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 RACC News Archive | From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinal — Monday, September 24, 2007 |  | | A TRUE champion - passion and commitment directed toward the benfit of others [click to enlarge image] |
Starting at the Finish Line
By Tom Held
It wasn't all the miles behind, but more likely all the miles ahead that overwhelmed Cole Braun at the finish line of the Ironman Wisconsin on Sept. 9.
The business owner from Pewaukee marked the accomplishment by starting a new charity, Racers Against Childhood Cancer, which will tap race organizers and participants to generate money for childhood cancer research.
The newly formed corporation will partner with Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer, an organization that has benefited from Braun's work for nearly 20 years.
Over that time, his fund raising and athletic pursuits have been closely matched in intensity and persistence.
 | | A strong, successful finish! [click image to enlarge] |
By his count, the 46-year-old raised $43,400 for the Challenged Athletes Foundation and Operation Rebound through his training miles and participation in his first Ironman. He tacked on another $120,000 raised for the Lake Country Lutheran High School building campaign over the same time.
At some point on his journey to the Ironman, Braun feared that his work to raise money would end at the finish line on Monona Terrace. And that's when Racers Against Childhood Cancer started to take shape in his mind.
"It was borne out of the 6,500 miles in bike rides I did in preparation for the Ironman, and some of the 809 miles of running and the 140 miles or so of swimming," Braun said.
He figured that athletes like himself would want to add a greater purpose to their training and racing.
Braun said he recognizes that charitable tie ins with runs, bike rides and triathlons may be approaching a saturation point. But he figures that the lessons he learned from completing the Ironman will serve him well in the new endeavor.
"It gave me a good perspective on what it feels like to conquer something that most people don't understand, or don't think they can do," he said. "If we just be smart about it and stay committed, I think we can do some real good." |
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