On November 13th, some amazing athletes descended on Wilmington, NC, for the “Beach 2 Battleship” iron distance triathlon. PPD, a global research organization who partners with pharmaceutical companies, was the main sponsor and hired me to cover this event. In fact, several folks who have benefited  from PPD clinical trials were a big part of the race. These survivors shared their stories of recovery, from brain tumors to breast cancer—making what was already a world-renowned race even more special.