In Westport, where competition for everything — from bigger houses and fancier cars to tougher fitness regimens and more money raised for charity — is a blood sport, the stakes just got a lot higher.
David Friezo is trying to raise $500,000 to defray expenses for families with children being treated for cancer.
He’s doing it by running a marathon.
At the North Pole.
That’s right. On April 9 the Westporter — who has a perfectly sensible day job as managing partner with the Lydian Advisory Group — will run 26.2 miles at the geographic North Pole.
Specifically, he and 50 or so other participants in the UVU North Pole Marathon will race on Arctic ice floes, just a few feet away from 12,000 feet of Arctic Ocean. Temperatures could reach 35 degrees below zero.
David Friezo, training recently. Running in Westport this winter was superb preparation for the North Pole.
“I know what you’re thinking,” David says. “No, I am not crazy. I’m doing this for a cause that I’m extremely passionate about.”
That cause is the Friezo Family Support Fund at Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.The fund has already donated $1 million to help families with costs like housing, transportation, prosthetic devices and prescription drugs while their children are being treated at MSKCC.
Lydian has agreed to match the first $100,000 of donations made by individuals to David’s I’m-not-crazy-but-on-the-other-hand-who-in-his-right-mind-runs-a-marathon-at-the-North-Pole venture.
“06880” wants to help too. So, here’s our challenge: If readers can pledge $5,000 — just 1% of David’s goal — he’ll give us an exclusive story (with words and photos) when he gets back.
Not, as he jocularly (I hope) says, “If I get back.”
(For more information, and to pledge to David’s North Pole marathon, click here. In the line for “Donor Name,” please add “06880 Reader” after your name, so David can keep a tally. )
What a great endeavor. Not sure how David pronounces his surname, but it seems like he was born to run at the North Pole
Why the Arctic? Please don’t leave any garbage behind.
Nancy, please check the website. The marathon is carbon free!
I am not sure about the potential risks of “playing games” in this area of the world but, I do believe that a bond should be encouraged to offset the expense for intervention, or rescue, by national or international agencies. See the rules for climbing Mount Denali in Alaska.
Others, beside runners, may be at severe risk.