So what’s my next challenge you ask? EPIC5 that’s what! Below is the press release, which just went live on the PR wire today. I think I better start training — only 8 weeks left!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 19, 2010
EPIC5 CHALLENGE: ENDURANCE TO THE LIMIT IS BORN IN HAWAII
Five Islands. Five Days. Five Ironman Challenges… EPIC.
This Spring, lauded endurance athletes Jason Patrick Lester and Richard Roll will attempt the impossible – 5 ironman distance triathlons in 5 consecutive days on 5 Hawaiian Islands.
The brainchild of Lester, EPIC5 is an unprecedented athletic and spiritual odyssey that begins March 17, 2010 on the island of Kauai before traveling on consecutive days to O’ahu, Moloka’I and Maui and concluding in Kona on March 21st. Each day will entail a full ironman-distance triathlon — 2.4 mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26 mile run.
Never previously attempted, EPIC5 raises the bar as a challenge of unparalleled endurance that promises to task the limits of limits of mind, body and spirit while capturing the hearts and souls of the public.
EPIC5 started three years ago as a vision of Lester. Despite the total paralysis of his right arm due to a catastrophic accident suffered in his youth, Lester is not only a tireless veteran of several Ironman & Ultraman competitions, he is an inspiration to countless people worldwide. A motivational speaker and youth advocate on behalf of his Never Stop Foundation, Lester catapulted into the mainstream consciousness last year when he was awarded the coveted ESPY Award for Best Male Athlete With a Disability. A resident of Kailua-Kona for the last several years, Lester conceived EPIC5 as a gift to his beloved Hawai’i; a competitive offering that uniquely links all the islands. “After I won the ESPY, there was no doubt that I wanted to give back to the islands for blessing me. Without the votes of the people of Hawai’i, I wouldn’t have won the ESPY” says Lester.
A former world-ranked swimmer from Stanford University, Roll was named one of 2009’s “25 Fittest Men in the World” by Men’s Fitness Magazine alongside such athletic luminaries as Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal and LeBron James. At 43 years of age, Roll recently competed in the 2009 Ultraman World Championships – a 3-day double ironman distance race that circumnavigates the Big Island of Hawaii – where he led the entire field by 10 minutes after the first day of competition before suffering a bicycle crash during the Day 2 170 mile bike leg. Injuries aside, Roll nonetheless completed the event in 6th place – an inspirational feat lauded by the triathlon world as one of the most courageous accomplishments of the year.
Equally captivating, both Roll and Lester are also completely vegan and are staging to push the message that anyone can achieve the highest measures of an ultra-endurance athlete by adhering to a plant-based diet. “EPIC5 provides an ideal advocacy platform for the message of long-term wellness, disease prevention and environmental consciousness through whole food plant-based nutrition” says Roll.
An integral part of the EPIC5 team is Cory Faulk, 14-time Ultraman competitor, who masterminded this challenge by laying out the logistics of each course on each island for Lester and Roll. Together this EPIC5 team will tackle the task of completing this inaugural event for generations to come.
A strong advocate for providing opportunities to children, Lester created the Never Stop Foundation whose primary focus is on encouraging youth to achieve their full potential through athletics. The goal of the Never Stop Foundation is to help those in their formative years find their own true voice, help them build their confidence, improve their communication skills and learn the values of discipline, trust, compassion, self-reliance, and respect.
Proceeds from this and all future EPIC5 events will fund the Never Stop Foundation’s vision of developing a Performance Center in Kailua-Kona.
For more information on Jason Patrick Lester, please visit:
For more information on Richard Roll, please visit:
If you would like more information on this event, for sponsorship information, or to schedule an interview either with Jason Lester or Rich Roll, please contact:
Ann Ravelo
808.351.7171
[email protected]
www.EPIC5.com
