Join the Movement

In less than two weeks' time, Ironman Texas will be over.

On the off-chance you'd not heard, I am participating in another Ironman triathlon on May 21, in The Woodlands, Texas. While this will be my second time at challenging the 140.6-mile distance, May will mark the debut of a full-distance Ironman race in Texas. A full Ironman race consists of a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run -- all within the same day. As of my writing this, the weather forecast calls for a high of 93, high humidity, and a light, southern wind. Then again, this is Texas, and a lot can change over the next dozen or so days.

What won't change is the following:

• Race day will be May 21, beginning at at 7:00 AM. A 12-hour finish, would have me crossing the finish line by 7:00 PM.
• My race number is 1467. This can be used to track my race-day progress at ironman.com or ironmanlive.com.
• I am raising funds to support the National MS Society.

While fund raising is not required for my participation in Ironman Texas, your donations will help fund the myriad programs of the NMSS. Some 85 cents of every dollar donated goes into supporting these programs (the MS Society apparently has low operating costs), which include everything from developing & testing new treatments to counseling services for the newly-diagnosed and their families. In the short time since her diagnosis, Nicholle & I have been able to receive some of these services. As time goes on, we may become more reliant on them. Others are already, which is why your help is needed now.

If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the National MS Society, please visit http://www.off242.com/donate. There, you will find a link to my fund raising page for the 2011 Bike MS: Ride to the River, which serves as the online channel for my own fund raising. Despite the significant distance Ironman Texas will cover, it is but the first step towards a larger goal.

I hope you will follow me some on the 21st. If not through ironman.com, then perhaps on Twitter, @off242. Updates will be posted during race day on my progress, as well as for how fund raising and other preparations for Bike MS proceed.

As always, thanks for reading.