The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Ironman Team Kicks Off Training With Six-Time Ironman World Champion Dave Scott

NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Six-time Ironman world champ Dave Scott will address a group of athletes tonight to inspire them as they ready themselves for the inaugural Ironman US Championship in New York and New Jersey coming August 11, 2012.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110215/NY48642LOGO )

The athletes are training for the event as members of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training (TNT) program. While the big event is eight months away, Scott, the national triathlon coach for TNT, will explain why training must start now for the athletes to be fully prepared for such an intense physical challenge.

A U.S. Navy Seal, a professional lacrosse player, a Navy doctor and former star of "The Bachelor," and a leukemia survivor are part of a special 12- member team affiliated with LLS's New Jersey Chapter who will gather tonight to hear Scott's advice. Approximately 50 participants of the New York City Chapter will also be in attendance. All are kicking off their training today as members of TNT, and will raise funds to support cancer research as they prepare for the race.

The New Jersey team's inspiration is John Hyland, a New Jersey businessman who has recently battled acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), a rapidly progressing blood cancer that begins in the bone marrow.  Hyland, who has completed eight Ironman races, was diagnosed with AML in 2010, and recently completed another round of treatment. Despite this life-threatening illness, Hyland is determined to reach the finish line alongside his teammates. New Jersey's "IronTeam" (www.iron-team.com) has set a goal of raising $500,000 to support LLS-funded research.

"My teammates and I are hoping to build on the impact that Team In Training has had over its 23-year history, with more than $1.2 billion raised to help beat cancer," said Guy Adami, the team's organizer and a panelist on CNBC's Fast Money. "Taking on the Ironman is a daunting goal, but it pales in comparison to the challenges cancer patients face every day."

The team is also training in honor of Kayla DeFeo, a girl from New Jersey who lost her fight with leukemia in September at age 7.

To get them fired up for their 8-month haul to the main event, Scott will speak tonight at a reception at Audi Forum, 250 Park Avenue at 47th Street, about the challenges he has faced as an athlete and the rigors of training they should expect. Scott will also participate in a Q&A session. TNT Ironman coaches Scott Willett of the New York City Chapter and Chuck Graziano of the New Jersey Chapter will also take questions.

John Korff, president of Korff Enterprises, a sports marketing and event management company, and organizer of the Ironman US Championship in New York and New Jersey, will also address the team tonight. Korff's event will be the first Ironman triathlon to ever take place in the New York metro area. Its course includes a 2.4-mile swim in the Hudson River; a 112-mile bike ride on the Palisades Parkway in New Jersey and a marathon distance run finishing in Riverside Park in Manhattan.

Among the New Jersey "IronTeam" members are:

• Leif Babin, former U.S. Navy Seal and recipient of a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars and a Purple Heart for his bravery during the Iraq War;
• Ned Crotty, one of the world's top lacrosse players and currently a member of major league team Rochester Rattlers;
• U.S. Navy Lt. Commander Andrew Baldwin, M.D., known for his role in ABC's "The Bachelor" but also a U.S. Navy doctor, and an accomplished Ironman competitor.

About Team In Training

TNT is the largest and most successful endurance sports charity training program. Participants receive four to five months of training (or longer as in the case of the Ironman) by professional, certified coaches. Training regimens, nutrition advice, injury prevention and more are part of weekly team workouts. And while training, participants raise funds for lifesaving cancer research. Since its inception in 1988 TNT has trained over half a million people who have raised $1.2 billion to help beat cancer. Team In Training is currently recruiting for its next season. Visit www.teamintraining.org to learn more.

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society® is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services.  

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in White Plains, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada. To learn more, visit www.LLS.org or contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET. www.lls.org.

Contact: Andrea Greif
(914) 821-8958, (914) 772-3027 (cell)
[email protected]

SOURCE The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society