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CycleOps Powered Athlete Jordan Rapp recently won the 2009 edition of Ironman Arizona, but he was competing for more than just personal glory. Jordan was on a mission to raise money for World Bicycle Relief, an organization that provides bicycles to students in Africa. According to Rapp's blog, students in rural areas of Zambia walk up to 4 hours to school. World Bicycle Relief aims to help these kids by providing bicycles to ride to get to school more quickly. CycleOps took some time to talk with Jordan about his fundraising efforts and what motivated him to embark on this mission. |
CycleOps--How did you get involved with the World Bicycle Relief?
Jordan-- SRAM asked any sponsored athletes who'd be at Interbike if they would volunteer an hour at the WBR stand. I knew nothing about the project beforehand, but I read up on it prior to the show. It seemed like a great project, and when I got more information from Chris Strout and Katie Bolling during the time I spent with them handing out promotional materials, I became even more interested. I love the idea of helping someone directly. I think that charities like the Red Cross or Livestrong are fabulous, but I really connect with the idea of directly impacting an individual by empowering him or her. It's very tangible. I call it the "teach a man to fish" approach.
CycleOps--What made you decide you wanted to raise money for it in conjunction with Ironman AZ?
Jordan-- Professional triathlon is a very selfish and solitary endeavor, and I mean that in the best way possible. It's not a negative thing. Just the reality of it. I can't give in a big way financially myself. And the race itself is not a great platform either. So doing the fundraiser beforehand seemed like an ideal way to get involved. I proposed my raffle idea to Katie, who gave me the tools with Kintera to get it started. I thought it would be a great way to finish the season. I'd already achieved my goal for the season at Ironman Canada, so this was a way to focus on something more than winning just for myself. It was something for me to focus on and strive for that was about helping other people, which was really rewarding and also motivating.
CycleOps--Did you think about the cause during the race? How did it motivate you?
Jordan-- I thought about it a lot during training. Especially on crappy days where I thought about how much training I had done and how nice it would be just to take it easy. During the race I used it at some points where it was really starting to hurt to keep me focused. When I wanted to slow down, I thought about the bicycles I'd promised if I won. And that helped me tough it out. Seeing Rudy Garcia-Tolson, who has done so much for CAF (Challenged Athletes Foundation), was a good reminder about the power of performances to inspire. Rudy was kicking butt for CAF. And I needed to do the same for WBR.
CycleOps--What was it like crossing the finish line?
Jordan-- It's surreal. There is huge relief to be done. But that moment in the chute before the line is a total rush. You never want it to end. You feel like the king of the world.
To learn more about Jordan Rapp, visit his blog at blog.rappstar.com or follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/rappstar.
To learn more about his fund raising for World Bicycle Relief, visit his page at kintera.org.