A Tale of Two Steves

iTri. iSad.

Steve Larsen (1970-2009)
Uber Cyclist, Ironman Triathlete


Steve Jobs (1955-2011)
Visionary, Innovator.

ICanTri for ICanServe Update

I did it! It was not pretty, but I am now a 2 time IRONMAN finisher, and with your support, we are very close to our target of raising P226,000 for Breast Cancer.

Here's some kwento:

The race had been going pretty smoothly, and I was chugging along rather nonchalantly, feeling strong, until about 9 hours into my race, when my stomach had shutdown, and was resisting any form of nutrition. With more than 26 kilometers left to run, I was dead tired, dizzy, and somewhat incoherent. I gutted it out, put one foot in front of the other, and finished, in spectacular fashion - at the finish line, before entering the medical tent, I hurled in Linda Blair Exorcist style, like I had done several times on the course.

A few moments later, I was lying inside the medical tent, with an IV in my arm. My BP was at 100/70 (rather low they say), and I was a bit out of it. As I lay there, I really got to feel the reason I was there - To raise money for Breast Cancer. Ironic that I ended up (for a few hours), feeling like one - tired, dizzy and puking. I guess that had to be part of the entire experience.

Despite all of that, I was still able to improve my personal best by 30 minutes, finishing in 13 hours and 27minutes, on what they are now calling the toughest Ironman Course.

Thank you for your continued support, a lot of women will be benefiting from this. I am looking forward to doing this all over again someday - but I guess I might have to find something crazier?

For those who are still asking HOW to donate, please email me.

I've been asked a few times whether I would do it again. The answer is DEFINITELY.

Let me leave you with something from Theodore Roosevelt:

'It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.'

Til next time...

Javy Olives
Ironman Survivor, Breast Cancer Advocate

Update: ICanTri for ICanServe

Dear Friends and Family,

I guess you know what they say about the best laid plans.

First The bad news: the Ironman event in China originally scheduled for this
weekend has been called off. Just weeks before the event was to take
place the organizers encountered problems with the local government. Repairs
being done in the area where we were to swim would apparently not be ready in
time.

Now for some good news. The organizers have been kind enough to give
the participants a full refund and a chance to join an Ironman event in another
destination. I am registered to swim, bike and run on July 3 in Jeju, Korea. More
importantly, I am determined more than ever to raise funds for the ICanServe
foundation. NOTHING WOULD MAKE ME PROUDER THAN to do this in honor
of the brave women that bravely fight breast cancer. Nothing would make me
humbler than having you help me realize this goal.

Donations and pledges can be sent or emailed to: javy.olives@gmail.com. For your convenience we can arrange to pick these
up too.

Thank you again.

Javy Olives

ICanTri for ICanServe

Dear Friends and Family,

This will confirm what you probably already knew. I am crazy. Last year's Ironman left me wanting more, so I'm doing it all over again in China come May 29. Those gruelling thirteen hours stripped me down to my core. I learned about pain, patience, sacrifice, hope and the power of the human spirit. Best of all, I learned that nothing is IMpossible. This time around, I am psyched to swim 4 kilometers, cycle 180 kilometers and run 42.2 kilometers not just for myself, but for something much, much bigger.

Twelve years ago, my sister was diagnosed with an advanced stage of breast cancer. She helped start a breast cancer foundation and made one vow: that women diagnosed should not go through it alone, in the dark or in shame. Today, the ICanServe Foundation provides hope and help for women with breast cancer. It promotes early breast cancer detection through high impact information campaigns and early detection programs.

In the time it will take me to complete the Ironman, 240 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and 60 of them will die because of it.

I'd like to TRI and make a change in any little way I can, and I would love for you to help me. Here are some ways you can:

1. Donate a flat amount that feels comfortable for you and your wallet.
2. Pledge any peso amount for every kilometer I complete. (The Ironman is a 226 kilometer event)

If there are cancer survivors you would like to honor, let me know. I will gladly scribble their names on my jersey to remind me why I am out there that day.

Through your generous pledges and donations, every stroke, step and stride I take will help chemotherapy patients on treatment and help subsidize community-based screening programs. Like I said, no one should be helpless or clueless when it comes to cancer.

So there..maybe I'm not so crazy after all.

PS: Below is the pledge form, or you can download it from here. Please disregard my mobile number, as I am in the middle of changing numbers. I may be reached thru javy.olives@gmail.com