Team Osbon prepares for The RBC Decathlon

Family, philanthropy, and fitness are all great passions for me.  So when registration opened for a fantastic event that combines all three, I was at the front of the sign-up line.  On July 28 this summer, my son Max and I will throw ourselves into The RBC Decathlon, where we’ll compete in ten athletic events while raising money for the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Now this is no casual neighborhood 5K. The 150-person field is composed of some of the fittest, fastest, strongest, and most competitive guys in the financial industry. And me!  (Read about last year’s winner.)

Bring it 

We’ll compete in ten events at Columbia University’s Wien Stadium: a 400 meter run, football throw, pull-ups, vertical jump, 500 meter row, 800 meter run, agility drill, dips, 175 pound bench press, and 40 yard dash. (Here’s video from last year.)

At 24, Max is ready to go in all these events (he competed last year while working at Bloomberg.) For me, it’s six months of relentless training ahead. But I love a challenge, especially when Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center is the beneficiary of all the hard work.

Max and I will be raising money for MSKCC and pediatric cancer research starting in March. A hallmark of this event is its “CharityBets” fundraising format, where contributors can give us incentives for exceeding benchmarks in individual events. It’s a great incentive to endure the training and give it our all in July. Details to follow.

Great event. Great cause.

In 2012, Decathlon participants raised nearly $1,300,000 – 100 percent of which supports the cause. The goal this year is a cool $2 million. Team Osbon hopes to be a big part of that successful mission. We’ll keep you posted on training, and let you know when the fundraising window opens in March.

Gotta go now. The pull-up bar is calling.