GOING into the sport of triathlon, whether recreational or competitive level, or even sprint distances to the full Ironman distance will always need heart just to stay in the sport and finish any race.
But for rockstar triathlete Reujen Lista, he certainly went beyond as he showed his big heart by sharing his blessings with the less privileged in life. He describes what he does as simple random acts of kindness, but then there is nothing random at all about them, as he has been doing these “little acts” for years already.
To those not in the know, Lista is a rockstar, having played in the past with iconic figures and bands like Juan dela Cruz, Wally Gonzales, Crossroads with Megan Aguilar, and was a co-founder of Advent Call. Up to now, he still does gigs in BGC. He also got K.O. Jones for the Zoo Band as replacement for his friend Arnel Pineda.
He does not deny the fact that he was a drug user in the past. Name it, he has done it. But believe it or not, he has been drug free and sober for 13 years already, since he decided to call it quits with illegal drugs.
It was Mother’s Day and the seventh birthday of his son in 2005 when he went into drug rehabilitation and saw his weight grow to 225 pounds. Two years later, he suffered a heart attack and that was the turning point in his life.
He turned to triathlon to recover.
“I found out that the sport suits me, being an ADHD guy. It was a perfect fit and without the proper training, I did my first triathlon in CamSur. I almost drowned, but managed to finish the race in 6:42. Triathlon is a different high for me and now I feel liberated, a free spirit. Honestly, triathlon saved me,” said Lista, who now has completed 11 full Ironman races in Malaysia, Taiwan, Australia and Europe, though he still has to realize his dream of qualifying in the Ironman in Kona, Hawaii.
“If I finish another Ironman, I automatically qualify in Hawaii. This year, I also intend to break all my personal records in both the standard and the half ironman distance races. That is why I train every day, alone at that. I do this in between training other people in running and I intend to coach the national team one day,” revealed Lista, who described himself as a guy crazy enough to do what he wants to do.
He even organizes his own Rockstar Triathlon aside from coaching and doing grassroots sports program that he intends to bring to Singapore, Vietnam, and Malaysia next year.
But then, what differentiates this rockstar triathlete from others is his heart and compassion for the less privileged. He has established a foundation in Nueva Ecija, the “Ako Ang Saklay Foundation,” tapping his many friends for whatever donations they can give to his projects for the poor.
Recently, the blind twins in paratriathlon, Jerome and Joshua Nelmida, were the recipients of his kindness as they received triathlon equipment from him. Lista promised to give more support whatever way he can.
He also gave goggles and other triathlon paraphernalia to Triathlon Association of the Philippines president Tom Carrasco Jr. for the national sports association’s grassroots program.
That alone, endears this guy to the world of triathlon.