Jackson-Lake Arrowhead Volume 2

I am now well rested and ready to bring you Volume 2 of this week’s BLOG.  After leaving Jackson Mississippi last Thursday I arrived in one of my favorite places in the world…Sothern California - specifically Orange County.  I had a great meeting with a friend at IPE Films (http://www.ipefilms.com ).I also had a nice long run in Dana Point Harbor then it was off to Lake Arrowhead for the ADA Family Retreat.  I spoke at this event three years ago and it was nice to return to the beautiful UCLA Conference Center.  Thanks to the people at ADA and PADRE for inviting me, and a special thanks to the kids and families I met while there.  Other than the snow on Saturday night (being from Philadelphia I wasnt nearly as excited as all the kids from Southern California to see snow…I’ve had my share!)  But it was a great event and I hope to return again. 

Next trip - Hawaii! 

IRONANDY

Jackson/Lake Arrowhead - Volume 1

I returned this morning on a red eye from California…very tired, therefore will break lastweek’s events into two BLOG’s.

Volume 1  - Jackson, MS.  I arrived in Jackson last Monday night for a Tuesday morning interview on WAPT - ABC.  Then Wednesday I met with D&B Discount Drugs as they were hosting me and planned all the events for the week.  My first event was a speaking engagement at Morton High School (the home of New Orleans Saints “great” Deuce McCallister)  I spoke with a group of elementary school kids, then later that day it was the High School Kids.  Then it was off to East Rankin Academy.  Day two was the Scott County Health Fair, I had two speaking engagements then later that day I spoke at the Morton Middle School.  I would like to thank Wanda, Patricia and the rest of the AWESOME staff at D&B for making me feel welcome…and for feeding me.  If you are in Morton, stop by D&B for a great lunch…they are good at more than just patient care!   Thanks to Gary from AmerisourceBergen for “handling” me…nice work for your first time :)  I would especially like to thank Wanda and Patricia for their VERY GENEROUS donation to the Iron Andy Foundation.  That was completely unexpected but much appreciated.  THANK YOU!!!  You can bring me to Morton anytime.

I will write about Lake Arrowhead tomorrow.

IRONANDY

Where is Iron Andy?

Well, right now I am sitting on my couch typing this BLOG and looking out the window at MORE SNOW!!!  But this week I will be in the Jackson, Mississippi area then Southern California.  The week will begin with Tuesday morning interview on WAPT - 16  (ABC affiliate) Then I have a few school assembly speaking engagements and finally I end my Mississippi stop at the Morton Health Fair at the Morton Guard Armory - 5177 Highway 80, Morton, MS.  I will be speaking at 9:00 and  11:00.

Then from Mississippi I fly to Los Angeles to speak at the ADA Family Retreat Weekend.  This event is held at the UCLA Conference Center at Lake Arrowhead.  I spoke at this event a few years ago and I am looking forward to re-connecting with some families I havent seen in a few years.

I will be tweeting all week with more specific details about the trip, so follow me at   http://twitter.com/ironandy

IRONANDY

Snowbound “Bonus” Blog

More Snow!  In 1 month I will be in Hawaii for my first race…just thought I would share that with you!

IRONANDY

Iron Andy Challenge

The Iron Andy Foundation has just launched the “Iron Andy Challenge.”  The challenge will give children with diabetes the opportunity to earn funding, or “camperships” to diabetes camps all across the country.  We have partnered with DECA (Diabetes Education and Camping Association) and Iron Kids.  We are also receiving great support from my partneres at Good Neighbor Pharmacy and DiabetesShoppe.  For information about the Iron Andy Challenge and how your donation can help send a child to diabetes camp, check out the “new look” website at http://www.ironandyfoundation.org 

Also, my trip to Puerto Rico this upcoming weekend was cancelled (no, not becasue of snow) but I hit the road next week for back to back trips to Jackson, Mississippi and Lake Arrowhead, California.

 IRONANDY

Enough with the snow already…

My trip to Richmond last weekend was postponed due to the snow storm that hammered the mid-atlantic.  I will be going there this weekend for an appearance on the CBS 6 morning show “Virginia This Morning” and at the Healthy Lifestyle Expo.  But, it sounds like we are getting MORE snow this week, so who knows.  So far I am 0-2 with trips being cancelled due to snow.  I hope this isn’t a trend!

IRON ANDY

Staying Healthy

It’s the cold and flu season…we’ve had the cold and we’ve had the dreaded stomach virus.  For the past two weeks someone in my house has either been sneezing, blowing their nose or bent over the toliet…or in the case of my two young sons, bent over wherever they feel like throwing up.  But I think we are out of the woods, with the stomach virus but colds still persist.  Now with the snow, needless to say my training has been slightly modified.  I’m drinking a lot of water, staying positive and doing what I can.  Good thing my first race (Lavaman on March 28th) is “only” an Olympic distance

IRON ANDY

Virtual Training Partner (weird looking silver guy)

I am often asked if I train with other people.  The answer is no, but not so much because I don’t want to.  One of the nice things about my “Iron Andy” gig is I get to train full time, duuing the day…when most other people are working.  But it would be nice to have some company once and awhile.  Enter weird silver guy!  What am I talking about you ask - Well, I finally broke down and purchased a Computer Trainer for my bike.  The computrainer works much like my old trainer in that it allows me to ride my tri-bike indoors, stationary.  But rather than the mind-numbing 4,5 and 6 hour winter rides staring at a wall the Computrainer hooks up to my computer and has REALLY cool 3D virtual courses.  The coolest thing about the program is the profile/elevation of the course will change the profile of the trainer, so going up hill feels like I am going up hill on my trainer.  You can also add wind, moniter efficinies and inefficiences in my peddle stroke…AND they even have Real Live Video courses so I can test ride an Ironman Course before the race.  Back to the weird looking silver guy - with the 3D virtual courses, I can race alongside another cyclist…and one of the options for a “workout partner” is this weird looking silver guy.  He looks like he is made of mercury in the shape of a person…kind of like the Terminator.  He’s weird…but boy can he ride!  For information about the Computrainer product, here is their website - http://www.racermateinc.com

 IRON ANDY

2010 Goals

Goals, that’s right…I said a few weeks ago that I would be blogging my 2010 goals.  Here they are: 

My race goals for this year are pretty straightforward.  As of now I am scheduled to race in the Lavaman triathlon on the Big Island at the end of March (olympic distance), Texasman half iron in May, Ironman Coeur d’ Alene, Chicago Triathlon (olympic distance) then Ironman Wisconsin.  I will focus my goals on the full Ironman races.   As always my goals for an Ironman are 1) to finish 2) avoid the medical tent 3) finish under 12 hours…and in that order.  This will be my 3rd year in a row doing Coeur d’ Alene, and by best time thus far is 11:43.  So beating that would be great but as I saw last year, weather can play a huge role in my performance…so I will stick to the 1) 2) and 3) above!  For Wisconsin, a race I have never done, my goals are the same.  So there it is. 

But more importantly this year will be my non-race goals.  I have talked about the Iron Andy Foundation on and off for the past year.  I have been relatively quiet about it, but not anymore.  Very soon a Press Release will be going out announcing a new program called the Iron Andy Challenge.  I will also write about this in more detail on this blog, on Facebook, Twitter…and any other medium I can think of.  For now, I will merely say that the new mission for the Iron Andy Foundation and the Iron Andy Challenge is to send kids with diabetes to diabetes camps…all across the country.  So, my non-race goal for this year is pretty loft - I would like to raise $100,000 and/or send 100 kids to diabetes camp this year.  That’s a big number, I know…but I have never been one for small goals.  So, if you are reading this and you would like to know how you can help me chip away at that number - donations can be made on-line at http://www.ironandyfoundation.org  Thank you in advance and stay tuned for more exciting details about the Iron Andy Challenge.

 IRONANDY

Western States 100

I am told that the Western States 1oo  is the Hawaii Ironman equivlant for Endurance Runs.  I was told this by my new friend Jerry Armstrong - you may recall me writing about Jerry in a previous BLOG.  I met him while doing Ironman Louisville last summer.  Jerry’s wife has type 1 diabetes and he created the Run The Coast event -www.runthecoast.com to raise money for the Iron Andy Foundation.  Jerry just won a lottery slot into Western States 100 - http://www.ws100.com/  He will run 100 miles in ONE DAY…from Squaw Valley to Auburn, CA.  I guess this is just a tune-up for next November when he will run 500 miles from San Francisco to San Diego during the Run The Coast event. 

I have yet to determine what my involvement will be for Run The Coast, but I am thinking I would like to ride the distance while Jerry and his friend Jason run…anyone interested in joining me?

Iron Andy