Over Coming Adversity & All Limits

The following article appeared in My Company Employee Newsletter this month. It is about a friend. In fact I trained him for the line when he became a line ( emergency ) mechanic out of the carhouse & when I was promoted he took the position I had held. As a Foreman I considered him to be my best and most reliable mechanic. He once worked 72 hours solid during a terrible snowstorm. He returned home for sleep and was back to resume his normal shift later the same day. He is and always has been someone I am proud to call a friend.


By SAHAH CURRIE
After taking up running as a way to stay fit, Rick Ball decided to take his hobby to the
next level. Ball is a Subway Line Mechanic. He is also a below-the-knee amputee from the
result of a motorcycle accident in 1986, when he was 21 years old. Many assume the loss of a
limb would be an obstacle to living an active life; for the husband and father of two boys
it opened a door to new opportunities.

Why his story is unique is his recent athletic achievements.

In spring 2007, he joined his local YMCA to exercise, and took to the indoor track. That's
where is running career began.

Ball started training with the help of his coach, Roger Deplancke, and made fast strides on
the running circuit. After only four months of training, he ran his first half-marathon last
February placing 54th out of 604 runners. Two months later, he qualified for the 2009 Boston
Marathon with a time of 3:17:38 in the able-bodied category. That's a commendable
accomplishment for any runner let alone someone who took to the sport just months before the
race.

"I wake up every morning and want to pinch myself," he says. "Who would have thought 1
could get this far in such a short timeframe?"

Ball credits much of his success to his strong support system, or as he calls it his
"family." It includes his immediate family and his extended family - his coach, chiropractor
and TTC colleagues. Ball stays motivated through words of encouragement from those around
him.

"My friends, colleagues and management at the TTC have given me so much support and
encouragement, I can't thank them enough," he says.

While a strong support system helps, it hasn't always been an easy road for Ball. He has
been challenged by infections and fitting problems with his prosthetic.

A recent training injury forced him to cancel a run in Paris, France. And he has put a hold
on his next big goal - that's to beat the world-record time for amputee marathon runners. Ball intended to break that record at the Toronto marathon in October. Ball continues training and will attempt to beat the world record next spring,

"It was a disappointment to have to canceel my races, but it also taught me a lesson in learning to listen to my body and which is currently held by athlete Amy Winters with a time of 3:04:16. This past summer Ball proved to be close to beating this time at the Massey Marathon with a finishing time of 3:10:11. Along with his regular training schedule, which involves running 80 kilometres a week rain or shine, snow or sun, Ball has taken up swimming.

"Running is a great stress reliever, while swimming a great activity that allows you to
exercise with minimal risk of injury," he says.

Ball's long-term goals include attempting to qualify for the 2012 Paralympics on Canada's
relay team. Adding to his already busy schedule, he spends time educating and motivating
recovering amputees. He takes inspiration from Terry Fox, who ran 48 kilometres a day during
his Marathon of Hope.

Ball feels lucky to have accomplished so much and believes that it's his duty to give back
to others. Ball has even inspired his co-workers to get active and try running.

"His story is a truly uplifting," says co-worker Peter Lawryshyn. "It's one that needs to
be shared with the rest of the TTC family."