By now we are sure that you have heard that Lance Armstrong will be participating as a survivor in the Half Full Triathlon on October 7th. It's important to know that 100% of the entry fees go directly to The Ulman Cancer Fund. Our goal in being involved with this event has been and will continue to be, to raise funds and awareness for young adults battling cancer! It is our feeling that adding Lance to the field only helps to accomplish that goal.
To say that this has created a bit of controversy is an understatement and the things that have been posted on Twitter and Slowtwitch are pretty intense--on both sides of the fence.
The thing that people are not seeing here is that this is not about Lance Armstrong. This is not about racing. This is about raising money for a charity that helps young people with cancer. I hope that you never have to use the services of Ulman Cancer Fund or Livestrong but if you do, know that they are there to help you. And at the end of the day this is what it is all about. HELPING PEOPLE.
But here are some facts to ponder:
-Rev3 makes NO money from the HalfFull Tri. UCF is the charity that Rev3 supports. This year, much of the Rev3 staff and team ran across America in an effort to raise money for UCF.
-Lance is a participant in a charity event, he is not racing. He will be a part of the cancer survivor wave. He is not there as a profession athlete. He is there to lend support to Ulman Cancer Fund.
-Lance is not accepting any kind of "appearance fee"
“This race is a great example of what cancer survivorship is all about – not just surviving this disease, but truly living life on your own terms. My Foundation is proud to support the Ulman Cancer Fund and the great work they’re doing on behalf of young adult cancer survivors.” ~ Lance Armstrong
“Half Full has always been about raising awareness and resources to support our programs in the young adult cancer fight,” said Ulman Cancer Fund COO and Half Full Race Director Brian Satola. “We thank Lance and the rest of our athletes for supporting an event that will enable us to change countless lives.”
I love what my team mate Alexander had to say about this:
I couldn't be prouder to say I am a Team Rev3 Triathlon Member ...especially after the announcement today about allowing Lance to race...
My feelings about Lance Armstrong don't matter. What matters are the kids in this world who battle cancer. Everyone, pick your BATTLES (pun intended) wisely.
Thank you REVOLUTION3 Triathlon (REV3TRI) for making a decision, although controversial, to help people beyond the sport of triathlon. At the end of the day, who really cares if Lance raced or didn't race; ultimately so much more funds will be raised and publicity gained for such an amazing cause, the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.
And I will close this post with a quote directly from Charlie, the man behind Rev3:
Take sport out of this. This is about young adults fighting cancer. The PR generated today has brought Ulman a level of exposure that is significant. If this is able to help just one more person fighting cancer, then i'm for it. Sometimes my business, Rev3 is about people and not about triathlon.
