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Indianapolis-Based Athletes Aid a “Wounded Warrior”
Local multisports community help wounded soldier get back on his feet
INDIANAPOLIS – Circle City Multi-Sports Club (CCMC) – a not-for-profit organization based out of
Indianapolis that is dedicated to promoting friendship and fitness through the sports of triathlon,
duathlon and adventure racing – along with Roark Custom Titanium Bicycles and A-1 Cyclery, have
joined forces with USA Triathlon (USAT) to donate a bike and wind trainer for a severely wounded
soldier stationed in Iraq.
Thomas Nagel, president of CCMC received an e-mail early this month from USAT Mideast Region
president Mark Lulling, asking for a donation of a bike and wind trainer for First Sergeant Chris Self, a
member of the 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group in Fort Campbell, Ky. Nagel immediately sent
an e-mail to Kevin Smeltzer and Chris Wiggins, two of his good friends and sponsors of the CCMC,
looking for help.
Smeltzer, program director for Roark Custom Titanium Bicycles in Brownsburg, Ind., and Wiggins,
owner of A-1 Cyclery in Indianapolis, Ind., responded to Nagel’s e-mail almost simultaneously.
Smeltzer offered to donate his own bike and Wiggins said he would supply the wind trainer.
Self had been severely wounded during his first tour of duty in Iraq, eventually loosing his right leg
below the knee due to injuries that he suffered in a firefight on Dec. 28, 2005. Despite being fitted for a
prosthetic leg shortly after the amputation in July of 2006, Self was recently re-deployed to Iraq for his
second tour of duty.
Before being deployed, Self contacted the Nebraska non-profit organization Wounded Warriors
because he had taken up multisport and wanted to stay in shape during his deployment.
Unfortunately, he lacked the proper bike and trainer to bring with him. Wounded Warriors, whose
mission is to provide support to the families of those who have been wounded, injured or killed during
combat operations, contacted USAT Southeastern region president Matt Bonvicin asking for help.
Bonvicin, in turn, contacted Lulling.
After advising Lulling that CCMC could arrange for both items, Nagel helped coordinate the timing
and logistics of getting the items ready. “The goal of Circle City Multi-Sports is to enable those with
different athletic capabilities the chance to participate in multisport,” Nagel said. “Given Chris’s story,
and the fact that he’s sacrificing his life by going back to Iraq for a second time, we’re more than
happy to do whatever we can to help him train while he’s overseas.”
Jim Zoellner, director of operations for Roark, also assisted in the group’s effort to aide Self. Upon
hearing about the project, Zoellner informed Smeltzer about a titanium frame that had recently been
returned to the shop and could be used instead of Smeltzer having to give up his own bike. The Roark
team retrofitted the frame with some very nice componetry and had it delivered to Nagel.
Nagel, whose regular job is as the vice president of sales and marketing for Vitran Express, a regional
freight hauling company based out of Indianapolis, made the arrangements to have the items shipped
directly to Ft. Campbell. Self received his bike and trainer before being deployed, and now has the
items with him in Iraq.
Lulling commented that he was blown away by the response he got from his fellow USAT members.
“I guess I never realized just how wonderful a community of athletes I am privileged to be around,”
Lulling said. “This has started a new movement within our organization to reach out to these amazing
warriors and I’m so thrilled at being able to help them continue with the multisport lifestyle.”
THANK YOU to the sponsors below for helping out with this project.
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Here is a new addition to 1SG Self's tour in IRAQ. We will call it " Letters from IRAQ" .
Chris here. Things are going pretty good. I have gotten the bike off the trainer and have started
putting in a few miles out side. I am trying to start conditioning for a few races this year but
hard to train here well. I thought though I would give you an update. I am going to be moving to
Texas for about a year in July so thought I would inquire about any races your organization
may be holding in early June or early July if I can I will attend.
I am in the process of pricing parts to up grade a few components on my Tri bike and was
wondering if you could recommend a shop that would give a good price?
Well I hope all is well and hope to hear from you soon.
By the way that is a picture of me winning a bench press competition we had here in
Baghdad. That is me benching 415 lbs. not bad for a triathlete. But time to start slimming
down and getting ready to swim bike run.
Chris,
1SG Christopher Self
SOTF-C SUPCEN 1SG
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11/08/2007
I wanted to give you an update. I am now in my new home in Iraq. It has only been a few
weeks but seems a lot longer. I have set up my bike and trainer and am trying to get 3-4 days
a week on it for now. Plan to increase the time and intensity as I get further into this trip. I
have not had a chance to take any pictures yet but as soon as I can I will. I am also in a
location that I will be able to get the bike outside and do a little bit of road work, I will also get
pictures of that as I can. Well this update is short, there is not much to report and I need to
make sure these email addresses as correct. Thanks for everything and I will keep you up to
date through out this trip. I also plan to do a couple of your races this year so as you get your
2008 races posted let me know and I will see which ones I can make it to. Well you take it
easy, let all who helped me know I am doing OK and will keep in touch. Thanks again bro
Chris
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