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The Columbia-based Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults announced Wednesday that former seven-time Tour de France titleholder Lance Armstrong will compete next month in Howard County at the Rev3 Half Full Triathlon. The race, which supports the Ulman Cancer Fund, is scheduled for Oct. 7.
The .9-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1 run mile “Half Full” event is roughly half the distance of the annual Ironman World Championship race held in Kona, Hawaii. A shorter Olympic distance race is also part of the event. Centennial Lake serves as the swim venue for both distances.
After deciding not to defend himself against doping charges in U.S. Anti-Doping Agency arbitration hearings last month, Armstrong was stripped of his Tour de France titles and banned from competing in all USADA-sanctioned races, which includes top marathons, triathlons and cycling events. According to reports, Armstrong was most recently banned from the upcoming Oct. 7 Chicago Marathon, which he’d planned to run, apparently driving his decision to enter the Rev3 triathlon.
Columbia-native Doug Ulman, diagnosed with cancer while attending Brown University, serves as president and CEO of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, whose mission is to “improve the lives of those with cancer.”
In the immediate aftermath of the USADA ruling against Armstrong, his foundation saw a jump in contributions from supporters. However, it’s hard to believe the sanctions and Armstrong’s ban from competing will be good for his foundation over the long run.
Armstrong will compete in the cancer survivor wave of the Rev3 triathlon, beginning at approximately 7:30 a.m. "I am looking forward to competing alongside my fellow cancer survivors in the Half Full Tri," said Armstrong in a press release.
"This race is a great example of what cancer survivorship is all about — not just surviving this disease, but truly living life on your own terms," said Ulman. “I couldn't be more excited to welcome Lance back to my hometown to support an event benefiting the organization I created with my family in college.
More information on the Rev3 Triathlon can be found here. More information on the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults can be found here.
From the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults:
“The Ulman Cancer Fund and Armstrong have deep ties, dating back to the formation of the Fund. Fund founder and three-time cancer survivor Doug Ulman connected with Armstrong shortly after he and his family created the Ulman Cancer Fund in 1997. After establishing a friendship and sharing a vision for improving the lives of people affected by cancer, Ulman joined Armstrong in Texas and has served as president and CEO of the Lance Armstrong Foundation since 2007. Armstrong has been one of the Ulman Cancer Fund's largest individual donors making a $100,000 gift to the organization in 2007 to help establish a young adult patient navigation program now being offered in three cancer centers in the Baltimore/Washington, DC Metro area.”
