Varsos to compete in the Escape to Miami triathlon
Competing for health
Competing for health
people who have either kidney disease or diabetes. He actually has some elite athletes that race with him on a team. He told me to send him some information
about myself and join his team and he would help me reach the goal of completing an Ironman. I put together some materials and sent them to him. I got a
call from him two days later inviting me to join Team Ireland 2008 last year. He hooked me up with a trainer for my workouts and everything.”
Varsos kicked his training up to a new level. He completed a half-marathon in the Madison Marathon, competed in three local triathlons and entered the
Ironman competition in Madison last fall. Due to a bad allergic reaction to the lake water bacteria in Lake Monona, Varsos didn’t make the swim cutoff time and
was not allowed to continue the competition.
“There were 2,400 people in the water at the same time who take off at the shot of a cannon,” Varsos recalled. “It was an incredible experience. I was the
last one out of the water. But there were people there waiting for that last person to come out. It was funny because the leaders of the group always have a
police escort. Well I had like 40 boats, canoes and kayaks following me. I guess I wouldn’t have gotten all of that attention if I had been in the middle of the
pack.”
Varsos remained undeterred and completed an Olympic-distance triathlon last October with Team Ireland. This year, Varsos has set the bar higher. He
plans to complete a full marathon this May, will again compete in Ironman Wisconsin this fall and will compete in the Escape to Miami triathlon this fall with
Team Ireland.
While Varsos is committed, in part, to competing with Team Ireland to raise money for the Shad Ireland Foundation, which gives grants to people with
chronic diseases to adapt healthy lifestyles and exercise regimens, Varsos has also been exercising himself into good health. He says his kidney disease is at bay
and his blood sugar levels are normal. And his dedication to good health has inspired others.
“Steve’s efforts inspire me to do more,” said James Rumph, a kidney transplant recipient. “One of the things I have to do is work out. Working out is essential
for good health. You get back in return what you do for your body. Your body will react to your efforts to stay fit. Even as a transplant recipient, I am not afraid to
exercise. As a matter of fact, when I find myself slipping, you find the will to exercise more frequently.”
Steve Varsos has become a winner all the way around.
For more information, visit http://blog.ironshad.com/category/steve-varsos/.
about myself and join his team and he would help me reach the goal of completing an Ironman. I put together some materials and sent them to him. I got a
call from him two days later inviting me to join Team Ireland 2008 last year. He hooked me up with a trainer for my workouts and everything.”
Varsos kicked his training up to a new level. He completed a half-marathon in the Madison Marathon, competed in three local triathlons and entered the
Ironman competition in Madison last fall. Due to a bad allergic reaction to the lake water bacteria in Lake Monona, Varsos didn’t make the swim cutoff time and
was not allowed to continue the competition.
“There were 2,400 people in the water at the same time who take off at the shot of a cannon,” Varsos recalled. “It was an incredible experience. I was the
last one out of the water. But there were people there waiting for that last person to come out. It was funny because the leaders of the group always have a
police escort. Well I had like 40 boats, canoes and kayaks following me. I guess I wouldn’t have gotten all of that attention if I had been in the middle of the
pack.”
Varsos remained undeterred and completed an Olympic-distance triathlon last October with Team Ireland. This year, Varsos has set the bar higher. He
plans to complete a full marathon this May, will again compete in Ironman Wisconsin this fall and will compete in the Escape to Miami triathlon this fall with
Team Ireland.
While Varsos is committed, in part, to competing with Team Ireland to raise money for the Shad Ireland Foundation, which gives grants to people with
chronic diseases to adapt healthy lifestyles and exercise regimens, Varsos has also been exercising himself into good health. He says his kidney disease is at bay
and his blood sugar levels are normal. And his dedication to good health has inspired others.
“Steve’s efforts inspire me to do more,” said James Rumph, a kidney transplant recipient. “One of the things I have to do is work out. Working out is essential
for good health. You get back in return what you do for your body. Your body will react to your efforts to stay fit. Even as a transplant recipient, I am not afraid to
exercise. As a matter of fact, when I find myself slipping, you find the will to exercise more frequently.”
Steve Varsos has become a winner all the way around.
For more information, visit http://blog.ironshad.com/category/steve-varsos/.
Steve Varsos (l) is in training to compete in a triathlon in
part through support from friends like James Rumph
part through support from friends like James Rumph
By Jonathan Gramling
Good health has always been a challenge for Steve Varsos, a staff member of Dane County’
s Neighborhood Intervention Program. When he was two-years old, he lost a kidney to WILMS
disease. His family sheltered him from competing in sports because of the fear that he would
harm his remaining kidney.
“I played city-league softball, although I was never really active,” Varsos said. “I liked to bike
and stuff, but I didn’t really take care of my body. I found out when I was 38 years old that I was
diabetic. And even after they told me that, I wasn’t really concerned.”
But then Varsos developed a mild form of kidney disease in his remaining kidney and he
realized that he couldn’t sit on the sidelines of good health any longer. He began a regular
regimen of exercise and lost 35 pounds. The full turnaround for Varsos came when his sister, a
liver transplant recipient, invited him to a talk by Shad Ireland.
Ireland, a motivational speaker brought in to talk to Madison area transplant recipients, is on
dialysis four times per week. Yet in spite of his condition — and perhaps because of it — Ireland
had competed in a triathlon. Varsos was inspired. “Afterwards, I was talking to him and I told him
the Ironman was one of the things I thought about doing for a long time,” Varsos recalled. “He
said ‘Why don’t you?’ He actually told me about his foundation where he brings in everyday
Good health has always been a challenge for Steve Varsos, a staff member of Dane County’
s Neighborhood Intervention Program. When he was two-years old, he lost a kidney to WILMS
disease. His family sheltered him from competing in sports because of the fear that he would
harm his remaining kidney.
“I played city-league softball, although I was never really active,” Varsos said. “I liked to bike
and stuff, but I didn’t really take care of my body. I found out when I was 38 years old that I was
diabetic. And even after they told me that, I wasn’t really concerned.”
But then Varsos developed a mild form of kidney disease in his remaining kidney and he
realized that he couldn’t sit on the sidelines of good health any longer. He began a regular
regimen of exercise and lost 35 pounds. The full turnaround for Varsos came when his sister, a
liver transplant recipient, invited him to a talk by Shad Ireland.
Ireland, a motivational speaker brought in to talk to Madison area transplant recipients, is on
dialysis four times per week. Yet in spite of his condition — and perhaps because of it — Ireland
had competed in a triathlon. Varsos was inspired. “Afterwards, I was talking to him and I told him
the Ironman was one of the things I thought about doing for a long time,” Varsos recalled. “He
said ‘Why don’t you?’ He actually told me about his foundation where he brings in everyday