David Pless, Olympic Hopeful

David Pless is organizing this fundraiser.

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Thank you for visiting my page and considering whether to join me on this journey. That you are taking time out of your busy day to read and consider this is both humbling and inspiring.

I have been privileged to have advice and encouragement from not only elite athletes, but also valued mentors (some of whom had their own illustrious athletic careers). Their help along with the tremendous support and encouragement from my parents, Dana and Larry, and sisters Anna and Deane have been invaluable. I have been fortunate to have such a strong support base rallying around me.

I first found my love for throwing at Lovett under coach Charlie Finch in 8th grade. I immediately took to the sport because it provided a definitive way to always compete against myself. I always thought if "I could throw just 1 inch further" I know I have improved (It gets quite addicting).

In the summer of 2007 I embarked on a cross country cycling trip from Tybee Island, Georgia to Santa Monica, California over 42 days. This trip forced me to push myself to my limits. There were days of biking over 100 miles with fully loaded paniers in 100 degree heat. It was at the Devils Playground somewhere out in the desert of California that I found out what I was truly capable of, when I led our group across the hottest section of the ride, with san blowing relentlessly in my face, and darkness approaching.

By the time I finished that ride I was forever changed, with a new fire and determination to push the limits of what I thought was possible. A few months later, in the fall of 2007 I made the decision to leave for Asheville School in North Carolina. This experience greatly broadened my horizons, and impacted me not only as an athlete but as a student as well. At Asheville School I became an NCISAA state champion twice in the Discus and once in the Shot Put. All my experiences in high school ultimately prepared me for Bates College in Lewiston, Maine and thats when things really started to take off. At Bates I reached the pinnacle of Division 3 Track and Field under the skillful guidance of head coach Al Fereshetian as a 10 time all American (Discus, Weight Throw, Shot Put), and 3 time National Champion in Shot.

During the past year I worked first at Salesforce.com, and then at Marketo, a marketing automation company near San Francisco, California. At Marketo I took the east coast shift from 6 a.m. till 3:30 p.m. each day, so that I could use the late afternoon and evening hours to train. During this time I improved to a personal best of 62'9.25" through sheer determination, and a great coach, Mike Lewis at San Mateo. Even with this progress I missed USA Outdoor Nationals by 2 spots.

Following this disappointment, my girlfriend, Chrissy Gee, urged me to follow my passion and pursue my potential. Without her help and guidance none of this would have been possible. In July 2014 we decided to pack our bags, and move to Portland, Oregon so that I could begin work at the Concordia Throws Center.

Training is my full time job for the next two years. I will be lifting weights 4 days a week for two to three hours at a time, and then throwing the shot for two hours on top of that 6 days a week at the Concordia Throws Center with 2 time Olympian, Jarred Rome, as my coach. Throwing will be my full time job, and I would love your participation to help me pursue this dream with a dedicated and singular focus.

Training is hard work. The momentous decision to pursue my life's dream of making an Olympic team comes from years of dedication towards a larger goal in track and field. I am pursuing this dream to truly see what I am capable of, to reach my full athletic and personal potential.

In order to compete at the highest level I am concentrating all of my efforts on training, which will leave little time for other employment. This article lays out some of the challenges that athletes in training face in order to reach their Olympic dreams: http://www.frugalconfessions.com/extra-cash/how-olympic-athletes-fund-their-dream.php. Because training consumes the majority of my time I need your support to make sure that I can keep up with living and training expenses like rent, food, and training equipment.

I have never taken on a challenge like this before and I am in awe of the opportunity. I keep everyone updated on my progress via Facebook with posts and videos. Please consider joining me by contributing, so that I can embark on this journey with a team behind me.