Ironman Triathlon for the Toronto Humane Society

Jerome B is organizing this fundraiser to benefit Toronto Humane Society.

Hello! I'm Jérôme, and I'll be participating in my first IRONMAN triathlon in Muncie, Indiana on October 2nd, 2021 in support of the Toronto Humane Society, a leader in animal welfare promoting the humane care and protection of all animals.

Why an IRONMAN?

The IRONMAN triathlon has been a life goal of mine ever since I discovered it years ago when I was living near Nice, France, where the IRONMAN is considered one of the toughest ones in the world. I remember checking their website and seeing a photo of an athlete crossing the finish line with the caption: "Do it once, brag for the rest of your life". I might not brag but I'll still do the IRONMAN.

In 2016, I suffered from a broken ankle when playing rugby, and for months, was not able to live an active lifestyle. I had lost muscle mass, agility, flexibility, in addition to the physical and mental pain. I had to define a path not to only get back on my feet, literally, but to be even better, fitter, than I was before the injury.

An IRONMAN, to me, represents the pinnacle of long-distance endurance events, where both the mind and body must work together to swim 3.9 km (2.4 miles), bike 180.2 km (112 miles), and run 42.2 km (26.2 miles) in a maximum span of 17 hours. The amount of work put into the training makes it very real; it's either you have what it takes or you don't on race day. It is not something you can finish without a significant amount of training and sacrifices. And that's why I believe your support for my efforts towards this personal life dream is deserved by a great cause such as the Toronto Humane Society.

Why the Toronto Humane Society?

I have been supporting them ever since I moved from France to Toronto in 2017. During my first year in Toronto, I volunteered for their event "Paws in the Park" where I met an amazing team of volunteers. A team of people hard at work, yet still speaking to you with a smile. Since that first event, I have become more and more interested in their cause and vision to be a leader in animal welfare, working for a society where all animals are respected and valued. They do way more than just provide shelter, care, training, veterinary support, and provide animals a second chance. I've decided to fundraise for them at all sporting events I participate in, including a half marathon in 2018 and a full marathon in 2019. They depend on the generosity of the public for funding and volunteering.

An IRONMAN triathlon and a great non-profit charity to fundraise for is truly a dream come true. Please donate and help me make it happen! Your support means everything to me, for the fundraiser as much as for the triathlon. ❤️

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Follow my adventure:

On my Instagram: @jerome8runel