by Harry Hall

This feature is a continuation of the Front of the Pack article in the September 2003 issue of Runner Triathlete News. To get all the details Rick Valdez and his amazing story, pick up a copy of the September issue of Runner Triathlete News. Subscribe to RTN today!

Rick Valdez' injuries from his accident were so extensive, that the extent of his recovery has amazed his doctors.

"They don't understand how I can run," he says.

In 1980 while working as a lineman for what was then called Texas Power and Light, now ONCOR, Valdez climbed an electric pole to do some maintenance work in the central Texas town of Cameron, near his home in Taylor. What happened next was terrifying and tragic. Without warning, 7200 volts of electricity shot through the left side of Valdez' body, knocking him to the ground. Fellow workers rushed the unconscious Valdez to the nearby Cameron hospital.

He has no left ankle, no quadricep muscle, making any kind of "drive" phase limited at best. On top of that, he is constantly being thrown off-balance by his left prosthetic arm.

Still, he perseveres, with the hope of running a marathon soon, maybe even White Rock this December.

He says the key to overcoming such a personal tragedy is to turn the negative into a positive. Running helped him achieve that.

"It makes me feel good to do something on my own," he says.

While the gait may not be smooth, and his workouts may not be swift, Valdez knows he has a lot to be thankful for.

"I've come a long way since the days I couldn't even bend my knee or walk," he says, "I know I'm lucky to be here."