I've told many of you about this, but now it's official, so I'm making the announcement here: I'm returning to strongman competition this spring. Today I sent in my entry form for the first North America's Strongest Disabled Man (NASDM). My original plan was to try to compete in powerlifting this year and strongman next. The combination of this competition being held and my recovery going much faster than originally anticipated has lead me to choose to push my timetable forward.
The competition will be held on April 18th in Columbus, OH in conjunction with the NAS sanctioned Big Phil Brown Classic. Chris, the organizer, has made a very generous decision. The registration fee for NASDM will be refunded if we show up to compete. This lowers the barrier for entry while still providing incentive to not back out at the last minute.
That said, there are still a lot of costs associated with preparing and traveling to the competition. While I would prefer to not ask for help, and I do not feel entitled to help, I recognize that I won't be able to afford this on my own. Several people have already expressed interest in helping me financially, and I've come up with several ways you can do so if you are willing and able.
First, I have stickers available. The stickers are of my logo with the words "One-Legged Lightning" underneath. The size is a little over 2"x3". I'll have these for $1 each, after 3 they'll be $.75
Second, there will be t-shirts. The logo will be on the front, and the back will say "One-Legged Lightning" and have sponsor logos. If no sponsors are found, the back will be blank. Sponsors can contact me through Facebook or e-mail (found on my contact page) and we can arrange something. Shirts will be available for $15. I'll take orders until March 15, then I'll place the order for the shirts. I won't do another run unless sufficient interest is shown, because the shirts will cost less the more shirts we order. Depending on sponsors, I may be able to order a few extra in some sizes so that people can get them later, but don't bank on this.
Third, I have another GoFundMe. Any funds obtained through other methods will also be added here so people can see how much has been raised total. I'll contact donors on GoFundMe about whether or not they would like some stickers for their donation.
Contact me through Facebook, my Facebook page, or e-mail if you'd like to get shirts or stickers.
I'll try to be as transparent about this as possible. Thanks in advance to anyone who is able to help out. The more money I can raise for this, the easier my prep will be. Once travel and lodging expenses are taken care of, any extra will go towards food/supplements/equipment.
