AUSTIN (KXAN) – Paratriathletes from all over the country are in Austin getting ready to compete Monday morning.

Paratriathlon National Champion Runner David Kyle visited the KXAN studio Sunday to talk about the event and his role in the race.

Kyle was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis ten years ago and says it was one of the lowest points in his life.

“I really just gave up on life,” Kyle said. At one point he even was contemplating giving up his job.

Faced with fears of being in a wheelchair and a newborn he told his doctor he wanted to compete in a triathalon.

Kyle said the running gave him a long-term goal, despite the medication, requiring a daily injection of Co Paxil. He said people facing any difficult circumstance have to have something to fight for, in Kyle’s case that was his family.

Kyle also said he had no idea what MS was when he was diagnosed. He said after being diagnosed he attended a support group meeting.

“I went to my little support group meeting in town, at that point I thought I was going to die,” said Kyle.

He said it was an emotionally devastating time where he spent a year doing practically nothing.

As far as his running, Kyle says it has benefits his brain and is also good for children.

Paratriathlon National Champion Runner David highlites

• He was a member of the USA Paralympic Development Team in 2005- the very first year of what eventually became the USA Triathlon Physically Challenged (PC) National Team: he achieved a fourth place finish.
• David was selected in April 2006 to become a member of the USA Triathlon Physically Challenged (PC) National Team, and served as a member in 2007 and 2008.
• In 2006, he won a bronze medal at the Triathlon World Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland and
• In 2007, he won 1st place in the USA Triathlon PC Championships in New York and 1st place at the St. Anthony’s Triathlon in St. Petersburg, FL, secured 3rd place at the Nautica Malibu Triathlon in Malibu, CA, and took the gold medal at the Triathlon World Championships in Hamburg, Germany.
• In 2008, he won a silver medal in the ITU World Championships in Vancouver, Canada, and a gold medal at the XTERRA World Championships in Maui, HI – which made him the first physically challenged athlete to secure wins at both the road and off-road world triathlon championships in the same year.
• He also returned home with a gold medal from the New York City Triathlon and a bronze at the XTERRA National Championships in Lake Tahoe, NV.
In 2011 David earned his third consecutive medal at the Duathlon World Championships and finished 4th at the 2011 Triathlon World Championships in Beijing, China.