When Season 1 Racing started in late 2009, it was a team of 1. It remained a team of 1 through July of 2010, and had only 1 person racing until April 2011.
In February 2010, Season 1 Racing agreed to face for it’s first cause – The Humane Society of Silicon Valley.
Rusty had wanted to race for a cause when Season 1 Racing was first envisioned, and with a passion for helping animals, he struck a (great) deal with HSSV – in exchange for use of their logo on his racing uniform, he would raise money for HSSV and awareness for the cause. With this agreement, and a home-designed racing uniform purchased from Champion Systems, it began.
In April, Rusty did his first triathlon – 2010 Ironman 70.3 New Orleans. With his parents and a couple good friends there to cheer him on, Rusty realized his passion for Triathlon. He had raised over $600 for HSSV, and as it turned out after he returned, had amazed a lot of people, and even inspired some to get more active.
The second triathlon for Rusty and Season 1 Racing was the 2010 Ironman 70.3 Hawaii. After almost not competing due to finding out his dad had been diagnosed with Cancer, then subsequently his dad Russ scheduling his Cancer treatment (surgery) for the week after the race and then booking tickets to Hawaii to cheer Rusty on, Rusty went on to complete Ironman 70.3 Hawaii and managed to raise more money for HSSV.
At this point, more people around Rusty were “thinking” about trying triathlon, and as Season 1 Racing’s first triathlon was completed as Rusty crossed the finish line of Vineman, a 140.6 mile Iron-distance triathlon in Sonoma, California, Season 1 Racing started another shift in direction.
Based on Rusty’s dad experience with Cancer, and the experience of his friend and personal trainer Steve with childhood Leukemia, and the number of people that had been inspired by Rusty’s racing to become more active and healthy, the direction of Season 1 Racing was refined and focused:
Priority 1 – Inspire and help others to get healthy, active, and realize that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to.
Priority 2 – Use the inspiration to bring awareness and in some way help people diagnosed with Cancer get something that most don’t get – Someone to talk to that’s been through it.
As the first year of Season 1 Racing was coming to a close in November following Rusty’s 2nd 140.6 triathlon ( 2010 Ironman Cozumel), it concluded with a new and professional logo designed by a college friend, an agreement with a new charity (Cancer Hope Network), and a gathering group of people beginning to change their lives and others, Season 1 Racing had it’s new direction.
In the first part of 2011, Rusty introduced the new Season 1 Racing uniform at Ironman 70.3 California Oceanside, and in April Season 1 Racing hit a new milestone of having 4 racers rocking Season 1 racing uniforms.
In the second half of 2011, Season 1 Racing will see several new athletes compete in races ranging from 1/2 marathons to 140.6 Iron distance triathlons… and probably a lot, lot more, but that’s yet to be written.
To be continued…