Roll On!

Some of you have been asking about James rolling across the finish line. Here is the reason why…

Even before James’s beloved grandmother passed away from ALS in May, he had always said that if he ran the Ironman, he wanted to be a “Blazeman Warrior”. The Blazeman Foundation for ALS raises money for the war on ALS, in memory of Jon Blais. In 2005, Jon was diagnosed with ALS. In October of that year, he became the only person with ALS to ever finish an Ironman, and he did it in Kona! I am not sure about the direct quote, but Jon Blais had said something to the effect of “I will finish if I have to roll across the line!” When he finished, he got down on the ground and “log rolled” over the line.

Jon Blais passed away on May 27, 2007. James’s grandmother passed away from this terrible disease exactly 4 years later. In October, James dedicated his Ironman race to her memory.

Throughout the years, it has become a tradition for Blazeman Warriors to “log roll” over the finish line of their races. The log roll is used as a symbol of hope in the war on ALS and also a way of raising awareness about ALS. That is why James rolled over the finish line.

The 2011 Ford Ironman World Championship may be over, but the “war on ALS” is not! If James has inspired you, you can still give a tax deductible donation at: http://www.active.com/donate/teamblazeman/blazemanJGarris