George Hegarty runs toward Farewell Bend Park while competing in the Deschutes Dash sprint-distance triathlon Sunday morning in Bend. He finished second overall.

Up until his last breath, Scott Lui did not give up.

Six months after undergoing a double lung transplant, Lui entered the 2006 Deschutes Dash sprint-distance triathlon in Bend.

He raced, and he finished — the last participant to clock in after a 1,300-yard Deschutes River swim, a 12.5-mile bike ride and a 5-kilometer run.

Last November, Lui died of lung complications caused by cystic fibrosis. Over the weekend, 15 members of his family traveled to Bend from Seattle to race in his memory in the 2010 Deschutes Dash Weekend Sports Festival.

“Our whole family came down. It’s sort of like a tribute to him,” said Lui’s cousin Charlie Bendock, of Seattle, shortly after finishing the sprint-distance triathlon Sunday in the Old Mill District in Bend. “We figure, if he can do a triathlon after a lung transplant, we can get our asses up and down the course.”

Inspired by Scott Lui, each of the family members participated, some in the sprint triathlon, others 5K or 10K running races.

“He just lived life to the fullest,” added Bendock about his cousin, “and took advantage of what he had while he had it.”

Kristen Lui, Scott’s widow, took part in two Deschutes Dash races: the 10K run on Saturday and the 5K run on Sunday.

“Every time I wanted to quit,” she recounted after Sunday’s race, “I would think, if he (Scott) could do it with one lung or half a lung — he was so determined — I could do it.”

Todd Lui, Scott’s older brother, raced Sunday in the sprint triathlon. He said that as he ran along on the last leg of the race he thought a lot about his each and every breath.

“The family was there to watch him (Scott) take his last few breaths,” Todd Lui recalled. “Every breath to him was precious. You kind of feel guilty for taking things for granted.”

Todd Lui added that he has been a regular visitor to Central Oregon since 1987 and that the whole family intends to make the Deschutes Dash an annual reunion in his brother’s honor.

The family members said they are reminded daily of how to appreciate life, with Scott as their lead example.

“He had perseverance,” said Ted Lui, Scott’s father, who took part in 5K running race on Sunday. “He wanted to live, and he had his two twin daughters (now 2 years old) and a great wife. And everybody loved him. … He was laid-back, nothing bothered him. People like that.”

Jim Spence, a close friend of Scott’s, joined the family over the weekend in Bend and competed in the sprint triathlon.

“Scott and I did the race together in 2006,” Spence remembered. “He was the most inspirational person I ever met, and he lived every day like it was his last day.”

Nearly 500 participants competed in Sunday’s Deschutes Dash events, and a total of nearly 1,000 took part in the two-day event, which was produced by FreshAirSports. Other races offered Sunday included the sprint duathlon — a 5K run, 12.5-mile bike and 5K run — and a youth triathlon, for ages 10 to 15, consisting of a 400-yard swim, a 6-mile bike and a 1.5-mile run.

Up until his last breath, Scott Lui did not give up.

Six months after undergoing a double lung transplant, Lui entered the 2006 Deschutes Dash sprint-distance triathlon in Bend.

He raced, and he finished — the last participant to clock in after a 1,300-yard Deschutes River swim, a 12.5-mile bike ride and a 5-kilometer run.

Last November, Lui died of lung complications caused by cystic fibrosis. Over the weekend, 15 members of his family traveled to Bend from Seattle to race in his memory in the 2010 Deschutes Dash Weekend Sports Festival.

“Our whole family came down. It’s sort of like a tribute to him,” said Lui’s cousin Charlie Bendock, of Seattle, shortly after finishing the sprint-distance triathlon Sunday in the Old Mill District in Bend. “We figure, if he can do a triathlon after a lung transplant, we can get our asses up and down the course.”

Inspired by Scott Lui, each of the family members participated, some in the sprint triathlon, others 5K or 10K running races.

“He just lived life to the fullest,” added Bendock about his cousin, “and took advantage of what he had while he had it.”

Kristen Lui, Scott’s widow, took part in two Deschutes Dash races: the 10K run on Saturday and the 5K run on Sunday.

“Every time I wanted to quit,” she recounted after Sunday’s race, “I would think, if he (Scott) could do it with one lung or half a lung — he was so determined — I could do it.”

Todd Lui, Scott’s older brother, raced Sunday in the sprint triathlon. He said that as he ran along on the last leg of the race he thought a lot about his each and every breath.

“The family was there to watch him (Scott) take his last few breaths,” Todd Lui recalled. “Every breath to him was precious. You kind of feel guilty for taking things for granted.”

Todd Lui added that he has been a regular visitor to Central Oregon since 1987 and that the whole family intends to make the Deschutes Dash an annual reunion in his brother’s honor.

The family members said they are reminded daily of how to appreciate life, with Scott as their lead example.

“He had perseverance,” said Ted Lui, Scott’s father, who took part in 5K running race on Sunday. “He wanted to live, and he had his two twin daughters (now 2 years old) and a great wife. And everybody loved him. … He was laid-back, nothing bothered him. People like that.”

Jim Spence, a close friend of Scott’s, joined the family over the weekend in Bend and competed in the sprint triathlon.

“Scott and I did the race together in 2006,” Spence remembered. “He was the most inspirational person I ever met, and he lived every day like it was his last day.”

Nearly 500 participants competed in Sunday’s Deschutes Dash events, and a total of nearly 1,000 took part in the two-day event, which was produced by FreshAirSports. Other races offered Sunday included the sprint duathlon — a 5K run, 12.5-mile bike and 5K run — and a youth triathlon, for ages 10 to 15, consisting of a 400-yard swim, a 6-mile bike and a 1.5-mile run.

Top finishers in the 2010 Deschutes Dash

(Times in hours, minutes, seconds)

Sprint-distance triathlon

Men — 1, Aleck Alleckson, Clackamas, 1:04:55.4. 2, George Hegarty, Bend, 1:05:36.3. 3, Gabe Doebler, Tigard, 1:07:59.4.

Women — 1, Joanne Stevens, Bend, 1:13:00.8. 2, Lauren Taksa, Mount Shasta, Calif., 1:15:16.7. 3, Janet Howard, Clackamas, 1:16:14.8.

Sprint-distance duathlon

Men — 1, Tim Monaco, Bend, 1:11:05.4. 2, Josue Rodriguez, Salem, 1:16:41.9. 3, Mark Hofer, Seattle, 1:19:52.9.

Women — 1, Heather Leach, Seattle, 1:22:46.8. 2, Angela Allen, Sherwood, 1:24:25.0. 3, Anu Campbell, Klamath Falls, 1:31:29.5.

Youth triathlon

Boys — 1, Mitchell Stevens, Bend, 32:43.2. 2, Lane Gladden, Bend, 34:19.7. 3, Benjamin Brockman, Bend, 36:22.2.

Girls — 1, Madison Leapaldt, Bend, 40:37.5. 2, Katie Leavy, Sherwood, 42:54.2. 3, Sophia Scheer, Seattle, 46:43.7.

5-kilometer run

Men — 1, Jason Townsend, Bend, 17:50.4. 2, Robbie Donohue, Bend, 18:56.8. 3, Matt Rich, Charlotte, N.C., 18:59.1.

Women — 1, Amber Cooley Rose, Bend, 23:12.9. 2, Amy Nikolisen, Portland, 24:21.9. 3, Marie Ottum, Wilsonville, 24:30.5.