Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Ironman Coeur D'Alene for Doctors without Borders


06/21/2009 7:00 AM, Coeur D’Alene, Idaho. My first Ironman triathlon. A 2.4 mile swim, followed by a 112 mile bike ride and finished by a 26.2 mile run. If everything goes well it’s going to take me somewhere between 11 and 12 hours depending on how well I stick to my training plan in the next 5 months. It’s going to be a long day!

Even less comprehensible, between now and June 21, as part of my training I plan to swim about 200,000 yards, bike 2,500 miles and run 600 miles. I recognize that I am very fortunate to be healthy enough and have the opportunity to swim, bike and run every day. There are millions of people in the world who are not so lucky.

This year I resolved to add a new meaning to my passion for the endurance sports and contribute to some positive change not only in my own life. I decided to dedicate my training and my race to Doctors Without Borders, an organization that works hard independently of any political, military, or religious agendas to bring quality medical care to people caught in crisis regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation. This means that in addition to increased training volume I will also have the challenge of fundraising, but I am looking forward to this interesting and fulfilling experience.