Four Days Until a Race 4Smarty

As most of you know, there are only four days left until the Half Iron triathlon goes off at Elk Lake Sunday, June 18th. When the gun goes off at 6:45 (ouch!), it will mark the 10th time Frontrunners Nanaimo co-owner Normon Thibault has presided over what has come to be the Northwest's premier destination triathlon. It will also be second year the race is dedicated to our late friend Dave Smart and the Smart Foundation for Melanoma Research set up in his name. You can find more information about the Foundation at the Half Iron's Charities Page.

The race has additional personal significance this year as it will be my first triathlon since having minor heart surgery in January this year. I have been reporting on my (intermittent) progress along the road to returned fitness in a column on Triathlete Magazine Online. Realizing weeks ago that race day would find me still months away from competitive fitness, I tried to come up with a way to add meaning to my Half Iron experience.

Dave in Kona

What came naturally was to look to Dave. Dave was one of four friends who catalyzed my desire to take a somewhat serious shot at racing triathlon in 1999. The other three were Stefan Jakobsen, Graeme Martindale and Normon Thibault - you know at least two of those infamous names. I've remained inspired by the talent and drive of all four athletes, but with the latter three that inspiration always had to be from a distance - I was always minutes behind on the race course. But at the Half Iron in 2000 I was able to catch and pass one of my heros; it was there that I first crossed a finish line ahead of Smarty. It was a pretty cool moment to say the least, being in the finish area just in front of one of the guys who made me want to toe a start line in the first place. (There's a funny footnote to that story: Though I crossed the finish line just ahead of Smarty that day, he was actually faster in every discipline - swim, bike and run. The difference? Dave insisted on pulling on his trademark socks in transition.)

Last year, the first that Dave wasn't with us, I was unable to attend the race, so Sunday will be my first opportunity to race for Dave. In the interest of adding a little meaning to the experience - as well as giving me a HUGE incentive to keep pushing when the inevitable negative self-talk starts bubbling up - I've set up 4Smarty, a personal fundraising page on GiveMeaning, an online charitable foundation.

Here's the hook: for a minimum $10 donation, you get (a) the satisfaction of supporting a great cause and (b) a chance to win about $300 worth of prizes, including a pair of New Balance shoes, Sugoi technical products, KINeSYS sunscreen and - of course - a pair of Dave Smart Stinky Socks. What could me easier or more rewarding, I ask you?!? If you have an opportunity, please do check out the 4Smarty page; better still, make a small donation and give yourself a shot at the swag. Regardless, definitely take the time to read the melanoma information on the Smart Foundation site. All of us spend huges chunks of time in the sun and need to ensure we're doing so safely and intelligently. Finally, and speaking of e x t e n d e d stetches of time in the sun, if you're at the race Sunday, give a cheer - I promise I'll need it!

Rumon