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Mike DeNoma
Mike is a board director at Standard Chartered Bank and is the CEO of the Bank's global consumer banking business. He is 49 and lives in Singapore with his wife and six – yes, that's SIX - children. During 2003 Mike decided to do an Ironman for Seeing is Believing. An Ironman involves doing a 3.8 km swim, 180 km bike ride and a marathon (42.2km) run - one after the other!
On March 5th 2005 Mike did the New Zealand Ironman in 14 hours 35 minutes. Not bad for someone who could hardly swim the length of a swimming pool in January 2004.
Now, why does someone with such a busy life want to take on the commitment and challenge of doing an Ironman? Well, he describes it quite simply.
"In 2003, I met a guy called Henry Wanyoike in Nairobi at the Standard Chartered-sponsored marathon. Henry has been blind since he was 21, but has never let that disability hold him back. He runs marathons with his partner Joseph, and is a top class athlete, holding world records in the 5km, 10km and full marathon. He runs 10kms in 31 minutes!
"What was amazing about Henry is that he wasn't a serious runner before he became blind. He told me that in Kenya it's normal for blind people to become beggars, but he was determined to achieve something different. He set his mind - and his body - to running.
"It was my conversation with Henry that inspired me to take on the Ironman, he showed me that ordinary people can do extra-ordinary things.
"Seeing Is Believing is a great cause. 80% of cases of blindness are curable or preventable. With very little money, you can dramatically affect people's lives, helping them lead happier, more productive lives, which in turn helps their families and dependants. The thought that every step I run, or stroke I swim, or metre I pedal could change someone's life so dramatically will definitely motivate me to get around the course."
Mike raised enough money to restore the sight of over 13,000 children - that's one eyesight for every 18 metres he swam, biked and ran. Well done Mike!
