No guts know glory IDEAS

Today, i want to present to my readers a friend of mine, Rob Hill. Rob as done something very special in the last few years. He as climb 6 of the highest summit on each continent. There is only one left; Mt Everest! And yep, he is going for it in april at the same time as i will be racing ironman Arizona!

There is also something special about his attempt at climbing the 7th summits (one on each continent). Rob was diagnose with crohn disease in 1994 (about the same time as me!) and had to have a major fight again this disease and had his colon remove(ostomy). He said himself; "when it came down to losing my colon or losing my life, it wasn't a hard decision to make." Rob's colon had to be removed a year and a half later. "Life with an ostomy was my second chance and I was not going to waste it".

so far, rob as done: Mt. Elbrus,europe
Aconcagua, south america
Mt. Kilimanjaro africa
Denali alaska
Vinson Massif antratica
Carstensz Pyramid oceania

Please go read about Rob story at his website... and i love the name... NO GUTS KNOW GLORY




Another important aspect of his work is is involvement with the Intestinal Disease Education and Awareness Society (IDEAS.....cool name again!) The main mission of the society is to educate and raise awarness to everyone of what is crohn disease, ulcerative colitis and other bowel disease. Why raise awarness?


let me give you a personal exemple. I was 12 years old when first diagnose and was very very sick. I needed to go to the bathroom at least 25-30 time in a day! Yes... more than once a hour. I miss weeks of school as i was at the hospital and then was way to scare of going back to school. All my class were 75 minutes... i did know very well that i would need to leave class at least TWICE if not 3 times to go to the bathroom. At your first year in highschool, that isnt the kind of thing you want to do... other kids dont understand and teacher think you are just trying to run away from class. I will always remember this teacher that refuse me permission to go to the bathroom..... That is something you just CANT DO with someone that as crohn or Ulcerative colitis. That teacher didnt know what that was. I never wanted to go back in this class ever. I ran away from it...

This is the kind of thing that should never happen. It s also important to educate people and give some support. Kids with crohn and UC often will isolate themself from everyone else and will stay home and lose comfidence in themself and been in contract with the outside world. For me, i would say that triathlon as been the best therapy in my life to give me back comfidence and contact with people.

Here s a link to IDEAS.... please go visit the site!


Another great thing about Rob story is that we have another very good friend that is a crohn patient, triathlete and amazing guy. John O'Shaughnessy! John is a friend of mine for a few years now as we meet in victoria and in triathlons. He will be going to everest also as a support crew for Rob. I can honestly tell you that i m very jealous as i would love to go also and see everest from the base camp!


here s a link to john's site... he is a slowtwitcher!!!