Jason P. Lester: Difference between revisions
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* [http://www.jasonplester.com/ Jason P. Lester official website] |
* [http://www.jasonplester.com/ Jason P. Lester official website] |
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* [http://neverstopfoundation.org/ Never Stop Foundation] |
* [http://neverstopfoundation.org/ Never Stop Foundation] |
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* [http://www.neverstopgear.com/ Never Stop Gear] |
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* [http://www.jplart.com/ Jason Patrick Lester Art] |
* [http://www.jplart.com/ Jason Patrick Lester Art] |
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* [http://www.chasingmemovie.com/ Movie: Chasing Me official website] |
* [http://www.chasingmemovie.com/ Movie: Chasing Me official website] |
Revision as of 06:13, 28 August 2010
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Born in 1974 in Arizona, Jason P. Lester has a long history of being an athlete. He played baseball & football as a child and was an All Star athlete as a youth. When he was twelve years old, he was hit while on his bicycle by a woman driving 70 mph who ran a red light. He was left for dead with 21 broken bones & a collapsed lung. Jason lost the use of his right arm, which became partially paralyzed as a result of the accident. Over the next several months while he began a lengthy hospital recovery, dreams of becoming a professional athlete were put on the back burner. While he was still in the hospital recovering, his father and sole guardian, died of a heart attack. But that didn’t stop Jason’s drive. Twelve months after the accident, he went on to continue to play baseball & football, making the all star game with the use of only one arm. Jason continued to play sports throughout high school & college. He began to compete in running & biathlon races at age 16 and by age 18 was ranked #2 for biathlons in the state of Arizona.
In 2004, Jason stumbled across the Ironman World Championships in Kona. His spirit felt the energy of the Ironman, and he realized it was his life’s calling to compete in this incredible event. He hired a coach to teach him how to swim and began training vigorously. With the intense training schedule, amazingly Jason began to notice that he was slowly regaining movement in his right arm. But his aspirations didn't stop at the Ironman. In 2008, Jason became the first challenged athlete to complete the Ultraman World Championships. In June 2009 at Ironman 70.3 Hawaii, Jason came in 3rd in his age group, which qualified him to compete in the Ironman World Championships (Oct 2009). In July 2009, Jason broke ground by becoming the first male triathlete to win an ESPY Award. In August 2009, Jason became the 25th person to complete both Ultraman Canada and Ultraman Hawaii out of 428 total competitors. In November 2009, Jason became the 15th athlete in the history of Ultraman to complete both Hawaii & Canada in the same year. Although his journey has been filled with heartbreak & trauma, Jason has never let this get in the way of always striving to excel and live his dreams.
In 2007, Jason founded The NEVER STOP Foundation[1] . The Foundation uses athletics to teach its young participants how to think creatively about their lives - then gives them the practical skills to turn their dreams into reality. A variety of sports programs make the child the central focus with adult athletes, teachers, and counselors acting as supporters. Mid-level programs emphasize collaboration between adult and child and later programs challenge the young people to stand on their own while staying connected to the world around them. The goal is to help those in their formative years find their own true voice, help them build their confidence, improve their communication skills and learn the values of discipline, trust, compassion, self-reliance, and respect.
Jason is active in the development of the NSPC (the Never Stop Performance Center) based in his home town of Kailua-Kona, Hawai'i. The center, set to break ground in 2011, will be a place where both children and adults will receive a chance to improve their lives through athletics, helping to build a strong life mentally, physically, and spiritually, further enabling them to reach their full potential.
Art
Jason found solace through art. Both his father and grandfather were accomplished artists, and Jason seemed to have inherited the same gift- a natural talent for painting. In 2001 he opened The JR Gallery in Manhattan Beach, California, featuring the works of new and established artists, including paintings from Jason’s own collection. The gallery and art career flourished and he became an internationally acclaimed artist, with many of his works and private commissions being requested by the sports clients of his past.
Racing and Endurance Highlights
EPIC5- 5 Iron Distance Triathlons | 5 Hawaiian Islands, 2010
ESPY Award Winner - Best Male Athlete with a Disability, 2009[2] (1st male triathlete to win an ESPY award)
ULTRAMAN Canada, 2008 (4th place overall in the run)[3], 2009 (14th place overall)[4]
ULTRAMAN Hawaii World Championships, 2008 (24th overall)[5], 2009 (18th overall)[6]
IRONMAN Arizona, 2007, 2008
IRONMAN Hawaii World Championships, 2008, 2009
IRONMAN Western Australia, 2007
70.3 Boise, 2009
70.3 Honolulu, 2009 (3rd in age group, and qualified for Ironman World Championships), 2010
Ultramarathon – Hilo to Volcano, 2008 (9th place overall)
UItramarathon – Western States 100, 2009 (pacer)
ITU Triathlon World Championships, 2007 (6th place), 2008 (2nd in category)
International Triathlon San Diego, 2007
The Nautica New York City Triathlon, 2007 (2nd in category)
Duathlon – Pac Crest Endurance, 2008 (3rd in age group[7])
USAT (USA Triathlon) PC Athlete of the Year, 2008
USAT (USA Triathlon) PC Athlete of the Year Finalist, 2007
Scottsdale Duathlon, 2005, (1st in age group[8], 2nd overall[9])
Planned events
Run to the Sun Ultra Marathon
EPIC5 Challenge
Honu 70.3
Altura Ultra Marathon
Running on FAITH Kona
Running in FAITH Seattle
Tri Rock San Diego
Triathlon Galapagos
New York City Marathon
ULTRAMAN World Championships
External links
- Jason P. Lester official website
- Never Stop Foundation
- Jason Patrick Lester Art
- Movie: Chasing Me official website
- Documentary: A Painted Race promo video
- Documentary: A Painted Race official website
Articles & Interviews
- Tonic: Jason Lester, Running on Faith (Aug 2010)
- Hawaii News Now: Sunrise (Aug 2010)
- OC16 TV: Peace of the Rainbow (Aug 27, 2010)
- The Fish 95.5 FM (Aug 26, 2010)
- TBN-TV Honolulu: Joy in our Town (Aug 26, 2010)
- WMUZ 103.5: The Bob Dutko Show (Aug 25, 2010)
- WORD-FM Kona: Afternoon Talk (Aug 24, 2010)
- ESPN Live Radio: The Josh Pacheco Show (Aug 24, 2010)
- Frank Pastore Show (Aug 23, 2010)
- Lava 105.3: Big Island Morning Show (Aug 23, 2010)
- Sirius XM Radio: Seize the Day with Gus Lloyd (Aug 23, 2010)
- Street Insider: ESPY Award-Winning Athlelte, Jason Lester Publishes His Inspirational Book, Running on Faith (Aug 2010)
- Press Release: Running on Faith (Aug 2010)
- Runners World Pure Fit Radio (May 2010)
- West Hawaii Today: An amazing achievement (May 2010)
- Hawaii 24/7: Epic: Lester, Roll finish 5 Ironmans on 5 islands (May 2010)
- Competitor TV: TriCenter (May 2010)
- The Molokai Dispatch: Survival of the Fittest | Famed triathlete comes to Molokai (May 2010)
- Honolulu Advertiser: Endurance hardly describes this trek (May 2010)
- Maui TV News: Maui Included in Seemingly Impossible Athletic Attempt (May 2010)
- The Garden Island: Epic5 Challenge Kicks Off on Kaua'i (May 2010)
- Competitor Magazine: EPIC5 Concludes on Kona (May 2010)
- Competitor Magazine: Catching up with EPIC5’s Jason Lester and Richard Roll In Kona (May 2010)
- Competitor Magazine: Epic 5 Moves To Maui (May 2010)
- Competitor Magazine: Epic 5 Reboots On Molokai (May 2010)
- Competitor Magazine: Epic 5 Takes Day Three Hiatus (May 2010)
- Competitor Magazine: Epic 5 Heads To Honolulu For Day Two (May 2010)
- Competitor Magazine: Lester and Roll Start First of Five Ironmans (May 2010)
- Competitor Magazine: Five Days, Five Ironmans: EPIC5 Launches On May 5 On Kauai (May 2010)
- Examiner.com: 5 Ironman, 5 Hawaiian Islands and 1 week later...is truly an epic journey (May 2010)
- West Hawaii Today: An Epic Journey (April 2010)
- Triatomic: Jason P. Lester (April 2010)
- ESPN Big Island Radio - Josh Pacheco Show (April 2010)
- Hawaii Sports Magazine (March/April)
- Inspiration Journal (March/April 2010)
- Portland Life: Never Give Up (Mar 2010)
- LA Talk Radio | The Simon Gowen Triathlon Show: Those Who Give Back (Mar 2010)
- Competitor.com | Triathlon: Jason Lester's Uphill Battle (Aug 2009)
- West Hawaii Today: Lester 14th at Ultraman Canada (Aug 2009)
- Ironman.com: Jason Lester Wins ESPY Award (July 2009)
- Hawaii247: Catching up with the ESPY Big Isle winner (July 2009)
- KHNL Channel 8: Lester wins ESPY Award [location in video 1:31] (July 2009)
- KGMB Channel 9: Interview with Lester on Winning ESPY [location in video 2:33] (July 2009)
- Slowtwitch: Jason Lester ESPY upset winner (July 2009)
- Las Vegas Endurance Sports Examiner: Ultraman and Ironman Jason Lester becomes first male triathlete to win ESPY (July 2009)
- West Hawaii Today: Lester claims ESPY in L.A. (July 2009)
- KGMB Chanel 9: Big Island Man Wins ESPY Award (July 2009)
- Hawaii Tribune Herald: Big Isle man up for ESPY (July 2009)
- KHNL Channel 8: Local Triathlete up for ESPY Award (July 2009)
- KGMB Channel 9: Big Island Man Nominated for ESPY (July 2009)
- West Hawaii Today: In the National Spotlight (July 2009)
- The Arizona Republic: Disabled athlete nominated for ESPY award (July 2009)
- Las Vegas Endurance Sports Examiner: Jason Lester nominated for ESPY Award (July 2009)
- USA Triathlon: Paratriathlete Nominated for ESPY Award (June 2009)
- USA Triathlon: A Trio of Firsts (March 2009)
- X Triathlon (French Magazine): Quoi qu'il arrive… terminer (Jan 2009)
- Everyman Ultraman Podcast on battling extreme adversity (Jan 2009)
- Ironman.com: Lester Does It Again (Dec 2008)
- Jason speaks about the Ultraman World Championship Experience & End of Year Report (Dec 2008)
- Jason speaks about the Hawaii Ironman World Championships (Oct 2008)
- West Hawaii Today: A True Ironman (Oct 2008)
- AOL “Everyday ATHLETE Spotlight” (June 2008)
- The Beach Reporter: Triathlete hopes to inspire with documentary (Dec 2007)
- Video: Orbea Orca, Kona Hawaii (Oct 2007)
- Hawthorne Newspaper Interview: Inspiration In A Word Describes Ironman Athlete (August 2007)
- The Competitors radio show: Guest co-host Jason Lester (June 2007)
- Jason speaks about his Arizona Ironman experience (May 2007)
- Energy First Nutrition: Jason L - 2007 Arizona Ironman Finisher - Tells us his story! (May 2007)
- The Beach Reporter: Ironman participant overcomes and inspires (April 2007)
- The Arizona Republic: Lester works past tragic events (April 2007)
References
- ^ http://www.neverstopfoundation.org/
- ^ http://www.nowpublic.com/sports/espy-winners-2009-complete-list
- ^ http://www.ultramancanada.com/html/2008.html
- ^ http://www.ultramancanada.com/UltraMan%20Canada%202009%20Final%20Results.pdf
- ^ http://ultramanlive.com/2008-ultraman-world-championships/2008-results-page/
- ^ http://ultramanlive.com/2008-ultraman-world-championships/2009-main-results-page/
- ^ http://www.racecenter.com/results/2008/pcendu08.htm
- ^ http://www.trifamilyracing.com/Results/2005/Adults_March/Du_age_group.txt
- ^ http://www.trifamilyracing.com/Results/2005/Adults_March/Du_overall.txt
- Articles needing cleanup from September 2009
- Cleanup tagged articles without a reason field from September 2009
- Wikipedia pages needing cleanup from September 2009
- Living people
- 1974 births
- Ultramarathon runners
- American triathletes
- Foundations based in the United States
- People from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
- Sportspeople from Hawaii