more on RANDALL WHITE

WHEN DID YOU START IT?

That was in 2008. The first year, we trained 40 or so people to do a triathlon and raise money for their own causes. Now we’ve finished up three semesters, if you will, two spring seasons and a fall season, and now we’re starting our second fall season. The deadline to sign up for the triathlon this season has already passed. But we’re training people for the White Rock marathon and half marathon in December, and the deadline to sign up isn’t until the end of September.

AND YOU HAVE PROFESSIONAL COACHES?

Yes. You sign up on our website [alltri.org], and we train you to complete a half or full marathon and coach you on how to raise money for a cause you’re passionate about. You know, sometimes it can be hard to get up and work out every morning, but when you’re raising for a cause, and you’ve got people contributing toward that cause to help you cross the finish line, that’s a lot of motivation to get your out of the door in the morning.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHARITIES PEOPLE HAVE BENEFITTED?

The first semester, I raised money for the Gladney Center for Adoption in Fort Worth. I have a niece and nephew who are Gladney babies. I think it’s a wonderful adoption center, and I wanted to help. But we’ve had people raise money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Gilda’s Club, Friends of Fair Park, and all kinds of charities. We have a breakfast after each event, and we invite representatives of the charities to come, and everyone gets to present their charity with a big, oversized check. It’s very moving because everyone gets to stand up and say, “I raised money for this charity, and here’s why.”

HOW MUCH HAVE YOU RAISED SO FAR?

Since we started, we’ve trained 60 people to complete a triathlon, marathon or half marathon, and they have collectively raised nearly $170,000 for 36 charities.