle; it’s about how fitness can change a person’s life. It’s about motivating other people, and improving my fitness and my family’s fitness,' said Laine.
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