Kona Inspired Update

The past few weeks have been extremely busy for me, the family, and Team Shawn's Anomaly.

I got stuck in jury duty today, so instead of just sitting and waiting, I decided to bring my computer and finally update all of you on the Kona Inspired results so far

Here it is:

		Views	Daily Views
1	Fireman Brian's Mission	155736	28224
2	IRONMAN-BAWDO	99343	8033
3	Jacob Fuka_Kona Inspired	95591	9303
4	Boudousa Brain	83067	17841
5	Kona hopeful F16 pilot	30706	1538
6	Dr. Martin Jay Hernandez Motivational Specialist	29145	7685
7	Running' Down A Dream	27607	5584
8	Clarissa Alba	25888	383
9	I'm Dean Bullock, I Have Brain Cancer	25552	1233
10	Make the Impossible seem possible-Naomi C	18808	4425
11	Kona for Karen and ALS	16814	1636
12	Persistence, P.E. & Pushing Your Limits	14066	3099
13	PROJECT GIVING: IRONMAN JOURNEY	13458	3288
14	Kona Inspired, Ironman retun…Heart Condition	12019	2309
15	Suck It Cancer	11824	753
16	Inspired By The Future-Talbot Cox	10988	286
17	Double disabled Inspiration	10502	2890
18	For Mari	9782	2032
19	Kevin Hickey's Submission Video	9500	814
20	Inspired by and inspiring my Students	8743	6967
21	Shawn's Ironman	6471	364
22	Rich Cline- Racing for a Cause	5582	2176
23	4 the NEXT Generation	5287	595
24	Kona for the Kids	5268	435
25	My Life is full of possibilities	4791	319
26	From Last Right to All'I Drive with the Family	4579	1586
27	From Deathbed to Ironman	4361	70
28	From the Bathroom to Kona	4345	488
29	A Grizzly Ironman	4305	380
30	Green Dot (Henry Tolstedt)	4170	98
31	Fighting MS with MS	3727	1004
32	Kona Inspired (Stanley Lerille)	3532	229
33	Hawaii for an average guy?	3357	2425
34	The Journey-Quadriplegic to Ironman	3064	319
35	Starting to Tri-Special Olympics	3035	247
36	Prescription to Paradise	2986	2986
37	The iron will to Win	2651	381
38	The Quadfather (Nick Tieney)	2391	75
39	Spirit of Hawaii (Anja Kraft)	2321	277
40	Me An Ironman? Greg Rittler	2240	703
41	Never Quit the Game;…	2145	549
42	Because Hope Matters…Anything is Possible	2007	695
43	Team Nikki	1930	664
44	Dad's Great Day	1917	43
45	MAKING POSSIBLE THE IMPOSSIBLE	1647	27
46	Eric Yollick (Team Yollick)	1563	17
47	Obesity to Cancer to Kona	1551	68
48	I want my life…not leaving-Daniel Krenek	1543	164
49	A Cancer Cure is Possible	1487	82
50	Avery Inspired	1337	154
51	Kona-Anything Is Possible Steve Crenfeldt	1250	515
52	Heigl Olafson "A.S. Warrior"	1157	380
53	One Pound Per Mile, One Mile Per Pound	1070	400
54	Paralysis to Ironman - Brad Kelley	1045	28
55	Isabella' Legacy	1027	36
56	Bike wreck to Kona	1015	368
57	My Story, My Dream	971	971
58	14.6 That is what Cancer Can't Do	945	204
59	Girls With Sole~Lacing Up for a Lifetime	885	46
60	2013 Sobba IM	810	324
61	Jason Tse "No such thing as can't"	802	354
62	Lisa Hallett wears blue at Kona	796	401
63	Operation Brain Tumor (Ted Pepenhagen II)	789	25
64	Happy Birthday Ironman	702	18
65	Graves' Eye Disease	700	141
66	Second Chance	658	72
67	The Ginger Ale Program	656	391
68	Sara's Wish	643	28
69	Iron driven lifestyle	621	21
70	Choose to be well!	612	14
71	A race for the women in my life	587	12
72	Life Long Journey	550	19
73	Kerry Huston Kona Inspired	527	143
74	Lauren Schrichtan	520	72
75	Flatline to Finishline	493	17
76	Kimbery Pryke being Kona Inspired	490	97
77	Crash To Kona (TychoRiis Weiche)	473	13
78	The Opportunity	471	13
79	I am ... "Anything is possible" (Milan Dubravka)	462	15
80	Policeman Keegan's Anything is Possible	457	41
81	My thanks to ironman	433	16
82	my biggest dream (Christian Schon)	391	10
83	I'm an athlete, not a victim	391	82
84	Help Children Believe that Anything is Possible	365	150
85	Cancer-Baby-Bone Marrow	353	353
86	Family strength	340	30
87	Possibilities for Shattered	331	86
88	Anything Is Possible Noelle Joy Darden	328	70
89	Dean Kashlan Mantra (Dean Kashlan)	325	8
90	Dad's Dedication by Ironkids	323	39
91	Triathlon For A Cause-Spencer Lawes	319	40
92	Baby Chapman Inspiration	312	52
93	Nevermind Excuses-Dave Dalstrom	303	42
94	Mariya Hristo~Kona Inspired	299	299
95	Krintina Marquez-Wounded Warrior Project	288	288
96	Triathlete for 35 Years	282	10
97	Kona dream	274	24
98	Kona Inspired (Greg O' Reilly)	266	15
99	Military PTSD	247	21
100	Anton Guinea is Kona Inspired-Anton Guinea	237	36
101	Robert Owens- 8 Time Ironman	213	22
102	Lisa Stamm-Anything id possible	211	48
104	Marty Schultz Kona 2013	201	44
105	I have a dream	195	51
	Tom's Kona Inspired Video	181	46
	Hope	179	13
	Inpromptu 14-mile Commute	174	33
	Chris Mumane	126	37
	Catholic Preist and a Cause to Inspire Kona	110	110
	Anything is possible from intensive care	63	63
	Blake Anderson 180 "From Last to First Place"	39	39
	Las Vegas To Kona	36	36
	For my students- daring to achieve	0	0

2013 Ironman Texas Finish Line Video

I want to thank Dave Downey for inviting me in the finish line chute to give Karrie Bellard her medal. It was a very emotional moment for both of us.  Check it out at 15:03 on the Ironman Finish Clock.

Determinature

For most of us, we have all created goals and plans for ourselves.  It sometimes starts when we are young when we start to plan our adult life with the "When I grow up..." statement.  

It is very rare, if ever, for the plans and avenue on how we plan to get there ever line up with actual reality.  When we have things happen to us that alter our plans, that does not mean that our goals and final result have to change.  We just have to be persistent enough to find another path to the finish line. 

When I first started my journey to get to the Ironman World Championship in Kona, HI, I had my plans on how I was going to do it.  I was going to do different distance triathlons that would build me up until I got to Kona.  

When I realized that I either had to qualify, win the IM Lottery, or get invited to Kona, all my plans changed.  I cold have easily given up the dream right then.

Determinature

All living things on this earth have what it takes to succeed regardless if our paths are altered.  Sure, it may not be the way we expect, but sometimes the other path is more beautiful and meaningful.  Take for example the above referenced picture of a Gladiola.  Most Gladiolus grow straight up and down, but something happened to this particular plant early in the growth stages and altered it's path.  This "Anomaly" caused the plant to droop instead of growing straight up.  You would think that the Gladiola would just die off, but it was persistant.  I call this "Determinature". 

What was the result? Well the plant changed directions so it could still bloom and reach it's needed source of life, the Sun!

I don't care how many other perfect or straight Gladiolus we have in our garden, this one, to me, is the most beautiful because it has character and it's story is rich. 

This is how the Shawn's Ironman story has looked so far, but just just like Shawn had "Determinature" to survive his anomalies, I have "Determinature" to get to Kona to finally let this story bloom.  Sure our story has had it's ups and downs, but that just makes our stories and our journey more meaningful and rich.  Each day that we don't make it, we impact another family and another person is now aware. 

I hope we make it to Kona this year, but if we don't it is not going to break my heart.  It just means that the journey is still alive and becoming more beautiful!

When is it Time to Quit?

I will speak on behalf of others when saying that going through this "Kona Inspired" experience is really taxing for all of those that are entered.  In my opinion, however, this is the best way for me to get into the Ironman World Championship.  So why is the Ironman World Championship so important to me?  Well give me a few seconds to tell you.

The Ironman is the hardest one day endurance event the world.  For any that have had the privilege to compete in the event, they can tell you that it was the biggest defining moment in their life.  Sure we all are going to have great and defining moments with children being born, promotions, graduations, etc., but THIS...THIS...THIS moment has only happened to less than .01% of the world.

What would it mean to me?  Well, it would mean a lot, but what it will mean to Shawn's Anomaly is more important.  It proves that the leader of a the organization will do whatever it takes to raise awareness that will eventually help families from ever having to go through what Rachel, Shawn, and I did alone again.  It also gives me a chance to tell our story and the stories of other families affected by birth defects on a world stage and on television.  That would be huge!

So what should it mean to you?  It should mean that it will never happen unless you vote and share the Kona Inspired video.  It means that you will play a huge role by making this happen.

It we don't make it again, we will have to wait another year and hope that we can gain enough exposure next year to finally get the invitation to the Ironman World Champion or until I quit trying.

So when is it time for me to quit trying for when is it time for you to quit voting and sharing? Well...

So my answer is NEVER!  To many families are in need of this awareness and assistance.  Help me keep up the charge.  Let's march on together!

Here are the results of today's Kona Inspired view counts:

		Views	Daily Views
1	Fireman Brian's Mission	124474	1436
2	IRONMAN-BAWDO	91209	187
3	Jacob Fuka_Kona Inspired	79218	8677
4	Boudousa Brain	60091	2755
5	Kona hopeful F16 pilot	28930	289
6	Clarissa Alba	25310	77
7	I'm Dean Bullock, I Have Brain Cancer	24111	140
8	Running' Down A Dream	21121	1371
9	Dr. Martin Jay Hernandez Motivational Specialist	20071	536
10	Kona for Karen and ALS	14558	209
11	Make the Impossible seem possible-Naomi C	13504	458
12	Suck It Cancer	10863	137
13	Persistence, P.E. & Pushing Your Limits	10054	2993
14	Kona Inspired, Ironman retun…Heart Condition	9691	9
15	Inspired By The Future-Talbot Cox	9265	2891
16	PROJECT GIVING: IRONMAN JOURNEY	9065	222
17	Kevin Hickey's Submission Video	8130	498
18	For Mari	7445	256
19	Double disabled Inspiration	7256	153
20	Shawn's Ironman	5917	114
21	Kona for the Kids	4678	36
22	4 the NEXT Generation	4589	55
23	My Life is full of possibilities	4406	52
24	From Deathbed to Ironman	4274	5
25	Green Dot (Henry Tolstedt)	4038	31
26	From the Bathroom to Kona	3762	86
27	A Grizzly Ironman	3707	62
28	Kona Inspired (Stanley Lerille)	3228	60
29	Rich Cline- Racing for a Cause	3063	246
30	Starting to Tri-Special Olympics	2730	40
31	The Journey-Quadriplegic to Ironman	2655	34
32	Fighting MS with MS	2624	52
33	From Last Right to All'I Drive with the Family	2623	83
34	The Quadfather (Nick Tieney)	2300	16
35	The iron will to Win	2170	71
36	Spirit of Hawaii (Anja Kraft)	2037	2
37	Dad's Great Day	1864	9
38	MAKING POSSIBLE THE IMPOSSIBLE	1611	4
39	Eric Yollick (Team Yollick)	1540	5
40	Me An Ironman? Greg Rittler	1509	21
41	Never Quit the Game;…	1508	7
42	Obesity to Cancer to Kona	1465	50
43	A Cancer Cure is Possible	1346	17
44	I want my life…not leaving-Daniel Krenek	1270	34
45	Because Hope Matters…Anything is Possible	1217	135
46	Team Nikki	1192	67
47	Avery Inspired	1051	42
48	Paralysis to Ironman - Brad Kelley	1009	5
49	Isabella' Legacy	981	8
50	Hawaii for an average guy?	814	90
51	Heigl Olafson "A.S. Warrior"	770	7
52	Operation Brain Tumor (Ted Pepenhagen II)	760	1
53	14.6 That is what Cancer Can't Do	722	13
54	Happy Birthday Ironman	683	3
55	Bike wreck to Kona	626	35
56	Sara's Wish	614	5
57	Iron driven lifestyle	596	2
58	Choose to be well!	594	2
59	A race for the women in my life	573	1
60	Second Chance	568	16
61	Kona-Anything Is Possible Steve Crenfeldt	552	26
62	Life Long Journey	523	3
63	One Pound Per Mile, One Mile Per Pound	516	50
64	Graves' Eye Disease	508	11
65	Inspired by and inspiring my Students	475	64
66	Flatline to Finishline	472	6
67	The Opportunity	457	2
68	Crash To Kona (TychoRiis Weiche)	455	1
69	I am ... "Anything is possible" (Milan Dubravka)	446	2
70	Jason Tse "No such thing as can't"	433	23
71	Lauren Schrichtan	430	15
72	My thanks to ironman	416	3
73	Policeman Keegan's Anything is Possible	409	9
74	Girls With Sole~Lacing Up for a Lifetime	379	69
75	my biggest dream (Christian Schon)	377	1
76	Kimbery Pryke being Kona Inspired	367	18
77	Lisa Hallett wears blue at Kona	321	29
78	Dean Kashlan Mantra (Dean Kashlan)	316	1
79	Family strength	306	3
80	2013 Sobba IM	298	175
81	Dad's Dedication by Ironkids	273	9
82	Triathlete for 35 Years	271	4
83	Triathlon For A Cause-Spencer Lawes	271	10
84	Nevermind Excuses-Dave Dalstrom	256	12
85	Kona Inspired (Greg O' Reilly)	249	5
86	Kona dream	246	6
87	Baby Chapman Inspiration	241	11
88	Kerry Huston Kona Inspired	229	85
89	I'm an athlete, not a victim	226	17
90	The Ginger Ale Program	226	30
91	Possibilities for Shattered	225	13
92	Anything Is Possible Noelle Joy Darden	224	11
93	Military PTSD	223	3
94	Anton Guinea is Kona Inspired-Anton Guinea	190	7
95	Robert Owens- 8 Time Ironman	180	7
96	Help Children Believe that Anything is Possible	180	22
97	Hope	164	5
98	Lisa Stamm-Anything id possible	151	13
99	Marty Schultz Kona 2013	135	9
100	I have a dream	135	10
101	Tom's Kona Inspired Video	123	7
102	Inpromptu 14-mile Commute	120	21
104	Chris Mumane	84	4
105	For my students- daring to achieve	0	0

We Are Still In Top 20 of Kona Inspired

The weekend has come a passed.  I hope all of you as great of a weekend as we did.  Saturday and Sunday before Rachel woke up was dedicated to doing a Brick workout and a long run.  I can't tell you how awesome it feels to finally be back to working out.

Since Sunday was Mother's day, Shawn and I decided to let Rachel choose what she wanted to do for the day.  She decided that she wanted to go to beach, so we packed up the truck and headed towards Surfside.  The day was very relaxing, and I just love watching Shawn play in the sand and surf.  I am so glad that we live close enough that he can enjoy it.

On Thursday, I received a knock on the door from the FedEx guy.  I was so excited to see that was delivering the Team Shawn's Anomaly gear to all of us from Champion System.  The race gear looks amazing, and all of the iDO! Fab 5 were excited to put the race gear in action.


I am also so proud to say that Team Shawn's Anomaly also saw another podium when Melanie Kerschbaum finished in second place at the Gulf Coast 70.3 Triathlon and beating her own personal record by 47 minutes!  That is simply amazing.  Way to go Melanie!

Finally, I wanted to report another victory.  After getting injured in September of last year, I ended up adding some weight that I wanted to get off.  As of Friday, I can say that I am 20lbs lighter and officially 1/2 way to losing all the weight that wanted to lose.  This really great considering that I only in the 3rd week of my 24 week training for the Ironman World Championship.

Finally, I decided to take a look a the Kona Inspired views to see how our video was doing, and sadly we have lost a lot of ground to the other videos.  Please remember to keep up the Voting & Sharing Daily.  I know that it is hard, but remember that this story can't get there without your voting and sharing, and the more people that we can let know abou the video, the better our chances of making this happen.  Here are the results:

		Views	Daily Views
1	Fireman Brian's Mission	123038	12489
2	IRONMAN-BAWDO	91022	2211
3	Jacob Fuka_Kona Inspired	70541	37
4	Boudousa Brain	57336	11308
5	Kona hopeful F16 pilot	28641	935
6	Clarissa Alba	25233	633
7	I'm Dean Bullock, I Have Brain Cancer	23971	583
8	Running' Down A Dream	19750	970
9	Dr. Martin Jay Hernandez Motivational Specialist	19535	3659
10	Kona for Karen and ALS	14349	1514
11	Make the Impossible seem possible-Naomi C	13046	5967
12	Suck It Cancer	10726	307
13	Kona Inspired, Ironman retun…Heart Condition	9682	129
14	PROJECT GIVING: IRONMAN JOURNEY	8843	1241
15	Kevin Hickey's Submission Video	7632	471
16	For Mari	7189	752
17	Double disabled Inspiration	7103	1493
18	Persistence, P.E. & Pushing Your Limits	7061	6595
19	Inspired By The Future-Talbot Cox	6374	6016
20	Shawn's Ironman	5803	129
21	Kona for the Kids	4642	85
22	4 the NEXT Generation	4534	268
23	My Life is full of possibilities	4354	195
24	From Deathbed to Ironman	4269	23
25	Green Dot (Henry Tolstedt)	4007	149
26	From the Bathroom to Kona	3676	412
27	A Grizzly Ironman	3645	1350
28	Kona Inspired (Stanley Lerille)	3168	681
29	Rich Cline- Racing for a Cause	2817	506
30	Starting to Tri-Special Olympics	2690	287
31	The Journey-Quadriplegic to Ironman	2621	111
32	Fighting MS with MS	2572	186
33	From Last Right to All'I Drive with the Family	2540	924
34	The Quadfather (Nick Tieney)	2284	90
35	The iron will to Win	2099	1108
36	Spirit of Hawaii (Anja Kraft)	2035	261
37	Dad's Great Day	1855	100
38	MAKING POSSIBLE THE IMPOSSIBLE	1607	21
39	Eric Yollick (Team Yollick)	1535	15
40	Never Quit the Game;…	1501	158
41	Me An Ironman? Greg Rittler	1488	229
42	Obesity to Cancer to Kona	1415	78
43	A Cancer Cure is Possible	1329	69
44	I want my life…not leaving-Daniel Krenek	1236	179
45	Team Nikki	1125	1039
46	Because Hope Matters…Anything is Possible	1082	699
47	Avery Inspired	1009	467
48	Paralysis to Ironman - Brad Kelley	1004	23
49	Isabella' Legacy	973	22
50	Heigl Olafson "A.S. Warrior"	763	55
51	Operation Brain Tumor (Ted Pepenhagen II)	759	13
52	Hawaii for an average guy?	724	284
53	14.6 That is what Cancer Can't Do	709	141
54	Happy Birthday Ironman	680	10
55	A race for the women in my life	672	118
56	Life Long Journey	620	115
57	Sara's Wish	609	16
58	Iron driven lifestyle	594	12
59	Choose to be well!	592	9
60	Bike wreck to Kona	591	127
61	Second Chance	552	136
62	Kona-Anything Is Possible Steve Crenfeldt	526	95
63	Graves' Eye Disease	497	58
64	One Pound Per Mile, One Mile Per Pound	466	242
65	Flatline to Finishline	466	16
66	The Opportunity	455	5
67	Crash To Kona (TychoRiis Weiche)	454	8
68	I am ... "Anything is possible" (Milan Dubravka)	444	6
69	Lauren Schrichtan	415	83
70	My thanks to ironman	413	5
71	Inspired by and inspiring my Students	411	325
72	Jason Tse "No such thing as can't"	410	135
73	Policeman Keegan's Anything is Possible	400	47
74	my biggest dream (Christian Schon)	376	6
75	Kimbery Pryke being Kona Inspired	349	107
76	Dean Kashlan Mantra (Dean Kashlan)	315	4
77	Girls With Sole~Lacing Up for a Lifetime	310	60
78	Family strength	303	12
79	Lisa Hallett wears blue at Kona	292	184
80	Triathlete for 35 Years	267	11
81	Dad's Dedication by Ironkids	264	53
82	Triathlon For A Cause-Spencer Lawes	261	48
83	Nevermind Excuses-Dave Dalstrom	244	45
84	Kona Inspired (Greg O' Reilly)	244	7
85	Kona dream	240	21
86	Baby Chapman Inspiration	230	118
87	Military PTSD	220	11
88	Anything Is Possible Noelle Joy Darden	213	82
89	Possibilities for Shattered	212	79
90	I'm an athlete, not a victim	209	112
91	The Ginger Ale Program	196	158
92	Anton Guinea is Kona Inspired-Anton Guinea	183	43
93	Robert Owens- 8 Time Ironman	173	45
94	Hope	159	11
95	Help Children Believe that Anything is Possible	158	124
96	Kerry Huston Kona Inspired	144	90
97	Lisa Stamm-Anything id possible	138	69
98	Marty Schultz Kona 2013	126	38
99	I have a dream	125	41
100	2013 Sobba IM	123	31
101	Tom's Kona Inspired Video	116	45
102	Inpromptu 14-mile Commute	99	38
104	Chris Mumane	80	22
105	For my students- daring to achieve	0	0