Racing for Charity

The "WHAT"

Every year I strive to do at least one big thing that I've never done, something that takes me out of my comfort zone and provides me with a new experience.  For 2010 my new adventure is dedicating my training and racing Ironman Wisconsin for a charity.

This year I am volunteering and raising funds for the XXI CENTURY KIDS 1ST FOUNDATION.  I chose this organization because it shares my passion of ensuring that the children in our communities are given the best opportunities available for health, education and quality of life.  Their mission is to develop and implement kids’ self-esteem through quality nutritional and active lifestyle programs to promote a cohesive family and to ultimately end the epidemic of child obesity in the United States.

The "WHY"

I've been working with various charities for several years but solely in volunteer roles, never as a fundraiser.  I've found that the organizations that I have the most excitement and satisfaction in working with are those that focus on children.  Whether they know it or not, kids hold the future of our society in the palms of their little hands.  I want to ensure that our communities' kids are given the best resources possible so that they develop into solid contributors to our future society.  This can be in the form of education, health, environment or lifestyle choices as the XXI Century Kids 1st Foundation works toward.

As a child my parents instilled a desire to get outside and be active.  This meant I was doing everything from riding my bike to building forts in the woods to participating in organized team sports.  After college, I got away from this mindset and felt the impact in my health.  I was lethargic, gaining weight, just poorer health overall.  So I decided to get into shape and chose endurance sports as my activity (again with my "try one new thing every year" mantra).  In my 8 years of training and racing in endurance sports I've learned the value of living a healthy lifestyle.  I've implemented a structured exercise program and made modifications to my nutrition, both of which have me feeling better than I ever have in my life - a healthy body composition, more energy, elimination of certain chronic health ailments, etc.  I see the value in giving the same choices I had as a child to our kids.

Now that I have a child of my own (Drew, 2 years old) I see the impact certain nutrition choices and activity has on his health and well-being.  As a parent we all want what's best for our kids and we certainly don't want to put them in harm's way.  By Andrea and I helping Drew make healthy activity and nutritional choices we are doing our best to avoid the child obesity monster that has detrimental effects to his future.  It's a very easy choice to make and the best insurance policy available.

The "Stats"

Over the last 20 years, the prevalence of obesity in children aged 6 to 11 years has almost tripled from 6.5% to 19.6%. The prevalence of obesity in teenagers has more than tripled from 5% in 1980 to 18.1% in 2008.

Looking at the long-term consequences, overweight adolescents have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults, which increases to 80 percent if one or more parent is overweight or obese. In 2000, the total cost of obesity for children and adults in the United States was estimated to be $117 billion ($61 billion in direct medical costs).

Obesity increases the risk for serious health conditions like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol — all once considered exclusively adult diseases. Obese kids also may be prone to low self-esteem that stems from being teased, bullied, or rejected by peers.

Kids who are unhappy with their weight may be more likely than average-weight kids to:

• develop unhealthy dieting habits and eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia
• be more prone to depression
• be at risk for substance abuse

Overweight and obese kids are at risk for developing medical problems that affect their present and future health and quality of life, including:

• high blood pressure, high cholesterol and abnormal blood lipid levels, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes
• bone and joint problems
• shortness of breath that makes exercise, sports, or any physical activity more difficult and may aggravate the symptoms or increase the chances of developing asthma
• restless or disordered sleep patterns, such as obstructive sleep apnea
• tendency to mature earlier (overweight kids may be taller and more sexually mature than their peers, raising expectations that they should act as old as they look, not as old as they are; overweight girls may have irregular menstrual cycles and fertility problems in adulthood)
• liver and gall bladder disease
• depression

Cardiovascular risk factors present in childhood (including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes) can lead to serious medical problems like heart disease, heart failure, and stroke as adults. Preventing or treating overweight and obesity in kids may reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease as they get older.

How YOU Can Help
To support my fundraising efforts for the XXI Century Kids 1st Foundation please click here to donate via my personal fundraising page.  Please donate any dollar amount you’d like.  Your contributions are tax-deductible.  And don’t forget to check with your employer to see if they have a “matching gifts program.”


Thank you very much for your support!!