OHIO — Ohio native Carrie McCoy is a professional triathlete. She’s been a member of Team USA, has competed in seven world championships, and she is now the first woman to bike the Upper Michigan Peninsula in 10 days.
“My coach and I decided that we wanted to do something hard because all of the races are postponed and this is kind of where this came to be,” said McCoy.
The Tour De Yoop, Eh is 1,200 miles in 10 days. The third annual race is scheduled for August. But McCoy decided to tackle it early and on her own.
She showed her journey through a Facebook video and said, “Hello this is the end of day three it was supposed to be 124 miles it ended up being 130 miles because of the hotel and all of that it was good, it was beautiful, it was hard. I had to really look at my why’s a couple times.”
And the big reason why is for Kona Kids.
“For these kids, it’s really teaching them that they have control over their mind body and their goals so the adults can make their own decisions, but they have control of their mind their body and their goals,” McCoy said.
She started the foundation five years ago after seeing the need in the community while training in Hawaii. The program mentors children in transitional housing.
“I did a spring break program for these kids and just kind of taught them about sports, and you know we know what the value that sports can teach you. And so at the end of it, they asked me if I was coming back, and I just felt like there’s my calling,” McCoy said.
And, as the coronavirus pandemic puts a deeper financial strain on the area, McCoy said the race took on a greater meaning.
“This ride became so much greater first it was just a personal challenge, and then it became about raising funds for school supplies and awareness for these kids, and then it became showing them that no matter what you always overcome the obstacles,” McCoy said.
One of those obstacles was an injury. McCoy’s father, John, recounts the moment he found her on the last day of the race.
“When I drove up there with the vehicle and saw her sitting there in tears and the bike off to the side, I was like, oh no, how could that happen? I mean she was really hurting,” said John McCoy.
“I just finished day 10, 1,200 miles as the first female to ride all 10 sections in 10 days. I crashed at mile 87 and hit my head pretty hard, and I think I hurt my shoulder,” said McCoy in a Facebook post.
“And how she did that with that shoulder that was just pure determination — one, because she wanted to be the first woman to finish not the first woman to almost finish and two, she felt that she owed it to the kids,” said her father.
It’s an accomplishment that’s inspiring to those around her, especially her Kona Kids.
“When I was done on the last days, I had one of the kids call me and say, ‘Coach you’re my inspiration now. Like we watch all these videos and movies about athletes but I’m inspired by you and I want to do the same thing,’ so that’s humbling.”
