The Challenged Athletes Foundation® (CAF) is eagerly anticipating the month of October with the arrival of two of its Signature Events, which are CAF’s largest fundraisers. The 11th annual Mazda Foundation Million Dollar Challenge will take place from October 15th to the 21st, 2016, and the 23rd annual Aspen Medical Products San Diego Triathlon Challenge will take place on October 23rd, 2016.
The Challenged Athletes Foundation hosts the annual events to celebrate empowering the athletic spirit in us all and support the organization’s mission. CAF provides opportunity and support to people with physical challenges, so they can pursue an active lifestyle through physical fitness and athletics. CAF believes that involvement in sports at any level increases self-esteem, encourages independence and enhances quality of life.
The Mazda Foundation Million Dollar Challenge is a seven-day, 620-mile journey down the breathtaking California coastline from San Francisco to San Diego. It’s a one-of-a-kind cycling event that raises over $1 million a year to support the organization’s mission. This epic experience is limited to 100 fundraising cyclists. The participants include celebrities, professional athletes and Team CAF supported challenged athletes, who enjoy an exclusive and fully supported ride through California’s most stunning coastal towns. The event combines first-class cycling support with a heart-pounding route all while riding alongside the motivating challenged athletes, who are conquering the same miles.
The Aspen Medical Products San Diego Triathlon Challenge, where able-bodied individuals and challenged athletes compete side-by-side to display the power of the human spirit, will gather more than 5,000 supporters, spectators and participants at La Jolla Cove on October 23rd. The one-day event also features the YMCA of San Diego County Tour de Cove, Kaiser Permanente Thrive-5K Fitness Walk Presented by Hanger Clinic, Philadelphia Insurance Kids’ Run, Össur Educational Zone and Wawanesa Family Fun Zone.
Dubbed the “Best Day in Tri,” 200 challenged athletes of all ages and abilities and 600 able-bodied athletes, including world-class athletes, sport legends and celebrities will conquer a 1-mile swim, 44-mile bike and 10-mile run.
Challenged Athletes Foundation CEO Ken Wheatley stated, “Whether you are a participant or spectator, everyone leaves empowered through the celebration of athletic spirit and ability. Funds raised will allow the Challenged Athletes Foundation to provide grants for adaptive sports equipment, training and competition expenses to challenged athletes around the world, and to support the organization’s mentoring programs and free sports clinics and camps.”
Registration for both events is open, with limited spots left, for the Mazda Foundation Million Dollar Challenge. Please visit www.challengedathletes.org to sign-up.
Read Freeplay magazine writer Megan Jaffe’s article “The Best Day in Triathlon”, a Challenged Athlete Foundation feature piece, in the Jan/Feb. 2015 archived issue here.
