Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Challenge Accepted: NYC Tri 2011

"What about this weather says to you 'run?'"

Words said by my friend Aaron Monroe to my father, Bob Johnstone.

My dad is a "Manimal" in all sense of the word. He has completed 5 Iron Man Triathlons, 25+ Marathons, and even more triathlons of all distances (sprint, olympic, Half-Ironman, you name it). At some point, I noticed that he was becoming one of those crazy exercise people. Maybe it was the day Aaron asked him the above question? A day when he decided to go for a run during a gloomy, cold, rainy, crappy day in Green Bay, WI. That's when Aaron posed the question. Despite that craziness (even he would admit it), he instilled the value of fitness/exercise into both Katie (sister) and me. Since a fun bet with him when I was 18 (Finish a 10k in under 60 minutes = $40; Finished in 52 minutes!), I have completed a variety of organized events from 5k's to Duathlons to Half-Marathons. However, unlike my sister, I have yet to complete a triathlon. She is certainly our father's daughter! You would think that fact alone would have motivated me to sign up for my first TRI. I couldn't possibly let my LITTLE sister one up me?! Yet...a triathlon just never called to me...until now.

As of Wednesday, February 2, 2011, I have committed to raise over $3,000 as part of Team In Training's quest to eliminate cancer. Oh...and that means that I will be attacking my first ever Triathlon. The New York City Triathlon features a 10k run through Central Park, a 40k bike through Manhattan/the Bronx, and a little swim - 1500 meters in the Hudson River. Not the East River like Kramer. What pushed me over the edge, you ask? Three Things.

Since graduating college, I had turned much of my focus inward. Career. Growing Up. Not Growing Up. Experiencing Life. Pretending to be a rock star. I had abandoned much of my community involvement from high school and the early years of college. I have been looking for a way to get back to that mindset of helping others.

I am friends with Doug Jossem. Doug happens to be the leader of a team of over 40 Yahoo! employees that participated in the the NYC Triathlon in 2010. A team that raised over $200k to fight cancer. Doug has a powerful story and I went out to support him and the team last August. After Doug gave me the grossest, sweatiest hug ever when he saw me cheering along the course, I finally felt that calling that I hadn't experienced in the past.

Finally, and most importantly, cancer has impacted the mothers of my two best friends on the planet. Two women who could not have been nicer to me while growing up in Green Bay. Two women that acted as surrogate mothers to me. Two women that devoted their lives to helping others. Kathy Rentmeester and Diane Fenster. I will be racing in their honor for all that they have given to me.

The day I signed up to be a part of this team, the Team in Training staff asked everyone to stand up who knows someone close to them that has been affected by cancer. Guess how many people were on their feet? EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE ROOM. While I am racing for Kathy and Diane, everyone has their own story. This event is about eliminating something that negatively impacts the lives of way way WAY too many people.

Despite always thinking I would do my first triathlon with my dad and sister, this feels bigger, more important. My training starts in mid-March, but my fundraising starts now. Please support this amazing cause and if you can, please support me.

DONATION PAGE: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/nyctri11/rjohnstone

Thanks and God Bless!
RJ