April 15, 2012
March 28, 2012
Epic Man 2012 - Forrest Butler
Hello Epic people!
It wasn’t until last winter that I officially felt the spark. Mostly, I just felt the strong urge to put my fitness to the test, but was also was looking for some kind of new “hobby.” I have been an avid runner over the past few years, but never really took it beyond the “standard.” Due to the fact that hand-eye coordination has never been a particularly strong point of mine and since any shot of being heavyweight champion of the world seems to be fading, I thought the world of endurance sports was an awesome way to get out, challenge myself, stay healthy, and have some “fun.” So, while sitting around a table in Lake Tahoe with Seth “Umeme(look it up)” Bradbury, Tyler “Prefontaine” Bradbury and Nick “The Tower of Power” Pelletier, I decided I was in for Epic Man 2011.
It was not too long after we got home from Lake Tahoe that I put my name in for the Sally Of The Year Award. I chickened out. My thought was that I should probably get a marathon under my belt before attempting such a big undertaking like Epic Man. So, that’s what I did. I signed up to run in my first marathon and then quickly signed up to do my second months later, before doing my first. Thus, my journey to my first marathon and my love-hate relationship with endurance running/sports began.
Over the course of 2011 I ran in support of Epic team member Caleb Ginsberg’s fundraiser organization Motivating Miles. I had a blast all year long, met some amazing people, saw some amazing things, all while completing 3 marathons in Burlington, VT, Chicago, IL, and my own Manchester, NH. I now feel it is time to take it up a notch, turn the page, write a new chapter, etc. etc. Also, I do not want to win the SOTY Award two years running! Therefore, without further ado, EPIC MAN 2012 here I come!
March 27, 2012
EPIC MAN 2012- Nick Pelletier
Hello team...hello world,
I am joining in on the craziness this year and couldn’t be more excited.
My name is Nick Pelletier and I actually live with current team member, Tyler “Mr. Brad” Bradbury. It was watching him cruise to the finish line of last year’s Boston Marathon that lit a fire under me—leaving me thirsty to join in on the fun this year. First was to qualify for Boston, training ensued with our sights set on the Santa Rose Marathon in late August. Current team member Eddie “Money” Aten hosted us in San Fran, amply hydrating us at all the local watering holes and joining us in the race. There were successes and near-successes but ultimately we all qualified for Boston.
A late night bike accident, a separated shoulder and surgery kept me off the road for most of the fall, but I am now in the thick of training as April 15th quickly approaches. I am excited to meet all of you and learn about the stories that made us crazy enough to join this team. I hope all is well and happy training.
Also, shameless plug!
I am hoping to raise $6,000 in an effort to bring back Mission Possible, an employment program for individuals with developmental disabilities that was cut due to NH budget cuts. Check out the link!
http://gatewayscs.org/pdfs/041612_Epic_Man.pdf
Epic Man 2012 - Welcome Caleb Ginsberg
We are proud to announce another new member to the 2012 Epic Man team, Caleb Ginsberg!
Caleb is the co-founder of Motivating Miles, an organization that assists individuals and families facing a life-threatening illness to achieve acceptance, inner solace, and ensured legacy, through individualized journeys facilitating the fulfillment of lifelong desires. Caleb has been working hard training to be part of the Epic Man team in 2012; inspired by the stories and mission behind his organization. Read up a bit more on Motivating Miles and how you can help support Caleb's fund-raising here--> MOTIVATING MILES.
Caleb put together a video that tells his story & what being Epic means to him, check it out! Stay tuned right here to http://www.theepicman.com and also on our FACEBOOK PAGE to follow Caleb and the rest of the 2012 Epic Man team as we get closer to GO TIME in 3 weeks!
Caleb is the co-founder of Motivating Miles, an organization that assists individuals and families facing a life-threatening illness to achieve acceptance, inner solace, and ensured legacy, through individualized journeys facilitating the fulfillment of lifelong desires. Caleb has been working hard training to be part of the Epic Man team in 2012; inspired by the stories and mission behind his organization. Read up a bit more on Motivating Miles and how you can help support Caleb's fund-raising here--> MOTIVATING MILES.
Caleb put together a video that tells his story & what being Epic means to him, check it out! Stay tuned right here to http://www.theepicman.com and also on our FACEBOOK PAGE to follow Caleb and the rest of the 2012 Epic Man team as we get closer to GO TIME in 3 weeks!
March 19, 2012
Bianca Pettinicchi - Update from Switzerland - Epic Man 2012
See below for a few updates from 2011 and 2012 Epic Man team member Bianca Pettinicchi.
This last weekend, Bianca's bike ride consisted of 5,000 ft of climbing and a 50 mile ride to the highest peak in the Northeastern Alps, Mount Santis where at the top she could see Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, France and Italy! PICS!
You can also follow along with her training and story at her blog. A few links below talk about her longest training run ever, her mom as inspiration, and pictures of her one of a kind bike.
18 Miles & Mom as Inspiration
Bike Pictures
Stay tuned right here and at our Facebook page for more updates from Bianca and the rest of the team!
This last weekend, Bianca's bike ride consisted of 5,000 ft of climbing and a 50 mile ride to the highest peak in the Northeastern Alps, Mount Santis where at the top she could see Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, France and Italy! PICS!
You can also follow along with her training and story at her blog. A few links below talk about her longest training run ever, her mom as inspiration, and pictures of her one of a kind bike.
18 Miles & Mom as Inspiration
Bike Pictures
Stay tuned right here and at our Facebook page for more updates from Bianca and the rest of the team!
March 16, 2012
Olivia Lord - 'Mom Gets Epic' - Epic Man 2012
(photo credit Michael Young. This is during 2009 when it happened to downpour on our Portland to Portsmouth ride!)
We are proud to introduce another member of the team for 2012 - Olivia Lord!
Olivia has joined us the last two years on the Portland to Portsmouth ride - bringing along her Trek Portsmouth community for the 50 mile ride while raising money for Team Trevor. She has also hosted the Portsmouth parties the last two years at Trek Portsmouth!
This year, Olivia is in it for the entire journey. Peaks to Portland. This Mom - is getting Epic in 2012. Read all about her journey at her 'Mom Gets Epic' blog:
http://www.momgetsepic.blogspot.com/
Welcome to the team Olivia!
March 15, 2012
Epic Man 2012 - Welcome Josh Greenblatt
We are proud to introduce the 1st new team member for '12, Josh Greenblatt. In '11, Jason Greenblatt joined The Epic Man team and inspired us all – but nobody was more inspired by Jason than his brother Josh. Check out Josh’s intro video to see his story and goals for their 2012 Epic Man adventure. Stay tuned for more updates from Josh, Jason and the rest of the team!
EPIC MAN TEAM BLOG - TYLER BRADBURY - POST #2
It has been exactly one year since I wrote my last post - -
…focusing on what can be done within one 24 hour period is quite extraordinary, year after year epic man takes this concept to new heights. and although it’s the mentality of ‘always being epic,’ it’s ideally the individuals in epic man that define what ‘being epic’ is. I continue to be inspired by what my team mates are doing for themselves, and others – all based on their personal goals and desires.
since the inception of epic man, the idea of time has always played a role in everyones journey. the physical aspect of epic man is certainly something difficult that very few people can get up one morning and accomplish. however – its what fuels each member to work to attain this goal of theirs to hike a certain distance, cycle over X amount of states, cross the finish line on boylston st or to simply get on their feet.
…and here I am one year later, asking myself – well, how did I get here?
its interesting to really take a step back and look at what has been accomplished in one year of your life, where you have been, the new people you have met, the priceless experiences you have shared – and the series of events that ultimately lead you to this very moment…and sooner or later, you ask – what can be accomplished in one 365 day year?
2011 was an epic year for me, about an hour after I crossed the finish line in boston, I got a job with an incredible company, working with an unbelievably great group of people.
…and sure, your job takes up a majority of your time (which you have to have fun with) – but where are you finding yourself? how do you choose to spend the rest of your time? the very moment I chose to partake in epic man, I was able to pinpoint how my time was spent and how it truly attributed to the person I was. I love to travel to new places, be on the go – and share those times with friends when I get the chance. this is certainly an inspiration I acquired from the original epic team; stretching the limits of where you could take the concept of ‘always being epic’ and sharing it with friends. with a crew of 20 large this year, its easy to see the inspiration from one member to the next, including myself. this holds true for the last year, solid times with solid people! a couple places where I often found myself in another part of the world:
running a radical 32 miles with new epic man team member, forrest, from brighton to mansfield in june of 2011 to go see a phish concert – all on behalf of motivating miles.
gaining steam with new epic man team member, nick – tearing apart northern california and staying with new hampshire native, ed, to run the santa rosa marathon! same as it ever was:
quality time with the family in chi-town:
spending bro time in central america, mingling with the natives………………………....
putting in some miles -
…and even behind the wheel of a different automobiles:
…while some of these epic experiences entail pushing yourself to the limit & maximizing every minute of the 24 hour day… the most important is making the most of every situation handed your way. no other athletes convey this idea better than our friends at high fives foundation. overcoming unbelievable odds and cultivating what IS willpower and strength is something that is truly epic. as epic man and high fives foundation continue to grow their bond – its amazing to see what these athletes are capable of. this past winter I was able to take a trip out to lake tahoe –
where I had the opportunity to high five with roy, phil and other members of high fives out in squaw valley. totally ‘living the dream,’ these athletes have continued to help others doing what they love. something that deeply resonated with me was being a part of helping a few athletes finally take some turns on the snow once again. albeit a small fraction – epic man has the ability to instill positivity and inspiration for one member to speak up, have some fun, hope to inspire and create a journey on behalf of others.
…this years journey of epic man 2012 will be nothing short of awesome. as I begin the one month countdown, what can be accomplished in one year almost becomes more prevalent as I look at epic man concept and ask, ‘how do I work this?’
this year I have combined two beloved hobbies of mine that stick out as I look back on the concept of time and how it is spent to find myself. once living in in the mountains of colorado and the coast of maine –snowboarding and hiking were part of a daily routine. this year, hiking tuckermans ravine and snowboarding down in the white mountains of nh before kayaking 2.5 miles, biking 157 miles overnight and running 26.2 miles will sync my long time love for these two activities – just in time for another epic journey with a great group of friends.
so, where does that highway go to in epic man 2013? I just hope I can say, ‘my god, what have I done?’
…focusing on what can be done within one 24 hour period is quite extraordinary, year after year epic man takes this concept to new heights. and although it’s the mentality of ‘always being epic,’ it’s ideally the individuals in epic man that define what ‘being epic’ is. I continue to be inspired by what my team mates are doing for themselves, and others – all based on their personal goals and desires.
since the inception of epic man, the idea of time has always played a role in everyones journey. the physical aspect of epic man is certainly something difficult that very few people can get up one morning and accomplish. however – its what fuels each member to work to attain this goal of theirs to hike a certain distance, cycle over X amount of states, cross the finish line on boylston st or to simply get on their feet.
…and here I am one year later, asking myself – well, how did I get here?
its interesting to really take a step back and look at what has been accomplished in one year of your life, where you have been, the new people you have met, the priceless experiences you have shared – and the series of events that ultimately lead you to this very moment…and sooner or later, you ask – what can be accomplished in one 365 day year?
2011 was an epic year for me, about an hour after I crossed the finish line in boston, I got a job with an incredible company, working with an unbelievably great group of people.
…and sure, your job takes up a majority of your time (which you have to have fun with) – but where are you finding yourself? how do you choose to spend the rest of your time? the very moment I chose to partake in epic man, I was able to pinpoint how my time was spent and how it truly attributed to the person I was. I love to travel to new places, be on the go – and share those times with friends when I get the chance. this is certainly an inspiration I acquired from the original epic team; stretching the limits of where you could take the concept of ‘always being epic’ and sharing it with friends. with a crew of 20 large this year, its easy to see the inspiration from one member to the next, including myself. this holds true for the last year, solid times with solid people! a couple places where I often found myself in another part of the world:
running a radical 32 miles with new epic man team member, forrest, from brighton to mansfield in june of 2011 to go see a phish concert – all on behalf of motivating miles.
gaining steam with new epic man team member, nick – tearing apart northern california and staying with new hampshire native, ed, to run the santa rosa marathon! same as it ever was:
quality time with the family in chi-town:
spending bro time in central america, mingling with the natives………………………....
putting in some miles -
…and even behind the wheel of a different automobiles:
…while some of these epic experiences entail pushing yourself to the limit & maximizing every minute of the 24 hour day… the most important is making the most of every situation handed your way. no other athletes convey this idea better than our friends at high fives foundation. overcoming unbelievable odds and cultivating what IS willpower and strength is something that is truly epic. as epic man and high fives foundation continue to grow their bond – its amazing to see what these athletes are capable of. this past winter I was able to take a trip out to lake tahoe –
where I had the opportunity to high five with roy, phil and other members of high fives out in squaw valley. totally ‘living the dream,’ these athletes have continued to help others doing what they love. something that deeply resonated with me was being a part of helping a few athletes finally take some turns on the snow once again. albeit a small fraction – epic man has the ability to instill positivity and inspiration for one member to speak up, have some fun, hope to inspire and create a journey on behalf of others.
…this years journey of epic man 2012 will be nothing short of awesome. as I begin the one month countdown, what can be accomplished in one year almost becomes more prevalent as I look at epic man concept and ask, ‘how do I work this?’
this year I have combined two beloved hobbies of mine that stick out as I look back on the concept of time and how it is spent to find myself. once living in in the mountains of colorado and the coast of maine –snowboarding and hiking were part of a daily routine. this year, hiking tuckermans ravine and snowboarding down in the white mountains of nh before kayaking 2.5 miles, biking 157 miles overnight and running 26.2 miles will sync my long time love for these two activities – just in time for another epic journey with a great group of friends.
so, where does that highway go to in epic man 2013? I just hope I can say, ‘my god, what have I done?’
March 13, 2012
2012 - Always Be Epic
Just about one month away from 'The Epic Man' 2012, and we have a lot to share! Hard to believe that this is year #4 for the Epic Man team. 2012 is all about the ‘Always be Epic’ message which will be brought to life in many unique ways through our entire team.
In 2009 there were 2.
In 2010 there were 3.
In 2011 there were 9.
In 2012 there are over 20.
Our message “Always Be Epic” represents the spirit and drive of those who challenge themselves through a fusion of fitness, lifestyle, culture, and inspiration. All team members have a burning desire to accomplish Epic and inspiring goals and adventures on their own terms.
We have been fortunate to build encouragement & support for The Epic Man and the ‘Always be Epic’ message over the last 4 years which has come in many forms from many individuals and organizations. In 2009 when we started ‘The Epic Man’ – it was really just to see if we could do it – but the result was much more. We saw people inspired. We saw people creating and sharing their own ‘Epic Man’ stories (journeys, and goals that were ‘Epic’ to them). After 2010 and 2011, we have seen a small community come together around the mantra that you should strive to ‘Always Be Epic’ – whatever that may mean to you.
Always be Epic…. in everyday life, in health and fitness, with family & friends, and ultimately in your overall spirit and drive.
In 2012, twenty something individuals will be showcasing their epic goals and stories behind what ‘Always Be Epic’ means to them. We will all have (and share) our own adventures yet will be united as one team with one voice to inspire and be inspired by the community. ‘The Epic Man’ is simply the vehicle by which these stories will be told.
Between now and April, team members will be introduced and we will be sharing everyone’s stories. You (our community) have the ability to inspire us just as much as we hope we inspire you to ‘Always Be Epic’. So follow along, take part, and join us for the adventure! At the very least, we are going to have fun.
We’ll be posting updates here to the blog (new blog/website coming shortly! yeah, we know this one is pretty rough), and also to our Facebook Page on the routine.
Many thanks to all for your continued encouragement and support.
- 2012 Always Be Epic / Epic Man team
May 11, 2011
April 15, 2011
Epic Man Team Blog-Bianca-Post 2
Tomorrow morning it all begins! We have all worked so hard to get to this point and no matter what the outcome is, whether some of us make it only out of the plane or make it sprinting across the finish line on Boylston st, we all "made it." Since a large number of Epic Man team mates are running the marathon without official numbers I decided to make our own so people would know just how much it took us, mentally and physically to get to where we were.
Due to some very important personal issues back home I am only able to complete the sky diving, kayaking and some of the biking with my team. I just found out this afternoon that I am unable to complete the entire Epic Man journey, something that I have been training and working towards since Novemeber. It's been a harsh reality but sometimes life throws you those curve balls for a reason. My team means so much to me and I am so happy to have been part of this experience thus far!
April 14, 2011
Jason Greenblatt & Phil Hoban High Fives Interview!
Check out Jason Greenblatts video interview with Phil Hoban, High Fives athlete!
Donate to High Fives on behalf of Jason, Tyler and Phil HERE!
High Fives + Epic Man Interview: Jason Greenblatt and Phil Hoban from HighFivesFoundation on Vimeo.
Donate to High Fives on behalf of Jason, Tyler and Phil HERE!
April 11, 2011
Epic Man Team Blog - Edward Aten - Man Down
I messed up and didn't track my run last Sunday correctly. I accidentally paused the tracking on RunKeeper and only clocked about 13 of the 18 or so miles I ran. And quite a run it was.
One of those amazing days in the Bay Area where the winds are low, the sun is out and you snag an occasional high-5 from other runners who are out having the time of their lives. I had been out in DC and NYC a few days earlier so it was easy to get up early to try and get the 2.5 hour run from North Beach, across the Golden Gate Bridge, through Sausilito and around the Bay to Tiburon to make the 11:30 ferry. Of course things didn't go exactly according to plan.
First I spent more time than expected at Trader Joes waiting for them to open 5 minutes late then had to stop in the middle of the span of the Golden Gate Bridge to pull out my cellphone and sign the contract that would finally put my house in contract.Obviously time well spent, but even though I buckled down for the last 4 miles running close to 7 minute pace I missed the ferry by just enough to watch it back away and steam across the bay without me.
So I sat on the green and waited 90 minutes for the next ferry. I ate the salad I brought at Trader Joes. I ordered a cappuccino. I thought about the Epic Man that was only two weeks away.
This run had been my final long run of training. It wasnt as long as I probably needed but it was hard feeling bad after having so much gas left in the tank at the end. Then again the Epic man isn't a standard race, and my mood quickly moved from inspiration to intimidation thinking about the magnitude of the effort required in two weeks.
April 17th I'd be on Peaks Island Maine with a kayak looking across the bay at Portsmouth. After about an hours paddle we would hop on our bikes for a 50 mile ride to Portsmouth NH. There we'd break for some food and maybe a beer or two before the 107 mile ride to through the night to Hopkinton, MA arriving at something like 11AM the next morning.
There we are going to lock up the bikes, put on our running clothes and run the Boston marathon.
I've thought a lot about the Epic Man over the last few months almost always with the same questions: Was the concept overall crazy? Was it another life adventure? Was I crazy? Could I do it? What if I didn't finish? Why on earth was I doing this?
When George Mallory was asked why he climbed Everest he said three of the most famous words in the history of mountaineering: 'Because it's there.'
But the Epic Man wasn't there any more than cycling across the country is. Any more than me deciding I'm going to swim across the Pacific Ocean.
Sitting on the green that morning I was surrounded by all types of people. Italian tourists riding rental bikes while smoking. Lycra-clad cyclists that were either uber fit or just dressing the part. Couples over for a hike and lunch.
If I had approached them their reactions to the race would probably be as varied as their appearance. Most probably couldn't comprehend the distances. Before I started running real distances anything over 10 miles seemed completely insane. Some of the more aggressive looking guys would probably be into it. Many probably would just think I had some sort of mental problem to want to do something like that.
So what would be Epic to them? The thing that I have loved most about Epic Man from the beginning is the equality of it - it isnt just the huge distance event. People sign on for portions of the event or create their own ways of pushing their limits.
Everyone on the green could participate in some way if they had the desire.
I guess for me it just boiled down to: What happens if I take something that seems beyond possible and put everything I can muster into trying to do it?
For me the Epic Man is a real stretch. I'm not a cyclist. I'm not the fastest or best runner. But I figured if I'm going to push my limits, why not really REALLY push them?
- - -
I had another accomplishment today and while drastically different than my run last week it feels nearly as gratifying.
I took a walk.
The walk was short, probably only 400 feet but it was the first I'd stood up since checking into the hospital 24 hours ago.
I was in Miami when it all started. I ate lunch on Tuesday and afterwards felt bloated well beyond normal. I was in some real discomfort so I did the logical thing - I went for a run to the drugstore. I bought some GasX and ate the largest possible dose I could, after all I had a business dinner to attend. So I crammed in a quick few miles, some hopefully therapeutic jostling to my stomach and was still dressed and ready to go to the work dinner.
I went to dinner and figured I should eat incase food would help even things out. At this point I was uncomfortable, not in pain but not feeling like a ton of fun. We went out after dinner, I mean I had to see South Beach!
We called it relatively early around 1AM and all went to bed.
I woke up the next morning to worse discomfort. This time I really didn't want to get out of bed. I eventually made myself get up an hour later but, out of character for me, ended up back in bed a few hours later to rest.
My flight from MIA to SFO was approaching and I know I didn't want to be sick in Miami. I called my Dad and we decided even though I wasn't getting better I wasn't getting terribly worse so I got on the plane and flew home.
The flight itself was fine. I barely moved. Slept a few hours but when I got off I was hurting. No more discomfort, now this was real pain.
I'm kind of an over-thinking hypocondriac. I always think something is wrong with me but then talk myself out of it. As in, I have a pain and assume its something bad but then run the numbers and decide it is impossible I could actually have anything major wrong with me and decide to not do anything about it.
I wasn't sure I even wanted to go see a doctor. I don't even have a doctor! My primary care doc moved away two years ago and I still haven't found a replacement since I'm supposed to be in the prime of my life. I definitely didn't want to go to the emergency room. I mean I wasn't even bleeding. Stomach pain is not an emergency.
I called the hospital closest to me and they transferred me to the ER even though I had asked for Urgent Care. Apparently San Francisco didn't have any Urgent Care centers.
Great.
It was hard to walk but I still resisted and considered my options when I rememebered my HMO has a nurse call line. After waiting on hold for 10 minutes I finally connected with a nurse.
We talked for a few minutes and sounding like she was reading off of a screen she told me I had to go see someone within an hour. 'Go to the emergency room.' she said. I guess you don't mess with abdominal pain.
So I did as I was told.
The ER was empty when I got there but immediately started worrying about bumping into my friends that work at the hospital. I know at least two residents that I think even work on that floor! Are they going to see me in the ER ask what is going on and decide that I'm a tax on the already burdened system. That even though the hotline lady said I should be there what does she know and now they think of me as a wimp?
These are the kinds of things I think about.
But I've already checked in and the nurse ushers me in and within 10 minutes I'm sitting with a doctor who has sat down in front of me and is asking for my history.
We speak for about 5 minutes and he tries to do an inspection of my abdomen with his hands but can't because it hurts too much so he calls for pain meds.
After a few minutes later and mildly sedated I feel better and after poking around my stomach he is convinced I need a CT, he's pretty sure its appendicitis.
Apparently appendicitis is pretty common and happens to about 1 in every 15 Americans. The good news is that appendectomy (removal of the appendix) is such a standard procedure that there is very little risk in having it, going under is the most dangerous part.
The CT comes back and I need surgery. Supposedly the next morning.
I ask him how long recovery is and mention I have a race in a week. He laughs.
He recommends taking about a week off of work and within 4 weeks I'll feel more like myself but wont be back to full activities for another 4 weeks. From there he says it will likely be 3 months total until I feel 100%.
This is kind of a problem.
I ask him what my options are and unfortunately they are pretty limited. Apparently appendicitis very rarely goes away. If we decide to give it that opportunity the trade off is that it could rupture spilling the contents of my intestines into my stomach. If that happens its a much larger surgery, a week plus in the hospital or if something goes wrong maybe death.
Awesome!
What he is really saying is get the surgery dude. This isn't really elective.
So my Epic Man 2011 plans are over. I ask about running a section or biking a bit with the team. He says I should talk to my surgeon about that.
I realize I should probably stop stressing about the months of preparation and the excitement I've built up for the adventure and try to put it on hold for a while. After all, in a few hours I'm going to be in the OR with someone poking holes through my abdominal muscles cutting off part of my organs.
I call my friends and family and tell them whats up. Everyone is amazingly supportive including the nurses, surgeons and team at the hospital.
Surgery goes perfectly (at least from what they tell me) and at 4PM the next day I'm somewhat lucid again.
Over the next few hours I pull it together even more and want to feel how much things have been moved around. I've never had surgery before and while laying in the bed is giving me a sense of what has happened I haven't supported my own weight. I haven't sat up.
So the nurse does her rounds to her other patients, disconnects me from my IV of fluids, antibiotics and pain meds and our adventure has begun!
The entire time all I could do was think about my run the previous Sunday where miles 14-18 I turned on the after-burners and ran like hell to catch the ferry. Here I was 5 days later and waddling around the hospital for a few hundred feet felt like an accomplishment - and in some ways it was a bigger accomplishment.
- - -
Two days later there are two things that have had an impact on me from this experience thus far. First, how quickly things can change and second, how good most of us really have it.
The first point is somewhat obvious. Within a week my plans changed from doing a 180+ mile adventure to hoping I'm strong enough to attend let alone participate in any part of it.
I probably mean something a little different on the second point than what you expect. Through my entire stay in the hospital I was so glad to only be there for my appendicitis. Almost without exception, at any point during my stay I was one of the most healthy people there.
It didn't have to be appendicitis that took me our of the full distance of the Epic Man. It could have been a car accident. It could have been cancer. It could have been anything and now two days later I'm out of the hospital sitting on my couch able to write these words.
So if you are running the 1 mile run before the kayak (which I definitely will), participating in the 50 mile ride to Portsmouth, NH (this is against doctors orders but we will just have to wait and see!), doing the full Epic Man (damn!) or doing anything else that pushes yourself you are inspiring to me.
Any step, any goal, any attempt at something that pushes you is amazing no matter the distance, situation or contraints is a victory of effort, a victory against fear of failure and a victory of taking charge of who you want to be.
Stay strong. Keep trying. Dont give up. Be epic.
Ed
One of those amazing days in the Bay Area where the winds are low, the sun is out and you snag an occasional high-5 from other runners who are out having the time of their lives. I had been out in DC and NYC a few days earlier so it was easy to get up early to try and get the 2.5 hour run from North Beach, across the Golden Gate Bridge, through Sausilito and around the Bay to Tiburon to make the 11:30 ferry. Of course things didn't go exactly according to plan.
First I spent more time than expected at Trader Joes waiting for them to open 5 minutes late then had to stop in the middle of the span of the Golden Gate Bridge to pull out my cellphone and sign the contract that would finally put my house in contract.Obviously time well spent, but even though I buckled down for the last 4 miles running close to 7 minute pace I missed the ferry by just enough to watch it back away and steam across the bay without me.
So I sat on the green and waited 90 minutes for the next ferry. I ate the salad I brought at Trader Joes. I ordered a cappuccino. I thought about the Epic Man that was only two weeks away.
This run had been my final long run of training. It wasnt as long as I probably needed but it was hard feeling bad after having so much gas left in the tank at the end. Then again the Epic man isn't a standard race, and my mood quickly moved from inspiration to intimidation thinking about the magnitude of the effort required in two weeks.
April 17th I'd be on Peaks Island Maine with a kayak looking across the bay at Portsmouth. After about an hours paddle we would hop on our bikes for a 50 mile ride to Portsmouth NH. There we'd break for some food and maybe a beer or two before the 107 mile ride to through the night to Hopkinton, MA arriving at something like 11AM the next morning.
There we are going to lock up the bikes, put on our running clothes and run the Boston marathon.
I've thought a lot about the Epic Man over the last few months almost always with the same questions: Was the concept overall crazy? Was it another life adventure? Was I crazy? Could I do it? What if I didn't finish? Why on earth was I doing this?
When George Mallory was asked why he climbed Everest he said three of the most famous words in the history of mountaineering: 'Because it's there.'
But the Epic Man wasn't there any more than cycling across the country is. Any more than me deciding I'm going to swim across the Pacific Ocean.
Sitting on the green that morning I was surrounded by all types of people. Italian tourists riding rental bikes while smoking. Lycra-clad cyclists that were either uber fit or just dressing the part. Couples over for a hike and lunch.
If I had approached them their reactions to the race would probably be as varied as their appearance. Most probably couldn't comprehend the distances. Before I started running real distances anything over 10 miles seemed completely insane. Some of the more aggressive looking guys would probably be into it. Many probably would just think I had some sort of mental problem to want to do something like that.
So what would be Epic to them? The thing that I have loved most about Epic Man from the beginning is the equality of it - it isnt just the huge distance event. People sign on for portions of the event or create their own ways of pushing their limits.
Everyone on the green could participate in some way if they had the desire.
I guess for me it just boiled down to: What happens if I take something that seems beyond possible and put everything I can muster into trying to do it?
For me the Epic Man is a real stretch. I'm not a cyclist. I'm not the fastest or best runner. But I figured if I'm going to push my limits, why not really REALLY push them?
- - -
I had another accomplishment today and while drastically different than my run last week it feels nearly as gratifying.
I took a walk.
The walk was short, probably only 400 feet but it was the first I'd stood up since checking into the hospital 24 hours ago.
I was in Miami when it all started. I ate lunch on Tuesday and afterwards felt bloated well beyond normal. I was in some real discomfort so I did the logical thing - I went for a run to the drugstore. I bought some GasX and ate the largest possible dose I could, after all I had a business dinner to attend. So I crammed in a quick few miles, some hopefully therapeutic jostling to my stomach and was still dressed and ready to go to the work dinner.
I went to dinner and figured I should eat incase food would help even things out. At this point I was uncomfortable, not in pain but not feeling like a ton of fun. We went out after dinner, I mean I had to see South Beach!
We called it relatively early around 1AM and all went to bed.
I woke up the next morning to worse discomfort. This time I really didn't want to get out of bed. I eventually made myself get up an hour later but, out of character for me, ended up back in bed a few hours later to rest.
My flight from MIA to SFO was approaching and I know I didn't want to be sick in Miami. I called my Dad and we decided even though I wasn't getting better I wasn't getting terribly worse so I got on the plane and flew home.
The flight itself was fine. I barely moved. Slept a few hours but when I got off I was hurting. No more discomfort, now this was real pain.
I'm kind of an over-thinking hypocondriac. I always think something is wrong with me but then talk myself out of it. As in, I have a pain and assume its something bad but then run the numbers and decide it is impossible I could actually have anything major wrong with me and decide to not do anything about it.
I wasn't sure I even wanted to go see a doctor. I don't even have a doctor! My primary care doc moved away two years ago and I still haven't found a replacement since I'm supposed to be in the prime of my life. I definitely didn't want to go to the emergency room. I mean I wasn't even bleeding. Stomach pain is not an emergency.
I called the hospital closest to me and they transferred me to the ER even though I had asked for Urgent Care. Apparently San Francisco didn't have any Urgent Care centers.
Great.
It was hard to walk but I still resisted and considered my options when I rememebered my HMO has a nurse call line. After waiting on hold for 10 minutes I finally connected with a nurse.
We talked for a few minutes and sounding like she was reading off of a screen she told me I had to go see someone within an hour. 'Go to the emergency room.' she said. I guess you don't mess with abdominal pain.
So I did as I was told.
The ER was empty when I got there but immediately started worrying about bumping into my friends that work at the hospital. I know at least two residents that I think even work on that floor! Are they going to see me in the ER ask what is going on and decide that I'm a tax on the already burdened system. That even though the hotline lady said I should be there what does she know and now they think of me as a wimp?
These are the kinds of things I think about.
But I've already checked in and the nurse ushers me in and within 10 minutes I'm sitting with a doctor who has sat down in front of me and is asking for my history.
We speak for about 5 minutes and he tries to do an inspection of my abdomen with his hands but can't because it hurts too much so he calls for pain meds.
After a few minutes later and mildly sedated I feel better and after poking around my stomach he is convinced I need a CT, he's pretty sure its appendicitis.
Apparently appendicitis is pretty common and happens to about 1 in every 15 Americans. The good news is that appendectomy (removal of the appendix) is such a standard procedure that there is very little risk in having it, going under is the most dangerous part.
The CT comes back and I need surgery. Supposedly the next morning.
I ask him how long recovery is and mention I have a race in a week. He laughs.
He recommends taking about a week off of work and within 4 weeks I'll feel more like myself but wont be back to full activities for another 4 weeks. From there he says it will likely be 3 months total until I feel 100%.
This is kind of a problem.
I ask him what my options are and unfortunately they are pretty limited. Apparently appendicitis very rarely goes away. If we decide to give it that opportunity the trade off is that it could rupture spilling the contents of my intestines into my stomach. If that happens its a much larger surgery, a week plus in the hospital or if something goes wrong maybe death.
Awesome!
What he is really saying is get the surgery dude. This isn't really elective.
So my Epic Man 2011 plans are over. I ask about running a section or biking a bit with the team. He says I should talk to my surgeon about that.
I realize I should probably stop stressing about the months of preparation and the excitement I've built up for the adventure and try to put it on hold for a while. After all, in a few hours I'm going to be in the OR with someone poking holes through my abdominal muscles cutting off part of my organs.
I call my friends and family and tell them whats up. Everyone is amazingly supportive including the nurses, surgeons and team at the hospital.
Surgery goes perfectly (at least from what they tell me) and at 4PM the next day I'm somewhat lucid again.
Over the next few hours I pull it together even more and want to feel how much things have been moved around. I've never had surgery before and while laying in the bed is giving me a sense of what has happened I haven't supported my own weight. I haven't sat up.
So the nurse does her rounds to her other patients, disconnects me from my IV of fluids, antibiotics and pain meds and our adventure has begun!
The entire time all I could do was think about my run the previous Sunday where miles 14-18 I turned on the after-burners and ran like hell to catch the ferry. Here I was 5 days later and waddling around the hospital for a few hundred feet felt like an accomplishment - and in some ways it was a bigger accomplishment.
- - -
Two days later there are two things that have had an impact on me from this experience thus far. First, how quickly things can change and second, how good most of us really have it.
The first point is somewhat obvious. Within a week my plans changed from doing a 180+ mile adventure to hoping I'm strong enough to attend let alone participate in any part of it.
I probably mean something a little different on the second point than what you expect. Through my entire stay in the hospital I was so glad to only be there for my appendicitis. Almost without exception, at any point during my stay I was one of the most healthy people there.
It didn't have to be appendicitis that took me our of the full distance of the Epic Man. It could have been a car accident. It could have been cancer. It could have been anything and now two days later I'm out of the hospital sitting on my couch able to write these words.
So if you are running the 1 mile run before the kayak (which I definitely will), participating in the 50 mile ride to Portsmouth, NH (this is against doctors orders but we will just have to wait and see!), doing the full Epic Man (damn!) or doing anything else that pushes yourself you are inspiring to me.
Any step, any goal, any attempt at something that pushes you is amazing no matter the distance, situation or contraints is a victory of effort, a victory against fear of failure and a victory of taking charge of who you want to be.
Stay strong. Keep trying. Dont give up. Be epic.
Ed
April 10, 2011
Always Be Epic TV - EPISODE 8 - Jake Cacciapaglia
Before the "Road to Epic Man 2011" starts tomorrow in Milwaukee Wisconsin, we are proud to announce the last Epic Man 2011 team member, Jake Cacciapaglia! By day, Jake is on the leadership team at Runkeeper. By night, he is known for his "Jake Shake". (No, it is not a dance move) Watch Jake's intro video to learn more about him and his famous "Jake Shake"!
Jake will also be joining us in NYC for the "Paint NYC EPIC" run w/ the Runkeeper Community.
Jake will also be joining us in NYC for the "Paint NYC EPIC" run w/ the Runkeeper Community.
Runkeeper & The Epic Man - "Paint NYC Epic" Details - 4/14 - 5PM
As part of the "Road to Epic Man 2011" - we'll be stopping in NYC on Thursday April 14 to "Paint NYC Epic" with Runkeeper.
If you are around, join us for an appx. 9 mile run starting at Sarah Roosevelt Park at East Houston and Chrystie. Meet up around 5PM. We'll be taking off around 5:30PM and ending in Times Sqaure to celebrate the run.
Click HERE for the Runkeeper Link & Map.
Click HERE for the Facebook Event Page.
See you on Thursday in NYC!
April 7, 2011
EPIC MAN TEAM BLOG – JASON GREENBLATT – POST #2
At this time 2 weeks from today, I will hopefully had just traveled roughly 190 miles, powered by my body and mind. Just my legs and arms, to paddle that kayak, pedal that bike, and run that marathon.
To tell you the truth, I feel really good! A lot has happened in the past few weeks. A lot of running (did a 20 miler last weekend), more biking, a few good surfs. I started to take this kick ass Yoga/Spin class that's actually located in one of Bruce Lee's old studio's (YAS in Venice, google it). But something really epic happened since last time I posted, I GOT ENGAGED! Boo yeah!! I've got my teammate for life, and so lucky to have found such an amazing person. She has been an inspiration since I met her, and looking forward to continue this adventure called life together.
Speaking of family, unfortunately my old man won't be around for the Epic man, rather he will be in the Bahamas cracking a cold one and hopefully getting out and doing some deep sea fishing. Which I think sounds like a pretty epic time. My Dad has always lead an active life, and in honor of him, I have been growing my beard for at least a month, with no plan to shave till Mexico. Check out the pictures below. He is 30 in that picture, and I am 1 month away from the big 30.
To tell you the truth, I feel really good! A lot has happened in the past few weeks. A lot of running (did a 20 miler last weekend), more biking, a few good surfs. I started to take this kick ass Yoga/Spin class that's actually located in one of Bruce Lee's old studio's (YAS in Venice, google it). But something really epic happened since last time I posted, I GOT ENGAGED! Boo yeah!! I've got my teammate for life, and so lucky to have found such an amazing person. She has been an inspiration since I met her, and looking forward to continue this adventure called life together.
Speaking of family, unfortunately my old man won't be around for the Epic man, rather he will be in the Bahamas cracking a cold one and hopefully getting out and doing some deep sea fishing. Which I think sounds like a pretty epic time. My Dad has always lead an active life, and in honor of him, I have been growing my beard for at least a month, with no plan to shave till Mexico. Check out the pictures below. He is 30 in that picture, and I am 1 month away from the big 30.
April 5, 2011
Support our Epic Man 2011 Partner Organizations!
Can't participate in any of the group runs, the boat cruise, the bike rides, or the parties.... but still want to support the team and our partner organizations? See below for a complete list with links where you can check out more info on the organizations and donate.
Click HERE for the full rundown of Epic Man events.
Click HERE for the full list of opportunities to participate in Epic Man 2011.
High Fives Foundation
(Team members Jason and Tyler are representing High Fives)
High Fives Foundation is a Tahoe-based non-profit organization dedicated to raising money and awareness for athletes who have suffered a life-altering injury while pursuing their dream in the winter action sports community.
Donation Site:http://highfivesfoundation.org/epicman.html
The Sisters Wish
(The Sisters Wish are hosting the 1 Mile Epic Run and Portlan Boat Cruise on 4/17)
The Sisters Wish is a non-profit organization that provides wish's to
terminally/chronically ill young adults ages 18-30 who reside in Maine, New Hampshire or Massachusetts.
http://thesisterswish.org/
http://thesisterswish.org/epicman.html
http://www.active.com/running/portland-me/the-sisters-wish-epic-adventure-2011
Team Trevor
(Team Trevor is the supported charity on the Trek Portsmouth bike ride from Portland to Portsmouth on 4/17)
http://teamtrevor.org/
http://teamtrevor.org/about.htm
http://trekportsmouth.com/merchant/2007/files/infopageandreg.pdf
The Claddagh Fund
(Official Charity of the Dropkick Murphy's and the sponsor of the Epic Man / Social Boston Sports afterparty on Boylston Street at McGreevy's on 4/18)
http://claddaghfund.org/aboutus.php
Donation Link, Event Page - stay tuned!
Ronald McDonald House - Boston
(Team Member Justin Obey is representing the Ronald McDonald House)
http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/justin-obey/the-epic-man
Charity4Life – Leading International Fundraising Efforts
(Charity4Life is the supported Charity and host of the Mag Mile run in Chicago on 4/12)
Charity4LIFE is a Chicago-Based Corporation focused on benefitting children in third-world countries. Charity4LIFE’s Mission is to support underdeveloped communities through grassroots NGO’s, focusing on street children and empowering them to reach their full potential. Charity4LIFE is currently representing institutions in Columbia and Guatemala with its next mission taking place in Haiti April 29-May 4.
Weekend Warrior Activism* – A style of humanitarian aid that involves working around the 40-hour workweek.
http://www.charity4life.org
Donation Link HERE.
Click HERE for the full rundown of Epic Man events.
Click HERE for the full list of opportunities to participate in Epic Man 2011.
High Fives Foundation
(Team members Jason and Tyler are representing High Fives)
High Fives Foundation is a Tahoe-based non-profit organization dedicated to raising money and awareness for athletes who have suffered a life-altering injury while pursuing their dream in the winter action sports community.
Donation Site:http://highfivesfoundation.org/epicman.html
The Sisters Wish
(The Sisters Wish are hosting the 1 Mile Epic Run and Portlan Boat Cruise on 4/17)
The Sisters Wish is a non-profit organization that provides wish's to
terminally/chronically ill young adults ages 18-30 who reside in Maine, New Hampshire or Massachusetts.
http://thesisterswish.org/
http://thesisterswish.org/epicman.html
http://www.active.com/running/portland-me/the-sisters-wish-epic-adventure-2011
Team Trevor
(Team Trevor is the supported charity on the Trek Portsmouth bike ride from Portland to Portsmouth on 4/17)
http://teamtrevor.org/
http://teamtrevor.org/about.htm
http://trekportsmouth.com/merchant/2007/files/infopageandreg.pdf
The Claddagh Fund
(Official Charity of the Dropkick Murphy's and the sponsor of the Epic Man / Social Boston Sports afterparty on Boylston Street at McGreevy's on 4/18)
http://claddaghfund.org/aboutus.php
Donation Link, Event Page - stay tuned!
Ronald McDonald House - Boston
(Team Member Justin Obey is representing the Ronald McDonald House)
http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/justin-obey/the-epic-man
Charity4Life – Leading International Fundraising Efforts
(Charity4Life is the supported Charity and host of the Mag Mile run in Chicago on 4/12)
Charity4LIFE is a Chicago-Based Corporation focused on benefitting children in third-world countries. Charity4LIFE’s Mission is to support underdeveloped communities through grassroots NGO’s, focusing on street children and empowering them to reach their full potential. Charity4LIFE is currently representing institutions in Columbia and Guatemala with its next mission taking place in Haiti April 29-May 4.
Weekend Warrior Activism* – A style of humanitarian aid that involves working around the 40-hour workweek.
http://www.charity4life.org
Donation Link HERE.
April 1, 2011
Epic Man 2011 - Participate & Support!
There are many ways for YOU to Be Epic and join the Epic Man 2011 journey to help inspire others and raise money for some of our partner organizations.
CHICAGO: On April 12, Join Will and Seth on the 2nd Leg of the "Road To Epic Man 2011" when they partner up with Chicago based Charity4Life for their next mission to Haiti. This Leg will include a Happy Hour Fun Run along the shores of Lake Michigan and on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago. All details and Registration can be found HERE, or on the event's FACEBOOK Page.
NEW YORK CITY: On April 14, the 3rd Leg of the "Road to Epic Man 2011" join Seth, Will and a few other Epic Man 2011 team members when we partner up with Runkeeper to "Paint NYC Epic". We don't have the exact details on this one yet, but for those of you interested in joining, stay tuned right here and also to our FACEBOOK PAGE as details come to life.
PORTLAND, ME: On the morning of April 17, The entire Epic Man team will kick off Epic Man 2011 partnering with The Sisters Wish for an EPIC MILE fun run which will end at Casco Bay Lines for a brunch Ferry cruise to watch the Epic Man team on the 1st official leg of the Epic Man as they travel from Peaks Island to Portland, ME. After the team has arrived, Epic Mile and Epic Man participants will gather at Flatbread on Commercial Street in Portland, ME for the first party before everyone sends the Epic Man team off on the Trek Portsmouth Bike Ride and 2nd Leg of the Epic Man from Portland to Portsmouth, NH. Details & registration can be found HERE. Register soon, as there is limited capacity on the boat and we filled it last year!
PORTSMOUTH TO PORTLAND: The 2nd leg of the Journey is the a 50 mile bike ride from Portland, ME to Portsmouth, NH which is sponsored by TREK Portsmouth in support of TEAM TREVOR. Anyone interested in joining our team for this should contact TREK Portsmouth directly. All details and registration info can be found HERE. The Trek Portsmouth ride will finish up at the Trek Portsmouth Retail shop off of Route 1 in Portsmouth. This party will include food provided by Chipotle, in addition to some tasty local brews. This party is FREE and open to the Public (even if you did not participate in the ride). Donations to Team Trevor will be accepted at the party if you wish to contribute.
Stay tuned right here and also to our FACEBOOK page for more details as the come for the opportunities above as well as for the details on the After Marathon party at McGreevy's in support of the Claddagh Fund, as well as details on the after after marathon party at River Gods in Cambridge where Will and Seth will DJ the night away.
CHICAGO: On April 12, Join Will and Seth on the 2nd Leg of the "Road To Epic Man 2011" when they partner up with Chicago based Charity4Life for their next mission to Haiti. This Leg will include a Happy Hour Fun Run along the shores of Lake Michigan and on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago. All details and Registration can be found HERE, or on the event's FACEBOOK Page.
NEW YORK CITY: On April 14, the 3rd Leg of the "Road to Epic Man 2011" join Seth, Will and a few other Epic Man 2011 team members when we partner up with Runkeeper to "Paint NYC Epic". We don't have the exact details on this one yet, but for those of you interested in joining, stay tuned right here and also to our FACEBOOK PAGE as details come to life.
PORTLAND, ME: On the morning of April 17, The entire Epic Man team will kick off Epic Man 2011 partnering with The Sisters Wish for an EPIC MILE fun run which will end at Casco Bay Lines for a brunch Ferry cruise to watch the Epic Man team on the 1st official leg of the Epic Man as they travel from Peaks Island to Portland, ME. After the team has arrived, Epic Mile and Epic Man participants will gather at Flatbread on Commercial Street in Portland, ME for the first party before everyone sends the Epic Man team off on the Trek Portsmouth Bike Ride and 2nd Leg of the Epic Man from Portland to Portsmouth, NH. Details & registration can be found HERE. Register soon, as there is limited capacity on the boat and we filled it last year!
PORTSMOUTH TO PORTLAND: The 2nd leg of the Journey is the a 50 mile bike ride from Portland, ME to Portsmouth, NH which is sponsored by TREK Portsmouth in support of TEAM TREVOR. Anyone interested in joining our team for this should contact TREK Portsmouth directly. All details and registration info can be found HERE. The Trek Portsmouth ride will finish up at the Trek Portsmouth Retail shop off of Route 1 in Portsmouth. This party will include food provided by Chipotle, in addition to some tasty local brews. This party is FREE and open to the Public (even if you did not participate in the ride). Donations to Team Trevor will be accepted at the party if you wish to contribute.
Stay tuned right here and also to our FACEBOOK page for more details as the come for the opportunities above as well as for the details on the After Marathon party at McGreevy's in support of the Claddagh Fund, as well as details on the after after marathon party at River Gods in Cambridge where Will and Seth will DJ the night away.
March 31, 2011
Always Be Epic TV - EPISODE 7 - Edward Aten
“To me, being EPIC is trying without fear of failure “. With Epic Man just over 3 weeks away, we are proud to announce another 2011 team member, Edward Aten! Ed is our 2nd West Coast team member for 2011, and founder of Swift.fm. Check out his intro video and stay tuned for blog posts from Ed in these last 3 weeks leading up to Epic Man. One more new 2011 team member intro video to come next week. Stay tuned right here to www.theepicman.com or on our FACEBOOK PAGE for updates from Ed and the rest of the 2011 team.
March 28, 2011
Always Be Epic TV - Episode 6 - Bianca Pettinicchi
We are proud and excited to announce the newest member of our 2011 team, and first female (!!) team member, Bianca Pettinicchi! Bianca is from Boston, MA and her Epic resume includes a recent trip from Boston to San Francisco....by way of bicycle. Stay tuned right here and to our facebook page for blog posts from Bianca leading up to the Epic Man kickoff, as well as for the last few of our Epic Man 2011 team member intro videos!
March 18, 2011
EPIC MAN TEAM BLOG - BIANCA PETTINICCHI - POST #1
Hello Hello!
Its March 18th, that means we are one month away from completing Epic Man 2011, my first Epic Man journey ever, and hopefully not the last. I started training about 5 months ago, slowly running and slowly getting my legs back in shape on the bike trainer. Now as we are only weeks away from the Epic Man I need to kick things in high gear.
I went on a training ride yesterday from Portsmouth NH to Boston, not the exact route we will be taking but I got a great feel for the distance and time it took to ride the 75 miles. My bike and I have traveled a lot together over the past year and I almost forgot in these winter days how much I enjoy distance riding and taking a whole day to just explore and wander on my trusty steed.
It was one of the nicest days so far of the year and riding along the coast was beautiful! Hopefully we score some great weather during our Epic Man adventure. One more month and then one more goal to cross off the list!
Its March 18th, that means we are one month away from completing Epic Man 2011, my first Epic Man journey ever, and hopefully not the last. I started training about 5 months ago, slowly running and slowly getting my legs back in shape on the bike trainer. Now as we are only weeks away from the Epic Man I need to kick things in high gear.
I went on a training ride yesterday from Portsmouth NH to Boston, not the exact route we will be taking but I got a great feel for the distance and time it took to ride the 75 miles. My bike and I have traveled a lot together over the past year and I almost forgot in these winter days how much I enjoy distance riding and taking a whole day to just explore and wander on my trusty steed.
It was one of the nicest days so far of the year and riding along the coast was beautiful! Hopefully we score some great weather during our Epic Man adventure. One more month and then one more goal to cross off the list!
March 15, 2011
EPIC MAN TEAM BLOG - TYLER BRADBURY - POST #1
24 hours.
What can you accomplish within one 24 day?
Wake up, eat some cheerios, work, do some more work, etc…this is often the typical path of events. (?)
EpicMan takes this idea, turns it and persuades yourself to really see what you can accomplish in 24 hours. Both individually and cohesively working with other people, a lot can be accomplished within one given day. What actions are you taking on that day that is for something in the future? Whether for your career, hobby or a random personal goal, training for the EpicMan has already taught me a few of these things. Taking things day by day, everything will lead up to that one day April 17th where the idea of what you can accomplish in 24 hours is put to the test:
2.5 mile kayak
157 mile overnight bike
26.2 mile run
Each one of my days for the past few months have been set on this, and the next month or so will be nothing different.
I came to realize the impact of what one day has between January 17th and 18th of 2011. As I was finishing up my 2 week stint out in the Rockies of Colorado, the snow had been, well…epic. I didn’t think anything could top my stay in Lake Tahoe for New Years Eve, but Ullr had something else to say about that as I finished my extended stay out West. Word on the street had been 1½ - 2 feet overnight ending around 9am on the 18th for a bluebird pow day. (Anyone else’s particulars tingling as you read that?) As I woke up, I turned on the local channel to get the latest, 2+ feet had fallen. Go time. Although I don’t ski, the below video documents the epic status of powder that had fallen on the 18th. (note: video does NOT include heard “WOOO’s!!” heard from around the mountain)
Getting the 3rd chair up, I lapped peak 10 for 3 hours because there was enough snow that terrain really didn’t matter. After 3+ hours on the hill, I took off to the Front Range. On my drive home I realized it was my long run day! This was tough, because just like after a long, romantic evening with a beautiful woman, I was exhausted.
I arrived in 55 degree Denver, where it was a world apart from terrain I had been just a few short hours ago. Suns out = guns out. It was time to do my 14 miles. Running in Washington Park, there were many things to think about; the 3 month mark to EpicMan, the birthday of my late Mother, the epic end to my stay in the mountains earlier that morning, or how I was going to put forth most of my EpicMan efforts to helping out the HighFives foundation. Finally finishing the longest run I had in my training since it began, I had reflected back on my day. Having the opportunity to ride in the AM and then run 14 miles in the afternoon. This reiterated why I was amped to have chosen HighFives Foundation to run for! Having the opportunity to push my body to extreme limits is something that I have learned to not take for granted. With applying myself throughout the day, I immediately went home to work on the first stages of launching the EpicMan/HighFives donation page.
Speaking earlier that week with Roy from High Fives, my excitement grew and it was a great way to end/begin the next phase of my training.
Fast forward to present day, I am continuing to apply myself to both training and ways to better my 24 hours. I can only hope that this journey with the entire EPIC MAN 2011 TEAM continues to be inspiring to myself and others…even beyond the finish line @ Boston on April 18th, 2011.
DONATE TO HIGH FIVES HERE:
http://highfivesfoundation.org/epicman.html
What can you accomplish within one 24 day?
Wake up, eat some cheerios, work, do some more work, etc…this is often the typical path of events. (?)
EpicMan takes this idea, turns it and persuades yourself to really see what you can accomplish in 24 hours. Both individually and cohesively working with other people, a lot can be accomplished within one given day. What actions are you taking on that day that is for something in the future? Whether for your career, hobby or a random personal goal, training for the EpicMan has already taught me a few of these things. Taking things day by day, everything will lead up to that one day April 17th where the idea of what you can accomplish in 24 hours is put to the test:
2.5 mile kayak
157 mile overnight bike
26.2 mile run
Each one of my days for the past few months have been set on this, and the next month or so will be nothing different.
I came to realize the impact of what one day has between January 17th and 18th of 2011. As I was finishing up my 2 week stint out in the Rockies of Colorado, the snow had been, well…epic. I didn’t think anything could top my stay in Lake Tahoe for New Years Eve, but Ullr had something else to say about that as I finished my extended stay out West. Word on the street had been 1½ - 2 feet overnight ending around 9am on the 18th for a bluebird pow day. (Anyone else’s particulars tingling as you read that?) As I woke up, I turned on the local channel to get the latest, 2+ feet had fallen. Go time. Although I don’t ski, the below video documents the epic status of powder that had fallen on the 18th. (note: video does NOT include heard “WOOO’s!!” heard from around the mountain)
Getting the 3rd chair up, I lapped peak 10 for 3 hours because there was enough snow that terrain really didn’t matter. After 3+ hours on the hill, I took off to the Front Range. On my drive home I realized it was my long run day! This was tough, because just like after a long, romantic evening with a beautiful woman, I was exhausted.
I arrived in 55 degree Denver, where it was a world apart from terrain I had been just a few short hours ago. Suns out = guns out. It was time to do my 14 miles. Running in Washington Park, there were many things to think about; the 3 month mark to EpicMan, the birthday of my late Mother, the epic end to my stay in the mountains earlier that morning, or how I was going to put forth most of my EpicMan efforts to helping out the HighFives foundation. Finally finishing the longest run I had in my training since it began, I had reflected back on my day. Having the opportunity to ride in the AM and then run 14 miles in the afternoon. This reiterated why I was amped to have chosen HighFives Foundation to run for! Having the opportunity to push my body to extreme limits is something that I have learned to not take for granted. With applying myself throughout the day, I immediately went home to work on the first stages of launching the EpicMan/HighFives donation page.
Speaking earlier that week with Roy from High Fives, my excitement grew and it was a great way to end/begin the next phase of my training.
Fast forward to present day, I am continuing to apply myself to both training and ways to better my 24 hours. I can only hope that this journey with the entire EPIC MAN 2011 TEAM continues to be inspiring to myself and others…even beyond the finish line @ Boston on April 18th, 2011.
DONATE TO HIGH FIVES HERE:
http://highfivesfoundation.org/epicman.html
March 14, 2011
Always Be Epic TV - EPISODE 5 - Jason Greenblatt
We are proud to announce Jason Greenblatt as the newest member of the 2011 Epic Man team! Jason is originally from New England but lives in Santa Monica, California making him the first West coaster to join the team! Jason is livin' the dream... and dreamin' about the finish line on Boylston street as he works hard to prepare for the entire Epic Man journey in 2011. Stay tuned for the next Always Be Epic TV episode introducing the next Epic Man 2011 team member, coming soon.
March 10, 2011
"The Road to Epic Man 2011" - CHECK PLEASE!
2009 was about just seeing if we could do it and holding up our end of the “challenge”. 2010 was about inspiring others to “BE EPIC” and supporting charities that allow others to Be Epic, all while challenging ourselves even “more” than in 2009. 2011 is all about the entire TEAM supporting, carrying, and spreading the “Always Be Epic” message to as many people as possible. It’s not about the # of miles or the finish line and never will be; it’s about being Epic, spreading Epic, inspiring Epic in others, and challenging yourself to “ALWAYS BE EPIC”.
To kick off this year’s EPIC MAN event, we are excited to announce “ THE ROAD TO EPIC MAN 2011”.
For those of you that have followed along since Day 1 – you may remember that the original idea for Epic Man grew out of a “spirited” discussion amongst friends one night in October of 2008 at the Downtown Lounge in Portland, Maine over handful of Miller High Life beers. That evening, Seth and Will came up with Epic Man challenge, and the conversation ended with each one saying to the other: “You won’t do it…”. Neither one of us wanted to be the one to back out of the original challenge, and thus “The Epic Man” was born.
To pay homage to the “roots” of Epic Man, we will start the “Road to Epic Man 2011” at the birthplace of Miller High Life at the Plank Road Brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We will explore the Brewery, meet some of the brew masters, and of course….enjoy a few cold High Life’s. Then, we will set off on a 100 mile journey by Bike from Milwaukee to Chicago down the coast of Lake Michigan. We are working on a special project w/ OAKLEY New England around this whole story, so stay tuned for more info!!
When we arrive in Chicago by bike, we will meet a group of runners for a Happy Hour “Magnificent Mile” run on none other than…(wait for it)....the famous Magnificent Mile. This one mile happy hour run will be in support of Chicago based non-profit, “Charity4Life”. Charity4Life's mission is to support underdeveloped communities through grassroots NGO's, focusing on street children, empowering them to reach their full potential. Those that come out for the run will specifically be supporting C4L’s next mission to Haiti, scheduled for April 29 to May 4. We will start & finish at a few local bars along the Mag Mile. More info to come on locations, registration, etc. In the meantime, any questions can be sent to info@charity4life.org.
From Chicago, we will hop in the car to continue the “Road to Epic Man” and drive all the way to NYC.
In NYC we will meetup with a group of runners that are ready to “Paint the town E.P.I.C”. In cooperation with Runkeeper, we will map out a route covering all of Manhattan to spell out E.P.I.C. in the streets of NYC. NYC is definitely one of the most epic places on earth, so what better way to celebrate that than by painting the town EPIC as part of the “Road to Epic Man 2011”. Stay tuned for LOTS more info on this fun project, and more on how you can join us in NYC. The above image is NOT the final route, but will give you an idea of what we will be doing. The run will be anywhere from 10-15 miles long.
From NYC we will drive up to Boston where we will meet the rest of the team members at the Boston Marathon Expo to pick up our bib #’s and eat far too many food samples from all of the vendors. We will also head to Landry’s on Commonwealth Ave to pick up a few bikes for the Epic Man team. Landry’s has been helping out with Epic Man support since year 1, which we are very thankful for. We will also be eating a mid-day meal at one of our favorite spots – The Otherside Café, right down the street from the Expo. Feel free to join for some eats or a few beers. More info to come on timing, stay tuned.
From Boston, we will head up to Maine with the entire team on Saturday Morning April 16 to “get ready” as a team for the crazy journey that will all embark on starting the next day. By “get ready” …we mean, jumping out of a plane! What better way to get pumped up than by skydiving from 12,000 feet with the team? Enough said. Post jump, we will have a team dinner in Portland, Maine and put the final preparations together for the next day, the start to The Epic Man.
Sunday morning, join us and The Sisters Wish for a ONE mile run/walk in Portland to kick off Epic Man 2011. The run will start at approximately 8:30AM. At the conclusion of the run/walk, supporters will board a Casco Bay ferry for a brunch cruise to Peak’s Island to wish the Epic Man team well on the start of their journey via kayak/swim from Peaks Island to Portland, ME. For more info on the 1 mile EPIC run & brunch cruise supporting The Sisters Wish, please contact beth@thesisterswish.org. LOTS more info to come on this portion of the journey.
The last few years we have kayaked from Peaks Island to Portland. THIS YEAR, Will and Ted Mitchell are planning to SWIM (yes, the entire 2.5 miles in the cold cold Atlantic). The rest of the team will kayak alongside of them.
When we have all arrived in Portland, ME, Epic Man team members and supporters will gather at Flatbread Company on Commercial Ave for a few beers and some lunch from 11:30 to 1:30. Starting at 1:00PM, we will begin sending off the first “waves” of cyclists who are joining us for the 50 mile bike ride from Portland to Portsmouth, NH. This portion of the Epic Man journey is being sponsored by TREK PORTSMOUTH. We will end the 50 mile journey at the Trek Store in Portsmouth, NH for another party and some food from Chipotle. If you are interested in joining the team on the TREK Portland to Portsmouth journey, please contact olivia@trekportsmouth.com. Like last year, the Trek Portland to Portsmouth ride will benefit Team Trevor! Again, more details coming soon.
After the TREK Portsmouth Party, the Epic Man team will push off for the overnight, 107 mile bike ride from Portsmouth,NH to Hopkinton,MA. When we arrive in Hopkinton, we will change up our gear, and get ready to run the 115th Boston Marathon.
IN ADDITION *** Epic Man 2011 team members are representing different Epic organizations that inspire them as part of their journey in 2011. For example, Jason Greenblatt and Tyler Bradbury are raising money for HIGH FIVES. Check out thier info/post HERE.
After we cross the finish line on Boylston Street, join us for an Epic Man post party celebration with Social Boston Sports at McGreevy’s right on Boylston.
……BUT WAIT! The party is not over…. (Is it ever?!) After the McGreevy’s daytime party on the 18th, the Epic Man 2011 Team will shower and change up and head over to River Gods in Cambridge where Will and Seth will DJ River God’s weekly series called “Weekly Wax” with an “EPIC” themed evening from 8PM to 12AM to celebrate the journey and wrap up “The Epic Man” for 2011. We couldn’t be more excited for this year’s team, this year’s event, and for your continued encouragement and support of all of our partner charities and organizations, as well our message: “ALWAYS BE EPIC”. Stay tuned right here at THE EPIC MAN site for Blog Posts from all of our 2011 team members, and to our Facebook page at http://www.alwaysbeepic.com to follow along day to day as we get closer and closer to GO TIME!
To kick off this year’s EPIC MAN event, we are excited to announce “ THE ROAD TO EPIC MAN 2011”.
For those of you that have followed along since Day 1 – you may remember that the original idea for Epic Man grew out of a “spirited” discussion amongst friends one night in October of 2008 at the Downtown Lounge in Portland, Maine over handful of Miller High Life beers. That evening, Seth and Will came up with Epic Man challenge, and the conversation ended with each one saying to the other: “You won’t do it…”. Neither one of us wanted to be the one to back out of the original challenge, and thus “The Epic Man” was born.
To pay homage to the “roots” of Epic Man, we will start the “Road to Epic Man 2011” at the birthplace of Miller High Life at the Plank Road Brewery in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. We will explore the Brewery, meet some of the brew masters, and of course….enjoy a few cold High Life’s. Then, we will set off on a 100 mile journey by Bike from Milwaukee to Chicago down the coast of Lake Michigan. We are working on a special project w/ OAKLEY New England around this whole story, so stay tuned for more info!!
When we arrive in Chicago by bike, we will meet a group of runners for a Happy Hour “Magnificent Mile” run on none other than…(wait for it)....the famous Magnificent Mile. This one mile happy hour run will be in support of Chicago based non-profit, “Charity4Life”. Charity4Life's mission is to support underdeveloped communities through grassroots NGO's, focusing on street children, empowering them to reach their full potential. Those that come out for the run will specifically be supporting C4L’s next mission to Haiti, scheduled for April 29 to May 4. We will start & finish at a few local bars along the Mag Mile. More info to come on locations, registration, etc. In the meantime, any questions can be sent to info@charity4life.org.
From Chicago, we will hop in the car to continue the “Road to Epic Man” and drive all the way to NYC.
In NYC we will meetup with a group of runners that are ready to “Paint the town E.P.I.C”. In cooperation with Runkeeper, we will map out a route covering all of Manhattan to spell out E.P.I.C. in the streets of NYC. NYC is definitely one of the most epic places on earth, so what better way to celebrate that than by painting the town EPIC as part of the “Road to Epic Man 2011”. Stay tuned for LOTS more info on this fun project, and more on how you can join us in NYC. The above image is NOT the final route, but will give you an idea of what we will be doing. The run will be anywhere from 10-15 miles long.
From NYC we will drive up to Boston where we will meet the rest of the team members at the Boston Marathon Expo to pick up our bib #’s and eat far too many food samples from all of the vendors. We will also head to Landry’s on Commonwealth Ave to pick up a few bikes for the Epic Man team. Landry’s has been helping out with Epic Man support since year 1, which we are very thankful for. We will also be eating a mid-day meal at one of our favorite spots – The Otherside Café, right down the street from the Expo. Feel free to join for some eats or a few beers. More info to come on timing, stay tuned.
From Boston, we will head up to Maine with the entire team on Saturday Morning April 16 to “get ready” as a team for the crazy journey that will all embark on starting the next day. By “get ready” …we mean, jumping out of a plane! What better way to get pumped up than by skydiving from 12,000 feet with the team? Enough said. Post jump, we will have a team dinner in Portland, Maine and put the final preparations together for the next day, the start to The Epic Man.
Sunday morning, join us and The Sisters Wish for a ONE mile run/walk in Portland to kick off Epic Man 2011. The run will start at approximately 8:30AM. At the conclusion of the run/walk, supporters will board a Casco Bay ferry for a brunch cruise to Peak’s Island to wish the Epic Man team well on the start of their journey via kayak/swim from Peaks Island to Portland, ME. For more info on the 1 mile EPIC run & brunch cruise supporting The Sisters Wish, please contact beth@thesisterswish.org. LOTS more info to come on this portion of the journey.
The last few years we have kayaked from Peaks Island to Portland. THIS YEAR, Will and Ted Mitchell are planning to SWIM (yes, the entire 2.5 miles in the cold cold Atlantic). The rest of the team will kayak alongside of them.
When we have all arrived in Portland, ME, Epic Man team members and supporters will gather at Flatbread Company on Commercial Ave for a few beers and some lunch from 11:30 to 1:30. Starting at 1:00PM, we will begin sending off the first “waves” of cyclists who are joining us for the 50 mile bike ride from Portland to Portsmouth, NH. This portion of the Epic Man journey is being sponsored by TREK PORTSMOUTH. We will end the 50 mile journey at the Trek Store in Portsmouth, NH for another party and some food from Chipotle. If you are interested in joining the team on the TREK Portland to Portsmouth journey, please contact olivia@trekportsmouth.com. Like last year, the Trek Portland to Portsmouth ride will benefit Team Trevor! Again, more details coming soon.
After the TREK Portsmouth Party, the Epic Man team will push off for the overnight, 107 mile bike ride from Portsmouth,NH to Hopkinton,MA. When we arrive in Hopkinton, we will change up our gear, and get ready to run the 115th Boston Marathon.
IN ADDITION *** Epic Man 2011 team members are representing different Epic organizations that inspire them as part of their journey in 2011. For example, Jason Greenblatt and Tyler Bradbury are raising money for HIGH FIVES. Check out thier info/post HERE.
After we cross the finish line on Boylston Street, join us for an Epic Man post party celebration with Social Boston Sports at McGreevy’s right on Boylston.
……BUT WAIT! The party is not over…. (Is it ever?!) After the McGreevy’s daytime party on the 18th, the Epic Man 2011 Team will shower and change up and head over to River Gods in Cambridge where Will and Seth will DJ River God’s weekly series called “Weekly Wax” with an “EPIC” themed evening from 8PM to 12AM to celebrate the journey and wrap up “The Epic Man” for 2011. We couldn’t be more excited for this year’s team, this year’s event, and for your continued encouragement and support of all of our partner charities and organizations, as well our message: “ALWAYS BE EPIC”. Stay tuned right here at THE EPIC MAN site for Blog Posts from all of our 2011 team members, and to our Facebook page at http://www.alwaysbeepic.com to follow along day to day as we get closer and closer to GO TIME!
EPIC MAN TEAM BLOG – JASON GREENBLATT – POST #1
As I sit here in the Las Vegas Airport, for the second time in two weeks, my body is not only recovering from the epic parties, but also the 16 mile run last week,, followed by the hardest circuit training class I have ever taken. It may sound easy, but try doing a pyramid of push ups, jump squats, and burpees (combo of push up and jump squat) for 20 minutes straight as fast as you can. You start at 1 each, and ending at 15 each. Essential it comes out to 120 reps of each. High 5 yourself if you can finish this in 20 minutes, because it is way harder than it sounds.
Speaking of way harder than it sounds and High Fives, check out this link of my man Phil Hoban making miracles happen. Only 2 months ago he was ripping down a chute at Squaw when his binding broke and unfortunately sent him into a rock, leaving his C4 and C5 severed. The doctors didn't think he would be walking or out of the hospital by now, but he is fully walking, and living back at home in Truckee. The fresh powder he now sees falling on the mountain only gives him more strength to keep pushing himself to improve his motor skills day by day. He was a ripping skier, and I fully know he will rip again very soon. His positive attitude and sense of humor is truly inspiring, and helping me realize I can be as EPIC as I want, with no limits to what we as humans can push our bodies to do.
Speaking of way harder than it sounds and High Fives, check out this link of my man Phil Hoban making miracles happen. Only 2 months ago he was ripping down a chute at Squaw when his binding broke and unfortunately sent him into a rock, leaving his C4 and C5 severed. The doctors didn't think he would be walking or out of the hospital by now, but he is fully walking, and living back at home in Truckee. The fresh powder he now sees falling on the mountain only gives him more strength to keep pushing himself to improve his motor skills day by day. He was a ripping skier, and I fully know he will rip again very soon. His positive attitude and sense of humor is truly inspiring, and helping me realize I can be as EPIC as I want, with no limits to what we as humans can push our bodies to do.
Winter Empowerment Athlete: Phil Hoban at OT w/ Denise Bowness from HighFivesFoundation on Vimeo.
February 8, 2011
Always Be Epic TV - EPISODE 4 - Justin Obey
Flip is back to announce Epic Man 2011 team member #3, Justin Obey. When Justin is not hiking up 12K foot mountains, he is helping 7,000 members of "Social Boston Sports" Be Epic through organizing sports leagues, adventure trips, and of course...parties. We are very excited to have him on the team! Stay tuned for the next Always Be Epic TV episode introducing the next Epic Man 2011 team member, coming soon.
January 21, 2011
Always Be Epic TV - EPISODE 3 - Ted Mitchell
FLIP is BACK, introducing you to Epic Man 2011 team member, Ted Mitchell. Ted joined us last year for the Kayak, and ENTIRE bike portion of the Epic Man in 2010, and this year he is training to do the entire journey including the Boston Marathon. Stay tuned for additional Always Be Epic TV episodes with FLIP introducing the rest of the 2011 Epic Man Team.
FACEBOOK PAGE
December 13, 2010
Always Be Epic TV - Episode 2 - Tyler Bradbury
As promised - "Flip" is back delivering the introduction to our newest Epic Man 2011 team member. We are excited to announce that Tyler Bradbury will be joining us for the entire Epic Man journey! Check out the video and find out why Tyler has decided to join the team in 2011 and what being Epic means to him. Stay tuned to our FACEBOOK PAGE and http://www.theepicman.com for more team members to be announced! Tyler has "passed the torch" (aka "Flip") to the next team member who is currently filming their introduction. Who will it be?!
December 8, 2010
Always Be Epic TV - EPISODE 1 - Epic Man 2011 Preview
No, this is not a commercial for Flip Cameras. It is an introduction to the newest member of the team for 2011.
The goal of "The Epic Man" is to carry and share the message of inspiration to the masses to challenge yourself and others to "Always be Epic" in all areas of life.
Over the last two years since we started "The Epic Man", we have had the pleasure of meeting and being inspired by so many amazing people with Epic stories to tell. This year more than ever, we have seen many of these individuals step forward and challenge themselves to bring their inspiring stories to the Epic Man journey by committing to all or part of the Epic Man in April 2011. Enter...."Flip".
"Flip" will be the one and only "torch" that will travel around the USA between now and April 2011 to meet all of the individuals who are committing to "Always be Epic" in 2011 and who will be part of our Epic Man 2011 team. We want to share their stories and have you get to know them since they will be the backbone of the Epic Man in 2011.
Every time Flip visits a new team member, that person will film themselves and introduce who they are, what they are all about, and share some Epic inspiration as they begin their journey as part of the Epic Man team. When they have finished filming, they will leave a note or something special on Flip, and send him on to the next person.
We will release each video one-by-one over the coming months to The Epic Man website, and our FACEBOOK PAGE. If you would like to meet Flip and be part of the team, just let us know and we will arrange a good time for Flip to visit you. We may also reach out directly to you, and ask (aka CHALLENGE!) you if you would like to arrange a visit with Flip. Be on the lookout!
Once a majority of the Epic Man 2011 team has been introduced....we will announce additional details on what Epic Man 2011 looks like. In the meantime, we look forward to you getting to know the newest members of the team!
August 10, 2010
Josh's EPIC WISH Ride Complete!
70 miles complete - and 100+ kids @ Camp No Limits in Rome, ME (along with countless others) completely inspired by Josh and his incredible Journey. Stay tuned for pictures and follow-up from Epic Wish #1...
August 3, 2010
July 22, 2010
"EPIC WISH" Recipient #1 - Josh Kennison!
Thanks to the support we received from all of you (through numerous high 5's and even more high "$$5's") we are excited & proud to announce our first "Epic Wish" recipient, Josh Kennison.
The "Epic Man" journey was (and will continue to be) about achieving goals, providing (and taking) inspiration from friends and strangers, and ultimately about striving to BE all things EPIC.
Our goal in raising money to grant "Epic Wishes" partnering with The Sisters Wish, was to find those individuals that have their own Epic goals or story to tell, and be able to provide them with the inspiration and means to accomplish their own "Epic Man" – so they can in turn inspire others to BE EPIC, being the EPIC individuals that they are.
Plain and simple, Josh Kennison is Epic. Josh Kennison is a quadruple congenital amputee (meaning he was born without feet or arms below the elbow). Josh has not let that slow him down one bit - his long list of personal accomplishments to date, and his personal goals for the future are noble and inspiring to say the least.
When we asked Josh - "what is your Epic Man?" His idea and goal was to ride a bike from his home in South Paris, ME to Camp No Limits (where he is a counselor) in Rome, ME for the start of one of the summer sessions. Camp No Limits is a non-profit organization providing camps that mentor and support children with limb loss.
South Paris, ME to Rome, ME is approximately 65 miles! This will no doubt be one EPIC journey! The first step in granting Josh's EPIC WISH was to outfit him with a killer new bike that would allow him to make the long trek. During the weekend of July 11 & 12 we sent Josh to Lake Placid, NY to pick out a bike from Placid Planet Bikes and work with Jeff Erenstone at Mountain Orthodic & Prosthetic Services to custom fit a bike for him.
Check out a few of the pictures of Josh on his trip with the new ride! (Photo Credits: Jeff Erenstone)
Next up: Josh is currently training for the bike ride. Will and Seth are training as well, and will be making the trek from South Paris,ME to Rome,ME with Josh on August 3rd. Awaiting our arrival at Camp No Limits will be all of the new campers who will no doubt be inspired to "BE EPIC" themselves through Josh's recent (and future) accomplishments!
Stay tuned to our FACEBOOK PAGE for updates on the new bike, the training, and the 65 mile ride that will complete Josh's EPIC WISH!
July 2, 2010
Epic Man 2010: Boston to..........San Fran?!
The Volcano in Iceland didnt allow us to carry out the original plan to head right to Europe and run the London Marathon. Instead, we got a couple hours of sleep, woke up the next morning and started searching for marathons around the world. We almost went to Peru, Brazil, Madrid, Costa Rica, and even Iceland - but finally landed on San Francisco. A great host city for the 2nd leg of Epic Man 2010. With no plan but to run a marathon the next Sunday, here is a quick photo recap of what went down:
Boston T card-->Red Sox Game-->Airline ticket-->SF Train ticket-->Mojito
Crashed with Ed and Lisa. Ed ran the marathon with us and killed it.
Did our fair share of partying leading up to the marathon (Those are not our coats)
Went and checked out Mavericks Surf. Status = epic
Went for a sailing Race in SF Bay. Seth almost fell off the boat
Skydiving? You won't do it.........
Skydiving and then Wine Tasting in Napa- opposites attract
Morning of the marathon!
Marin County Marathon & EPIC MAN 2010 DONE.
2 hours after Marathon Finish....Giants Game!
Tattoos. This is Will's leg.
Seth's tattoo goes a little something like this:
Boston T card-->Red Sox Game-->Airline ticket-->SF Train ticket-->Mojito
Crashed with Ed and Lisa. Ed ran the marathon with us and killed it. 
Did our fair share of partying leading up to the marathon (Those are not our coats)
Went and checked out Mavericks Surf. Status = epic
Went for a sailing Race in SF Bay. Seth almost fell off the boat
Skydiving? You won't do it.........
Skydiving and then Wine Tasting in Napa- opposites attract
Morning of the marathon!
Marin County Marathon & EPIC MAN 2010 DONE. 
2 hours after Marathon Finish....Giants Game!
Tattoos. This is Will's leg. 
Seth's tattoo goes a little something like this:
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