Left Arm Bandit

Hi Friends and Family,

I hope all of you are having good a summer as I have been.  As you are probably aware, I was in a horrific skiing accident in March of 2007 which paralyzed my right arm.  Since that time, I've had a lot of surgery and physical therapy to re-innervate the paralyzed muscles with varying degrees of success.  I currently have good elbow movement, but my shoulder, wrist and hand don't work that well. 

Last year I decided that I wasn't going to let my disability get in the way of being active and started to run again.  In October I completed the Portland Marathon, in September I got back on my bicycle and in November back in the pool swimming with one arm.  Since then I've been doing a lot of hardcore triathlon training.  July 26 was the US National ParaTriathlon (like ParaOlymipcs) Championship.  It was my fourth triathlon this year, and the first time I have competed against athletes with the same kind of disability that I have.  It was an incredible experience, and I won my category by over 5 minutes! 

My time from US Nationals qualifies me for the ParaTriathlon World Championship in Gold Coast, Australia on September 12 this year.  I never imagined that I would have the opportunity to compete on the world stage representing the USA.  However, there is a cost of about $3500 to go.  That is something I simply cannot afford, so I'm asking for some help.  If you would please use the "Help Sponsor Joel" Pay Pal donation widget (on the right and it takes a little bit to load) to donate $10, $15 or whatever you can I would greatly appreciate it.

Over the next months I'll be blogging my experiences as I prepare for the World Championship, as well as periodic updates on my other adventures.  Stay tuned!

Edit: The widget to the right is not working for some people so you can use this button as well


Thank you for your support,