Karen Smyers To Race Hawaii Ironman For Janus Charity Challenge
The 1995 Ironman Champion is set to return to the Kona course to raise money for the Matthew Larson Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.
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The 1995 Ironman Champion is set to return to the Kona course to raise money for the Matthew Larson Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.
Written by: T.J. Murphy
American triathlon great Karen Smyers, seen passing out black IronMatt.org bracelets following a photo shoot for Saucony running shoes, told Triathlete.com that she will be racing this Saturday as part of the Janus Charity Challenge raising money for the Matthew Larson Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.
Smyers says that she will be racing in honor of Robert Duffy, Jr., the son of a Robert Duffy, a fellow teammate on the Boston-based Team Psycho triathlon club. Following his battle with brain cancer, Robert Duffy, Jr.—at the age of 16—died on October 9, 2009, a year from the day Smyers will be returning to competition in Hawaii.
According to the foundation, pediatric brain tumors are “the number one childhood cancer killer and IronMatt is racing to the lead in raising funds and awareness. IronMatt has given out more than $750,000 in research grants and supports families who are battling this awful disease.”
To visit Karen’s Janus page go to: http://bit.ly/b1hXad
For more information on foundation visit IronMatt.org