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Pablove Triathlon Team!!

I have some very exciting news to (finally) report!

The Pablove Triathlon Team has officially launched. I’ve had the privilege over the last few weeks of working with team founders, Warren and Mike, and the awesome staff at The Pablove Foundation to get the team off the ground. We’ve designed a racing kit, rounded up some awesome team sponsors and partners and recruited a strong group of local age-group athletes to join the team. But first…

The Pablove Foundation is a Southern California charitable foundation dedicated to fighting childhood cancer with love. The Foundation name honors Pablo Thrailkill Castelaz, who was six when he lost his battle with bilateral Wilms’ Tumor, a rare form of childhood cancer. Pablo’s parents, Jo Ann and Jeff started the Foundation in order to raise money to fund pediatric cancer research and advances in treatment, to educate and empower cancer families, and to improve the quality of life for children living with cancer through hospital play, music and arts programs. There’s plenty more information on at pablove.org.

Their primary fundraising is through benefit concerts (Jeff is the CEO and co-founder of Dangerbird Records, a local independent record label) and through the annual Pablove Across America bike ride. During the summer, Jeff and other participating riders spend up to three weeks riding through a portion of the country, flying the Pablove colors and stopping at children’s hospitals and cancer centers, meeting kids and families. The current issue of Peleton magazine has an article by Jeff about Pablove Across America, you can read an excerpt here.

And here’s a video also from Peleton about the ride:

Pablove is small but they are making an impact. And Warren and Mike were excited to help. So they started talking to Pablove and recruiting local age-group (i.e. glorified weekend warrior) triathletes to join the cause. And now we’re here. As of today, we have 14 members but that number is sure to grow quickly, especially as the word starts to get out. We’re a triathlon team at heart, but we also race marathons and trail races and ultramarathons and cycling races and participate in all other sports as well. We are all dedicated to raising money and awareness for Pablove. All team members set their own individual fund-raising goal. And each team member can be as involved with Pablove as they want. The only pressure to raise money or participate is the drive to help Pablove do their good work. I think we’re all going to be very surprised at how much we can add to Pablove’s mission.

Here’s me riding last weekend on the PCH in the Pablove cycling kit.

Our tri race kits have a similar design, including the awesome Pablo-drawn “punch guy” texturing all over the kit.   Look closely and you can see it, but here’s original design, as drawn by Pablo:

We’re hopeful that our flashy cool kits will be ready in time to show off at Wildflower on April 30 and May 1.

Team members will be racing all over the country and the world this season.  Currently, all of our members are in Los Angeles, but that’s gonna change.  We’ll be a national team soon enough. And, even though we’re triathlon focused, you don’t have to be a triathlete to be a team member.

You will be hearing lots and lots more about Pablove and the Pablove Triathlon Team from me over the coming months. But for now, I’m leaving you with my little plea:

Click HERE to go to my personal fundraising page and help me raise money for The Pablove Foundation – all of the money raised by the Triathlon Team goes directly to the Foundation.  (The team is paying it’s own way for all events and team merchandise – hopefully with the help of a few team sponsors!)

I believe strongly in the goals of The Pablove Foundation. They are doing wonders to help fund cancer research and to provide support and encouragement to children with cancer and to their families. And I know that we can help. I’ve set what I believe to be a very modest initial fundraising goal. I will reach that goal quickly and then set another and another. That doesn’t mean I’m asking YOU for a large donation. Any amount will help.

If you go to my fundraising page, you’ll notice that I haven’t donated to myself yet.  So… to make this a little more fun, I’ll match dollar-for-dollar any donations that I get between now and April 1 up to a total of at least $1,500. (I thought about typing that sentence for a while and yes, I am a little scared to have written it, but let’s do it! Just please don’t tell Elizabeth! 🙂 Remember, dear, it’s for the kids.)

As always, THANK YOU!

(edited 8:39am to make it clear that fundraising is for The Pablove Foundation, not the Triathlon Team!)