| A Tribute to "Iron Mike" Clark
Peg I have struggled over the
past 6 years, to maybe kinda race again. Mike was always had positive
encouraging words of wisdom and advice to share, if asked. He was
a wonderful guy to just chat with. Kristin Aexis, I am still in shock over the tragic news, but after re-reading your note about how inspirational Mike was to Andrew, I wanted to share a similar short story with you. My nephew, Jeremy Baron, was a pretty good high school swimmer. Last fall as a college freshman I encouraged him to do Bike-to-the-Bay with me. I loaned him a bike about a month before the event, and gave him some training tips. He worked hard and seemed to quickly fall in love with cycling. The ride down to Rehoboth was Jeremy’s first ride of over about 30 miles, but he did really well. When we got to Rehoboth, we ran into Iron Mike on the Boardwalk and I introduced them to each other. In the company of many friends from the cycling community, Mike could have just said, “Hi Jeremy, nice to meet you”, but he actually showed genuine interest in my nephew and talked with him quite a bit. Jeremy was really thrilled with the opportunity to talk at length with such an accomplished and inspiring athlete. My wife is an avid horseback rider, and we have interesting ways of supporting each other. She tells me that my horse has two wheels and I joke that her bike has four legs, but we are always encouraging each other’s fitness passion. A few weeks ago at the Hockessin Arts Festival I ran into a young local artist who liked to do equestrian work. He had recently completed a rather striking piece that was titled “Barbaro a True Champion.” He told me he wanted to capture the essence of this amazing and inspiring athletic specimen who left us too soon. The horse was going away, but his head was turned as if take one last reassuring glance at what he was leaving behind. I bought a print and it is now being framed. When I got the tragic message on Friday morning, it may sound strange, but I could not help but think about that painting. Anyone who ever rode a bike with Mike, knows how much of a horse of an athlete he was. He was so strong that he did far more than his share of the pulling during a group ride. Often he would turn to make sure that others were still drafting off of him and to encourage you to continue to challenge yourself. Mike was very serious and intense about his training, yet he was never too caught up with himself to take some extra time to be an inspiration for people like your husband Andrew, or my nephew, Jeremy. When we get the painting back from the framer and put it on the wall in my wife’s study, my mind’s eye will see an amazing and inspiring athlete who left us too soon. I will see a little bit of Mike Clark, a True Champion. Senator Dave Years ago, during my first encounter with "Iron Mike" Clark at a Central YMCA spinning class (his third of the day) it was easy to be impressed by his incredible physique and seemingly effortless power on the bike. What was easier still was to be impressed after the class by a true gentleman and renaissance man who was more than happy to share both his encouragement and training tips with a newcomer to the sport. An icon of lifelong sport, Mike was never too exhausted after a spinning class or intense swim workout to greet me with his million-watt smile and exchange a few words about the upcoming riding and racing seasons. At the Toscana to Go Ride he was in regular attendance not only during but also after the ride, taking the time to share a well deserved meal with the same people he could have easily left behind earlier. Truly, there was more than one occasion when the sound of Mike's deep section carbon wheels was enough to make me regret joining the "A" group. Mike inspired myself and all those around him to not only ride faster, but also to enjoy life and all it had to offer. He will be sorely missed. Matt H. This has been so sad to hear, I did not know Mike
as well as many of you but I do remember his friendly smile and
warm nature when I turned up to the Tuesday rides last year knowing
nobody. I soon got talking to him as we rode out on the R52 and
his passion for cycling and all things Triathlon was so evident,
I remembered thinking I hope I'm as fit and healthy as Mike when
I'm his age. Deborah x May you have smooth roads up in Heaven, Mike...and fast times !!! Paul
A true ambassador of the sport(s). Tony I’ve known Mike for several years, not as long and certainly not as well as many of you here today. But I knew Mike well enough to know he was an amazing athlete and a tough competitor. More importantly, I knew Mike to be a friendly man, a kind man, a proud, but not conceited or boastful man, a positive person, a welcoming person. I, like I’m sure all of you, never knew Mike to say a bad word to or about anybody. Because of this – his quality of character and behavior – our world is diminished by his passing. I’ve spoken to several of you – Mike’s friends and acquaintances – over the past several days and the question that has always come up is “Why? Why did he die?” If by appearance and physical routine you could pick who was likely to go sooner rather than later, none of us would have ever picked Mike. But the fact is sooner or later all of us – the good and the bad – die. It’s the way it works. Certainly this fact doesn’t minimize the sorrow we all feel at his loss but it suggests to me that there are better questions to ask as a result of Mike’s death. Some of those questions I think are “How will I choose to honor Mike’s life?” “How can I keep the good that was Mike, alive?” “How will I be different – better – because of his example - and this sad reminder that life is fleeting and fragile?”. I hope we all accept the challenge that these questions impose – like Mike accepted the many challenges he faced during his life. And that, like Mike, at the end of it all, we too can say we went out winners. Tom I met Mike about 8 years ago when I started taking spin classes at the Y. For the first several classes, I thought who is this old dude in tremendous shape that is absolutely kicking all our asses? Unfortunately for me it’s only in the last 3 years or so that I got to know Mike better through the Central Y Bike to the Bay group and Team DRT-Deep Blue. I already thought he was a great guy and a tremendous athlete. Little did I know he was a Nittany Lion and a Family Guy fan!!! I started competing in triathlons three years ago. Knowing that Mike was an accomplished tri athlete, I took every opportunity to pick his brain. If I saw him at the Y stretching I would find a spot nearby to stretch so I could chat with him about training, nutrition, etc. Despite the difference in experience levels he obliged to share information with me at will. He took an interest in me and always asked how I did even though I’ve only competed in a few triathlons. It takes a special person to pay that kind of personal attention to everyone his life touched. I already miss seeing Mike at the Y every morning I go. I’m going to miss seeing Mike at the TTG rides, you know the first 5 or 6 miles when we are all clustered together, and then again when I show up back at Toscana about an hour after he did. I’m going to miss seeing him at Obie’s after the MS ride. I’m going to miss running into him at various spots in town with a drink or two in hand and a wide smile on his face. You will be missed Iron Mike – a top class man, friend and athlete gone far too early from our lives. Jay I met Mike and some others for the first time when I was out cycling and they were doing hill repeats on Beaver Valley road. I thought these guys are crazy - I need to hang out with them! Mike was getting ready to do the "Beast" down at the St Croix 1/2 Ironman. I joined him for his last few climbs that day and watched in awe as he powered up the hill. Over the following years we logged thousands of miles together and he taught me how to go fast on a bike. There were the Tuesday night rides with the A group. Wednesday recovery rides for King of the Donuts (we had some great battles going up there). More weekend rides than I can remember - Conquer the Hills, Savage Century, Augustine beach rides, Crossroads rides, Wilmington to Rehoboth, Icicle, .... Some of the most memorable for me were times just Mike and I were on the road together:
That much time with one other person under those conditions lets you get to know them pretty well. Mike is an amazing individual as anyone who spent time with him would know. He has left us too soon and leaves a hole in my life and many others lives that can never be completely filled. Jeff
We would love to include your
story, memory or photo of Mike on our page.
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