HOST (Jennifer Weissmann) (00:02):

Hello.  Welcome to this podcast called Finding Inspiration. It's a 20 or so minute weekly podcast where we interview someone with an amazing story. After the show, I know you're going to feel energized, invigorated, and inspired. I'm Jennifer Weissmann. Welcome to finding inspiration. Oren Blitzblau lost both eyes to a suicide bomber, but that didn't stop him. He went on to run an iron man blind and he broke the world record for the fastest sightless triathlete. What inspired him? What was in his head? Let's find out.   Hi Oren. Can you take us back and tell me what happened in your life? I know there was a terrorist bombing. What happened, where you were, how old you were, and kind of a snapshot of that moment in time?

GUEST (Oren Blitzblau) (00:58):

In January 2005, I was an intelligence officer in the Armored Brigade 188 and we were posted in Gaza Strip. We got some information on a suspect intending to pass Gaza Strip --  a straight from the Northern parts to the Southern part of the Gaza strip. And we had the opportunity to catch him on one of the main junctions. Unfortunately, the arrest failed and I was severely injured. I was a major these days and we work with the secret service with the shin bet. Unfortunately, Odet Sharon was killed immediately and I was severely injured. The glasses that they're always wearing broke into my eyes due to the blast from the suicide bomber was wearing a ceramic vest, which actually saved my life, but broke my ribs into my lungs. And it was all burned my hands, my legs, et cetera. And I woke up after three days in intensive care and I realized, I don't see, this is like in three minutes, 17 years backward.  

HOST (Jennifer Weissmann) (01:56):

How old were you?

GUEST (Oren Blitzblau) (01:56):

I was 29 and was married only for 15 months.

HOST (Jennifer Weissmann) (02:03):

So you were in the hospital, you realize you were blind. Were you told you'd never be able to see again?

GUEST (Oren Blitzblau) (02:10):

No, it wasn't so clear-cut. I lost one eye in the injury. And the nurse in intensive care told me I was severely injured in the eyes. I asked her – in both eyes and she said, no, and your right eye is gone, but there is a slight chance you will see in your left eye.  For several years I had a fraction of sight in the left eye, I could see light.   However, five years ago I lost my sight completely.  

HOST (Jennifer Weissmann) (02:40):

So you're completely blind now. 100%. Do you see shadows?

GUEST (Oren Blitzblau) (02:44):

No. The clinical definition is called NLP. It’s called No Light Perception. And I'm wearing two prosthetic eyes right now. 

HOST (Jennifer Weissmann) (02:56):

You eventually recover. But you had several surgeries at the hospital. How long did it take for you to get home? 

GUEST (Oren Blitzblau)  (03:04):

My wife was with me in the hospital the whole time for 45 days.  After 45 days I came home and after eight months I went back to army service.  I stay for 10 more years and completed a total of 20 years of active duty in the army --- 10 years as an officer with eyes and 10 years as a blind person.

HOST (Jennifer Weissmann) (03:21):

As a blind person, what did you do in the army?

GUEST (Oren Blitzblau) (03:24):

I was in the intelligence corps. My last four years were in the elite unit 8,200 - the cyber unit.

HOST (Jennifer Weissmann)  (03:32):

You were totally blind. You were in the army. At what point did you decide you were going to start physically working towards a goal of being an iron man? Was that a conscious decision? How did that happen? You are going to go forward and focus on your physical body and train and go out into the world as an athlete.

GUEST (Oren Blitzblau) (03:57):

Well, I will answer the second question a week after when I was in conscience.  I spoke to my wife, I told her, babe, give me two, three months, and I'm going back to active duty.   So it didn't take three months it took eight months. And I realized I want to go back to active service because in my point of view, as a person who has a degree in political science and national security, I realized that if I'm letting this terror organization change my life, it's their biggest win. The fact that it went back to do the same things I've done before I was injured was my biggest win. And I didn't change my career. This is the first step, but going back to my first love sport, wasn't so easy due to the burns and the blast injuries. So it took almost two years.  I have big faith in small steps, started with one key running, that's it. And then two Ks and three Ks. When I was able to go into the water to the swimming poolside, it's like 100 meters, 200 meters. Then I started cycling on a tandem bike and it was fun. It was fun, but I'm getting bored really fast, like cycling in the park. Wasn't so fun for me. So we went out on the road with some team partners like with the big teams and then not alone. Cause you know, cycling in Israel alone, it's quite dangerous. And then one of the days I'm training at our veteran's house. One of my friends told me, listen, there is a para-triathlon. It’s a triathlon for blind people with one guy in all three events: swimming, cycling, running. And I said, well, this sounds nice. I was third in the European championship and I was growing and developing. And the end of the road, like in August 2018, I completed the Ironman a distance in Sweden. And I had a great day. I don't know how but I broke the world record for the blind. 

HOST (Jennifer Weissmann)  (05:47):

Tell us about your willpower. Your friend suggested triathlons for blind people, and you thought that sounded cool. Did you say, I'm going to just go to try it and see how I do. How much of your physical body was ready for a triathlon, which is, I think what 112 bikes, a 26-mile run, and a two and a half-mile swim. Is that right?

GUEST (Oren Blitzblau) (06:15):

This is amazing. What is happening right now?  Paratriathlon is sprinting -- it's 750 meters swimming, 20 kilometers cycling and 5k is running. This is the prior triathlon distance. It's only like a 65 and 60 minutes race. It's very short. It's very intensive but very short. And this is, was my first goal. Most people think that triathlon is only the long-distance like the Ironman distances, but then this is a sprint triathlon.  It’s 700 meters swimming, 20 kilometers cycling on a tandem bike, and a 5k running at the end of the rope.  And this was my first race.  I achieved better and better results.  Then I went to the Olympic distances. Olympic distances are twice that -- 1500 meters swimming, 40 kilometers cycling, and 10 kilometers running. But the Olympic Paralympic distance is a short and intensive sprint triathlon.

HOST (Jennifer Weissmann)  (07:23):

Okay. Let me ask you a logistical question that I'm dying to know. You ride your bike on a tandem, obviously, you know you're in the back, correct? And how do you run? Do you practice the route? How are you not disoriented?

GUEST (Oren Blitzblau) (07:40):

I swim, cycle and run with a guide. I'm holding a tether and the guide is actually 20 centimeters, 50 centimeters behind me. He’s not allowed to pull me and he's not allowed to push me. He's only giving me the directions. He’s only allowed to touch me on turns. This is the way you compete as a blind person.

HOST (Jennifer Weissmann) (08:27):

What do you think you would be doing in your life if you hadn't found a triathlon competition? 

GUEST (Oren Blitzblau) (08:40):

I have no clue.  It’s 17 years in January. Life shifted dramatically. That’s my state of mind, I don’t like dealing in “what if’s.”  Dealing in “what if’s” it's a waste of time, energy, and frustrations. The reason I'm not dealing with it's not because of my PTSD. Thinking in negative ways is really not useful. I think it's a waste of time.

HOST (Jennifer Weissmann) (09:15):

I read that you volunteer with young disabled children. What do you tell them to inspire them? 

GUEST (Oren Blitzblau) (09:30):

It's all a matter of decision. Actually, if you open a dictionary and look up ‘truth’ – the translation of the word decision in Latin is a time to cut. It's all a matter of decision. When you are making a decision, you are cutting a thing and there won't be any change in your life. It’s a matter of decision. It's a matter of choice. It's in your control or not in your control. It's a matter of hard work and only then you will be able to achieve your goals. Otherwise speaking with you in a podcast and flattering myself is one path for me to reach my new goals. People usually have more dreams than reality. I don't think it's a bad thing to dream about your goals.  At the same time, you have to realize that you will be able to achieve them only by working hard. Not everybody is super talented.   Not everybody is Tom Brady or Michael Phelps. Most of us are not. The people are not really realizing that is a big frustration. And this is my main objective in my talks with children.

GUEST (Oren Blitzblau) (10:47):

I tell kids-- even though you are severely injured there are things you can do. And there are things you cannot do. I am blind and cannot be a sniper. You have to deal with what there is here and now how can you control it. Let's make it the best of it. 

HOST (Jennifer Weissmann) (11:04):

Oren, you are the very definition of amazing and inspiring.  You are an incredible human being. I've never met anybody with the willpower to not just continue on but to break barriers. And I really appreciate you taking some time today sharing with me. Is there anything else that you think would be important to share with others?

GUEST (Oren Blitzblau)  (11:27):

Just keep smiling, keep smiling. All right.

HOST (Jennifer Weissmann) (11:29):

Thank you so much for your time. Thank you for joining us this week on finding inspiration. Hey, I would appreciate it. If you would click on that subscribe button and share this podcast with a friend, see you next week. I'm Jennifer Weissmann.