Pete
04-09-2013, 09:07 AM
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/ironteam.jpg
Many of you know that triathlon is a pretty big part of my life but few probably know why.
Six years ago, at age 46 and straight off the couch, I joined an fantastic organization called Team In Training, which trains people of all levels for endurance events such as triathlons, century bike rides and marathons. And it's for the great cause of raising funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
I had a connection because my grandmother had died an awful death at the hands of lymphoma; and I had also lost both my parents when I was in my early 20's to other forms of cancer.
Team in Training not only coached this beginner through his first every triathlon, but instilled in me a burning desire to continue supporting the fight against blood cancers. And it also made me love the people that were along side of me, doing the same.
In my very first season with TNT, I became good friends with a guy who had been so ravaged by leukemia and the resulting chemotheraphy that he required a complete heart transplant during my first season. Within 8 months, he was actually training with us and within a year had finished the Malibu Triathlon!! Kyle Garlett is still my good friend, stil going strong and still completing triathlons all over the world.
Kyle and thousands like him have benefited from the millions raised by Team in Training; not only the research that has increased survival rates dramatically since my grandmother was afflicted, but also with patient services for those in need.
After my first race, I became a volunteer for TNT and susequently went on to coach 9 straight triathlon seasons. During that time, I helped over 500 largely new triathletes cross the finish line and our teams raised over $2,000,000 in the process!
After taking a well-needed break, I decided this fall to return to the organization, this time as a participant once again, raising funds directly for the cause while training and competing.
I have been busting my tail for the last six months preparing for the notorious Wildflower Long Course triathlon on May 4th, a super hilly and challenging course in Northern California. I'll be swimming 1.2 miles in the open water, biking 56 quad-melting miles (including the infamous 'Nasty Grade' at mile 42) and then running a half-marathon (13.1 miles) over rugged hills.
As an example of what goes into this, here is a typical training week for me: Tuesday 2.5 mile pool swim; Wednesday 2 hours on the bike; Thursday 8 mile tempo run; Friday 2 mile swim; Saturday 70 mile bike with 4,000 feet of elevation gain, 1-hour hilly run off the bike; Sunday 1 mile ocean swim followed by a super-hilly 15-mile trail run. By May, we will have logged 7 months of this type of training!
Any donation towards fighting Leukemia and Lymphoma would be greatly appreciated. I can assure you these dollars go directly towards helping amazing people who are fighting for their lives every single day.
Thanks in advance for your support!
Pete's Fundraising Page (http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/wildtri13/peterbrz)
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/wildflower.jpg
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/swimbikerun.jpg
Many of you know that triathlon is a pretty big part of my life but few probably know why.
Six years ago, at age 46 and straight off the couch, I joined an fantastic organization called Team In Training, which trains people of all levels for endurance events such as triathlons, century bike rides and marathons. And it's for the great cause of raising funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
I had a connection because my grandmother had died an awful death at the hands of lymphoma; and I had also lost both my parents when I was in my early 20's to other forms of cancer.
Team in Training not only coached this beginner through his first every triathlon, but instilled in me a burning desire to continue supporting the fight against blood cancers. And it also made me love the people that were along side of me, doing the same.
In my very first season with TNT, I became good friends with a guy who had been so ravaged by leukemia and the resulting chemotheraphy that he required a complete heart transplant during my first season. Within 8 months, he was actually training with us and within a year had finished the Malibu Triathlon!! Kyle Garlett is still my good friend, stil going strong and still completing triathlons all over the world.
Kyle and thousands like him have benefited from the millions raised by Team in Training; not only the research that has increased survival rates dramatically since my grandmother was afflicted, but also with patient services for those in need.
After my first race, I became a volunteer for TNT and susequently went on to coach 9 straight triathlon seasons. During that time, I helped over 500 largely new triathletes cross the finish line and our teams raised over $2,000,000 in the process!
After taking a well-needed break, I decided this fall to return to the organization, this time as a participant once again, raising funds directly for the cause while training and competing.
I have been busting my tail for the last six months preparing for the notorious Wildflower Long Course triathlon on May 4th, a super hilly and challenging course in Northern California. I'll be swimming 1.2 miles in the open water, biking 56 quad-melting miles (including the infamous 'Nasty Grade' at mile 42) and then running a half-marathon (13.1 miles) over rugged hills.
As an example of what goes into this, here is a typical training week for me: Tuesday 2.5 mile pool swim; Wednesday 2 hours on the bike; Thursday 8 mile tempo run; Friday 2 mile swim; Saturday 70 mile bike with 4,000 feet of elevation gain, 1-hour hilly run off the bike; Sunday 1 mile ocean swim followed by a super-hilly 15-mile trail run. By May, we will have logged 7 months of this type of training!
Any donation towards fighting Leukemia and Lymphoma would be greatly appreciated. I can assure you these dollars go directly towards helping amazing people who are fighting for their lives every single day.
Thanks in advance for your support!
Pete's Fundraising Page (http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/wildtri13/peterbrz)
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/wildflower.jpg
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/swimbikerun.jpg