I’ll be your best friend (which should be reason enough because I’m awesome!)
Anyone who makes a donation will get a sweaty HIGH-5 from me on the run portion of the Ironman (you’ll have to get yourself there, but I’ll provide a map!)
Supporting me on my 140.6 mile race is nothing compared to the difficult journey faced by families struggling with Alzheimer’s disease.
Make a donation in honor of someone. I’ll send a personal letter to let them know what a great person you are!
It’s cheaper than Super Bowl tickets!
Your donation will bring us one step closer to finding a cure.
The warm, fuzzy feeling you get from doing something nice.
If I win the Ironman, I’ll pay you back 5x your donation!
Help fund an organization that does pretty remarkable work.
It’s easier than training for an Ironman yourself!
On the training front, I've kicked things into full gear! I've been spending between 10-11 hours a week on my bike, in the gym, and swimming laps. According to my cardio trainer app, I've burned close to 17,000 calories this month so far! (But, remarkably, I haven't lost a single pound! Bummer.)
It's been a pretty mild winter, so I've been able to have a few runs outside. But, I've mostly been on the treadmill pounding away. You don't know boredom until you try running six miles staring at a wall!
On a fundraising note: THANK YOU to everyone who has helped me with my fundraising so far! I'm almost 1/5 of the way there! Quickly approaching $1000. I hope to pass that before the month ends (getting close!)
For Christmas, I gift wrapped my heart out at Barnes & Noble. The managers were very gracious and allowed me pretty much carte blanche with times and dates. They are great supporters of the cause. I met some pretty amazing families, some of which had no idea there even was an Alzheimer's Association. It was a rewarding fundraiser on many fronts!
Well, until next time. I'll be training away. Stay awesome!
Well, here we are! 2011 is now history and 2012 is in full swing!
This is going to be a very exciting year for me. I'm already three weeks deep into Ironman training and have done a few different fundraisers just to get things rolling. I'm excited to share my journey with everyone and will be posting more frequently now that the new year has officially started!
To start things off, I would like to direct you all to Nameless Street where my good friend Jimmy has started a "like a thon" (check out that flashy intro)! Basically, for every "Like" Nameless Street's Facebook page receives, $1 will be donated towards my fundraising - up to $100 each month!
So if you haven't done so already, log into Facebook and give a "Like" to Nameless Street!
Until later, Happy New Year! It's going to be a good one!
Welcome to November! The month of my favorite holiday - Thanksgiving!
It was back in November 2006 that I began a journey which has taken me all over the United States and given me so many sweet memories. It was during that year that I trained and participated in my very first cycling event, a 109 mile bike race through Tucson, AZ. That event changed everything for me. It was my first taste of this crazy thing called "endurance sports". All of a sudden, a whole new world opened up before me. I began to realize many things were possible that I never even imagined. I vividly remember crossing that finish line with my hands in the air and a very stupid grin plastered on my face. I got off my bike and walked (well, hobbled, actually) through the corrals at the finish to receive my very first medal. I waited there, full of indescribable energy, to welcome in my teammates as they finished their race. When we had finally all gathered, we celebrated by jumping into our hotel pool (cycling jersey, socks, shorts, and all!).
It still makes me smile and laugh to remember that day. Some of you were part of that journey with me. I was raising money for a charity and many of you generously donated to help me along my way. I thought that it might be a one time deal for me. I almost had the atittude of "Well, that was fun! Time to relax!". Boy, was I ever wrong. Endurance events have become a very important part of my life. Since that day, I have taken up not only cycling, but marathon running and triathlons! I never would have imagined myself so involved in this weird and wonderful community.
So... here's the thing. There is a triathlon event called the Ironman. Perhaps you've heard of it or seen coverage of the Kona Ironman World Championships on TV. Well, this idea of an iron distance race has completely captured my imagination. It's a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike, and a 26.2 marathon race. Yes. All in one day. Yes. It's crazy. And, yes! You bet I plan on doing it!
But, I can't do it alone. Although being an Ironman is a dream of mine, I've put off actually competing in one for various reasons. I always gave myself the excuse of "maybe next year" and then "well, the year after that looks good". I needed a cause to rally behind to finally get me to sign up. I finally have my cause. And I hope it's a cause you will consider supporting.
Two years ago, I began working for the Alzheimer's Association. It's not a cause I had any personal connection with, but I'm drawn to passionate people. And this organization is spilling over with passionate people who are committed to their mission. Since I started working with them, my eyes have been opened to an epidemic that we are little prepared for. Alzheimer’s is the sixth-leading cause of death in the country and the only cause of death among the top 10 in the United States that cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed. Since 2000, death rates from other major diseases have dropped, while death from Alzheimer's has risen 66%! There are nearly 15 million Alzheimer’s and dementia caregivers providing 17 billion hours of unpaid care valued at $202 billion.
These are just some of the figures I can share with you. It is what's motivating me to do something BIG to raise awareness and funds for the Alzheimer's Association! That's why on August 11th, 2012, I will be competing in the Ironman US Championships with team "Athletes to End Alzheimer's". My goal is to raise $5,000 and I hope I can count on you for your support.
The mission of the Alzheimer's Association has become extremely close to my heart. I invite you to learn more about the organization at www.alz.org. If you decide to support me on my quest, I will be grateful. You can donate securely online at my fundraising page: http://tinyurl.com/JessTris. If you have a minute, there's a fantastic video below for you to watch that gives some of the facts and figures I mentioned.
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In this season of giving thanks, I am grateful for the memories I have. I am grateful for the joy I experience when crossing a finish line. I am grateful for the support of friends and family. And I am hopeful for an end to Alzheimer's disease. I hope you will consider donating towards my cause!
