Iwan Axt's Team In Training Page
Racing to Save Lives -- This Time it's for My Friends
Welcome to my Team In Training home page.
Three years ago I started training for my first TNT event, the Gulf Coast Half Ironman Triathlon, on a lark and not having any connection to anyone with Leukemia, Lymphoma, or any other blood cancer. During my first event I pledged to run in memory of, or in honor of, friends or family members of sponsors who were suffering from theses terrible diseases. I promised to wear a ribbon during the race for each person I was running in honor of -- a purple one for those who were alive and battling the disease and a yellow one for those who were no longer here.
I ended up running with 19 ribbons (11 yellow and 8 purple) attached to my singlet.
So, I became a believer in the mission. Since then, I have trained with TNT for the NYC marathon twice and formed a bond with some of those people whose names were on my purple ribbons. Because of the common path we traveled since I met them, these people have become good friends in a very special way and my life is the better for having met them.
When I met Amanda, she was just past her 4-year remission mark and training with me for Gulf Coast. Eventually, we celebrated her reaching the 5-year remission milestone with us training for and completing our first Ironman at IMLP in 2005.
I first met Jenny accompanying a friend to the Disney Triathlon in 2003. I had no idea that she was only in remission for about a year and a half when she did that event. Then, in 2004, I was there when she completed her first Ironman, at Lake Placid. Later that year, I was honored to be on the same Ironman team with her and Amanda for IMLP. I will be celebrating her 5-year remission date in April by running with her in the NJ Half Marathon.
Larry, I met, naturally, through TNT and we became friends in 2005 as we started training for my second and his first Ironman, IMLP, which he completed in 2006. Larry still has just under a year to go to reach 5 years in remission and I hope that we can celebrate his reaching it cancer-free together.
Last but certainly not least is Danielle, who I met during training for Gulf Coast in 2003. She was on my TNT team and, at the time, no one knew she was a survivor. Later, during one of the marathons I did in NYC, she was my honored teammate. Though I hardly see her these days since she splits her time between NYC and PA and is about to get married, it is always great to spend time with her and the other friends we made during my first TNT season.
The money that you donate helps patients directly through patient services and provides funding for research to combat these diseases. Frankly, it is probably one of the reasons these 4 wonderful people are still here to enrich my life. As selfish as it sounds, I want you to make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training so that people like Amanda, Jenny, Danielle, and Larry are around for long after we defeat this disease.
I'm sure you know many wonderful people that, like my friends, enrich your lives, and so for your support I will offer again to race in honor of those people affected by Leukemia or Lymphoma, like my friends Amanda, Jenny, Danielle, and Larry.
Let's hope I get plenty of donations and very little honorees. Any amount is appreciated, but keep in mind my goal is to raise $5000, so more is better. And, yes, it is a 100% tax deductible contribution. You can donate now by clicking the button above and to the left.
Thank you!
Iwan
If you want more information or you want to tell me of someone I should be running in honor of you can click on my name and send me an e-mail.
Also, some of you may be uncomfortable using this thing called the 'internet' to submit your donations. If you like, you can send checks made out to "The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society" to:
Iwan Axt
303 West 76 Street
Apartment 2A
New York, NY 10023
