Upping the Ante

The weather is getting warmer, the sun is shining, and that can only mean training season. In my last post over six months ago I shared my experience running my first ever Olympic distance marathon. It was a journey that many of you traveled with me as you helped me stay on track and raise money for the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network, a national organization that works to end bullying in schools and seeks to help educators provide a safe environment for kids to learn and grow. Last year, I was inspired by the death of Carl Walker Hoover, a young boy who didn't identify as gay but was forced to listen to taunts about his sexuality every day at school until he finally took his own life at his home. You can read my thoughts about Carl in my previous posts The Mission and The Inspiration. Carl's story still stays with me.

But you don't have to look far yet again for news about the effect that bullying is having on kids. Candace McMillen just wanted to take her girlfriend to her prom this year and to wear a tuxedo. The school cancelled the prom rather than let her go and the fallout she endured from her fellow students who believe that she ruined their high school experience left Candace feeling unsafe at school. Derrick Miller wanted to take his boyfriend to his school's prom. The school let him but his fellow students protested that decision saying they shouldn't have to see two boys holding each other on the dance floor. Derrick's parents kicked him out of the house because of all the media attention. Seriously? Who are these people? And just this week, a number of students were charged with their complicity in the death of Phoebe Price, a transfer student who was incessantly bullied at school and on social networking sites until she too hung herself in her home. While she was not bullied because of her real or perceived sexuality, as a transfer student from Ireland she was an easy target because she was different and challenged the status quo.

This year I will partner with GLSEN again in their campaign. But I felt like I needed to up the ante. I thought about what sort of challenge would be meaningful to me and inspire others to help me raise money. So consider this the first post in my journey this year to accomplish what I am calling "Five Races in Five Months". Beginning in June and ending in October I will be running the following five races: a sprint distance triathlon, an Olympic distance triathlon, a half marathon, a marathon, and a Half Ironman. And I would love it if you would follow along and support GLSEN.

I've already started training and I'm well on my way. And so please return to this blog for details and my thoughts as the weeks, the months, and the races go by. Further details on how you can donate to GLSEN will be forthcoming.