Sydney Ironman New York bound
Ironman Jason Shein is heading to New York to push his body to the limit in the most grueling race of his life – all in the name of charity.
Jason Shein
Most people head to New York to get caught up in its buzzing energy, soak up the summer heat, or get lost in the shopping. But for Sydney-based athlete Jason Shein, charity and challenges were the reasons why he booked a ticket. When he boards the plane to New York, it won’t be a relaxing ride but rather, the last step of what has been a very intense journey.
Next month Shein, 25, will be a ball of adrenaline as he attempts his first Ironman race in Manhattan. This eastern suburbs boy will be competing for athletic recognition and a sense of hope. The race, which begins with a dive into the Hudson River, will raise money and awareness for Zero, a charity dedicated to curing prostate cancer.
Finishing an Ironman race is no easy feat. The race starts with a 3.9km swim, which seems like the easy part in comparison to what follows: an 180km bike ride and a 42.2km marathon. Athletes push themselves to the absolute limit to cross that finish line, and Shein is no exception. In the lead up to New York, he has spent hundreds of hours in the water, on the saddle, and pounding the pavement. In fact, in the little time he has left before he leaves, Shein will train for up to 27 hours per week.
Shein is at his peak level of fitness. In preparation for the Ironman event, he has spent the last few months training for and competing in the SMH Half Marathon, the Bondi Barefoot 10km, and the Byron Bay Triathlon. That’s just in Australia. He also did the epic 175.5km La Vaujany cycling race over the French Alps. To outsiders, Shein appears to be as ready as he’ll ever be. But that’s not the case. Though he’s been training hard, Shein feels that nothing will prepare him for the kind of pain and endurance required to finish the Ironman race.
There is no doubt that Shein has a daunting task ahead of him. When asked why he is set on putting himself through the Ironman challenge, his answer is simple and inspiring.
“Having had a number of health issues in recent years, I wanted to prove that people can recover and after that, anything is possible,” he said.
He is putting his body on the line to finish this race, and it’s all in the name of charity and cancer research.
“I wanted to do something big. This is big. It is for a great cause and I really hope it draws awareness and support.”
To find out more about Zero’s fight against prostate cancer, visit zerocancer.org/races. To support Jason on his journey, please follow him on Facebook.
