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“Hawaii has been a dream for the past 20 years,’’ said Kelly, who has completed six Ironman races in the past 11 years. “I’ve tried to get in through the lottery for the last 17 years. The stars have finally aligned for me to race there.”
Kelly, a pediatric nurse, knocked her off second “bucket list” item in the spring when she went to Honduras for a 10-day medical mission. She earned her ticket to the Ironman race in Kona through the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.
Through a new partnership with Ironman, the foundation was awarded a slot in the Kona race for the individual who raised the most money for charity. Vasso is raising $30,000 for the foundation. The race is Oct. 12, and few lottery and charity spots are awarded in the race. Most athletes have to attain hard-to-reach qualifying times to qualify for the race. Kelly's fund-raising page is online.
“Hawaii is the championship, and I’ll never be fast enough to qualify,’’ Kelly said. “It’s the dream of every triathlete. When I started getting into fitness I said I’d love to run the Boston Marathon and the Ironman in Hawaii. I’ve done Boston 10 times. Now, I’ll be doing Hawaii. It gets a little harder on my bucket list to figure out what comes next.”
Kelly, the mother of four, competed in her first triathlon in 1994 and her first Ironman in 2002. “I was totally hooked,’’ she said. “I had always biked, but I did very little running. I was on the swim team in high school. The Ironman seemed like a good goal. It was a great way to do something just for me.”
Since winning the spot to compete in Kona, Kelly has been training and competing locally in preparation for the race. Her family and job make it hard to find time, but she makes it a priority.
“I wouldn't be able to do this with the support of my husband and my family,’’ she said. Kelly particularly enjoys the lengthy bike rides that are part of the training program.
“There are days when it’s hard,’’ she said. “I just love the whole experience. I went with my husband on a business trip, and took my bike with me. If I wasn't training for this thing, I’d have just been sitting by the pool. I feel like this gives me the chance to see so many different places in a lot of different ways.”
Kelly also feels fortunate to help the foundation, which pursues innovative means that accelerate the development of next-generation multiple myeloma treatments to extend the lives of patients and lead to a cure.
“I’m so lucky that I have the ability to do this,’’ Kelly said. “I’m doing this for me, but I have the opportunity to do this for so many people. One-third of people will be diagnosed with cancer. I feel really lucky that I can try to help make a difference.”
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