Market: Boston
Athlete: Jarred Parker (KSP Family Trust/Bristol Hospital)

Event Day:
2016 was my first year competing in The D10 Decathlon and I can honestly say that is was by far the most rewarding athletic experience of my life! Both physically and mentally challenging to say the least; the terms uplifting, motivating, and inspiring do not describe the event and atmosphere with due respect. I was welcomed at the gate by smiling faces and positive attitudes even though, at 7 am the temperature was already climbing. I knew that the heat was going to make an already hard event even harder.

Rewind:
I first learned about The Decathlon via a post on my Facebook feed from eventual event winner James Norcott and it got me excited! In New Hampshire I grew up playing sports and leading an active lifestyle, which continued through college and into my 20’s and now my 30’s. I have always considered myself to be a fairly athletic person, after seeing the post and doing a little research into what this event was all about I knew that it would be something I would enjoy. 

Unfortunately, we have all been touched in some way by cancer. I lost my mother, Karen in 2013 after a 4-year battle with ovarian cancer, she was 55 years old. That is why this event is so great, why it is so important. One thing that sets The D10 Decathlon apart from other events is the scope of its fundraising, the numbers are staggering. To think that I could be a part of something so much larger than myself was both humbling and satisfying.

The D10 Decathlon:
Event day was hot! By the time the competitors got to the 500m row it felt like we were in an oven. We were already tired from the previous 5 events and knew that we had 4 more to go. Some research shows that the temperature on a turf field can be as much as 30 degrees hotter than on grass. The air temperature was 95 degrees during the Boston event so you can imagine how hot it felt down on that field. As we all struggled through event after event, battling the conditions and each other, the true nature of the event started to unfold. We cheered each other on, offering words of encouragement and motivation. “One more rep!” we’d say, “Push! You only have 10 more seconds!” It was grueling, but rewarding.

As the event ended and we collected our medals it was clear that our battle that day is nothing compared to that faced by those battling cancer. We were able to fundraise over $150,000 to benefit Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, which specializes in pediatric cancer research. What an accomplishment to be a part of.

Fellow Boston D10 decathletes, we are now part of something bigger, something that will change us for years to come! Boston brought it, now it’s your turn.

Bring It,
Jarred Parker