Hello and thank you for taking the time to visit this page and read about this fundraising endeavor!
My name is Chris Frisch. Like everyone else, I am a work in progress. I wear many hats- but above all- I am a man of faith, a husband, a father of three (soon to be four!), a physician, an aspiring barbecue "pitmaster," and a triathlon enthusiast.
While all of us do not share all the same interests, we all have a handful of things in common. One of these, I am sure, is experience with cancer- either a personal diagnosis, or one of a close or distant relative, a friend, or a co-worker. It is impossible to hear this diagnosis and not be affected and to be moved and changed by it. On a personal level, I have had several family members affected, including and most dear, my father who passed from bladder cancer in 2017. Anyone who has witnessed a close family member near the end of the battle with this diagnosis understands the change it elicits in you. In my case, I was fortunate to be blessed by the birth of my youngest just two days prior to my father's passing. I will never forget the interplay of emotions between the celebration of my daughter, and the passing of my father. I am sure you all have similar stories.
My goals in triathlon have changed over the years. In the beginning it was a largely selfish endeavor performed in pursuit of personal achievement. In recent times that has never been the focus. As a competitor, I will always strive to get the most out of myself and leave everything that God has given me that day, and that training cycle, on the course. But I have long prayed for a way to use this sport to give back. I pursued several avenues that never really panned out. Then one day, my wife sent me a message about Ironcology and the tremendous efforts of Dr. Feddock. I was blown away and inspired by his charity. His efforts to contribute to families undergoing cancer treatment are entirely philanthropic. All money raised by his association, and those using his platforms individually, go to families needing additional support during their treatment. Athletes like myself do not receive a penny of these donations.
His first personal fundraising event raised over 50,000 dollars! He has since expanded his efforts to include a yearly "Survive the Night" overnight relay race raising funds for cancer, as well as supporting individuals in their own separate events to raise money. As one of these individuals, I am indebted to Dr. Feddock for his incredible efforts in establishing websites and donation platforms. I am currently training to compete in my fifth full Ironman, and this will be the third time I will be doing so in Texas. As some of you are aware, it is a very challenging event to prepare for. If swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and running a marathon (26.2 miles) in a single day sounds insane, throw in the scorching Texas heat and the necessity to prepare through the winter, and it becomes a truly insane undertaking. The most difficult part of this process is balancing the training efforts with one's much more important duties in life. I thank God for an incredibly supportive and generous wife, family, friends and coworkers for the opportunity to even consider this. My wife, Mariel, is the steady rock behind this operation, and I should probably match the amount of money donated in personal repayment to her.
The Ironman event in Texas, similar to other Ironman events, hosts approximately 2,000 competitors. My plan for this event is to be the final competitor to enter the water (i.e, the last person to start), and to see how many people I can pass. It usually takes about 45 minutes time between the first person entering the water and the last person. My goal is to pass 75-80% of competitors over the course of the race. The theme I would like for my fundraising campaign is "It's Just a Penny." I would ask those willing to donate to please donate 1 penny for each person I am able to pass - this will likely amount to $15-20, but if you truly believe in me - a little more will certainly help more people get the cancer care that they need. I know Covid has made everyone think critically about their funds. But with just a little bit of help, we can make a big difference. Remember, all proceeds go to patients and their families.
As always, I plan on giving everything I have on race day. Your support encourages me further. Thank you again for your time and your generosity. Let's all make a difference together.
Best,
Chris