And the winner is...

Congratulations to Rick Petzold (Team Rick) on winning the 2010 Ridicathlon!

Both competitors stepped up their game, and put on a great show for the fans. It came down to the final question during Milk Trivia to determine the winner.

Final Stats

Bench Press: Team Rick
Pull-ups: Team Rick
Mini-Golf: Team Jim
Kayak Race: Tied
Boxing: Team Jim
Evening Wear: Team Rick
Milk Trivia: Team Rick

Of course, as we've said before, the real winners are the kids! We managed to raise $500 for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Thanks to everyone who bought a shirt, made a donation, or just came out to support the event.

Ridic What!?

Ridicathlon is a combination of the words ridiculous, which the competition is totally, and decathlon, meaning it consists of ten events.

So the pronunciation would be RIDIC - ATH - LON.

Easy peazy!

 

Ridicathlon is Front Page News

Ridicathlon was featured in the Egg Harbor Township & Ventnor editions of The Current newspaper on July 14th!

Read the online version of the full paper here.

The Wait is Finally Over!

After months of planning, and a slight set-back due to Rick's injury, Ridicathlon is finally here!

When: Saturday July 31st, 2010 at 1pm (rain or shine!)
Where: Jersey Devil Dome a.k.a. Team Jim's house in EHT

In addition to some exciting competition, we will have food & drink and lots of activities for everyone! If you ordered a shirt, you can pick it up at the event. We'll also have some other fun giveaways, and a donation box for Big Brothers Big Sisters, so if you couldn't purchase a shirt you can still help the cause.
 

Ridicathlon Bench Press - First Event!

The wait is over! Here's the footage from the first of ten Ridicathlon events. Watch the video below to see who's got the early advantage.

PS: Happy Birthday to Team Jim who celebrated his birthday starting immediately after completing the first event.

Spotlight on: Maggie Hutchins

Congratulations are in order! Ridicassociate Maggie Hutchins has just completed her Masters program in Counseling in Educational Settings at Rowan University. She is one smart cookie, and looking for a job, so if you have any leads you know who to call. I caught up with the recent grad/bronzed goddess on the beach in Ocean City, NJ to work on our tans and talk about the most important event of the summer: Ridicathlon.

Loryn: How did you become involved with Ridicathlon?
Maggie: I was lucky enough to have the opportunity after someone else declined. I was honored to be asked.

L: You are a panelist for Evening Wear/Q&A. What special talents will you bring to judging this event?
M: I do have quite an eye for fashion. I know a good pair of shoes when I see them.

L: Besides judging Ridicathlon, what will you be spending your summer doing?
M: Besides slaving away to tourists at Browns I spend my free time on the beach. Nothing is better than sitting in the sun.

L: It has been rumored that your favorite color is yellow. Will this affect your Team decision?
M: This is true, my favorite color is yellow. However, I will be as professional as possible. No biased judging here.

L: If you had to compete in one of the Ridicathlon events, which one would you choose? Why?
M: That's a hard one. The only one I would probably enjoy is Evening Wear. But I do own boxing gloves.

L: What great wisdom do you wish to instill upon the competitors?
M: I'm not sure I have much wisdom to instill. I would just like to say remember we are all friends and no matter the outcome, it was fun.

Thanks so much to Maggie for taking the time to chat with me!

Check out Maggie's bio, and our other Ridicassociates.

First Ridicathlon Event to take place Saturday!

Who: Team Rick vs. Team Jim
What: Bench Press, 185 lbs, Most Reps (aka The Gun Show)
When: Saturday May 8th, 11:30pm
Where: Jersey Devil Convention Center, EHT

For more details please contact Loryn.

Spotlight on: Kelly Renn

I caught up with Ridicassociate Kelly Renn at a wine tasting in Martha's Vineyard last weekend. In addition to working at the prestigious gourmet restaurant, Trattoria Il Mulino, Kelly has been brushing up on her wine knowledge. Already quite the aficionado, Kelly hopes to pursue a career in wine when she returns to the Big Apple (that's New York City for those of you not in-the-know) in the fall.

After talking a bit about her life & future plans, we got down to brass tacks: Ridicathlon.

Loryn: How did you become involved with Ridicathlon?
Kelly: Well, I'm pretty well known for my lack of athletic ability and  lack of participation in team sports. I guess my friends thought that these traits best qualified me to participate in a Ridiculous athletic event. 

L: You are a panelist for Evening Wear/Q&A. What special talents will you bring to judging this event? 
K: Well my "Aunty" Chary was once a pretty well known coach for Miss America contestants for both NJ and NY states, I feel that she imparted her almighty coaching wisdom to me and that I will know what to look for in our contestants during this event. Also, I was the Prom Queen. 'Nough said.

L: Besides judging Ridicathlon, what will you be spending your summer doing? 
K: Mostly partaking in activities similar to Ridicathlon in that I will be consuming alcohol at said activities. 

L: If you had to compete in one of the Ridicathlon events, which one would you choose? Why? 
K: What are the events again? Oh..whoops...um, I suppose Milk Trivia because that sounds like something I could be qualified for. 

L: What great wisdom do you wish to instill upon the competitors? 
K: Don't ask for sympathy when you lose..."sympathy is in the dictionary between shit and syphilis" (A direct quote from Mr. Buzzy Renn)

Thanks so much to Kelly for taking a moment to talk with me!

You can check out Kelly's bio here, as well as our other Ridicassociates' bios.

Autographed Media Pass Fetches $30 on Auction Block

The autographed Ridicathlon Media Pass fetched an astonishing $30 from a wealthy Philly-based financier turned philantrophist.

Mr. Zenith Shah accumulated his fortune through an uncanny understanding of all things market-related and a God-given gift for calculating risks just right, but ultimately it's about the kids for him. He missed out on scoring a sweet, hand-made Ridicathlon t-shirt a few weeks earlier, and he wasn't about to make the same mistake twice, especially for such a great cause.

Early on there was a good bit of auction noise, as three bidders jumped the price to $10. Mr. Shah bided his time and at the last minute lobbed a bid in for $20 on top of the final bid, which brought the winning total to an earth-shattering $30. I'm pretty sure it's the first time anyone has paid such top dollar for a lanyard.

Congratulations to Mr. Shah for winning the one of a kind autographed Ridicathlon Media Pass, and many thanks to him for his generous donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Ridicathlon is not just about the Ridiciathletes

I know everyone is really pumped to see Ridicathletes Rick Petzold & Jim Heald compete this summer. How could you not be, they are the most illustrious athletes in the tri-state area. That being said, Ridicathlon is not just about the Ridicathletes! Someone has to coach them, judge the events, host and provide creative guidance and planning assistance.

So who are these elusive someones? Our beloved Ridicassociates of course, and our host, the Master of Ridiculousness himself, Michael Peacock.

Evan Sanchez - Judge Mini Ball Slam Dunk Contest, Referee Boxing
Michael Chialastri - Judge Mini Ball Slam Dunk Contest
Samuel Summerville - Judge Boxing, Coach Team Rick
Loryn Simonsen - Panelist Evening Wear/Q&A, T-Shirt & Website Designer
Kelly Renn - Panelist Evening Wear/Q&A
Sara Draper - Round Card Girl Boxing
Maggie Hutchins - Panelist Evening Wear/Q&A
Dan McGahn - Judge Boxing
Paul Yunos - Judge Boxing
Kyle Rosenberg - Coach Team Jim
Zenith Shah - Judge Mini Ball Slam Dunk Contest

Learn more about these fortunate folks who get to be in the trenches with the Ridicathletes; head over to the Ridicassociates page, where you will find photos & bios! Also, check out the Master of Ridiculousness, our celebrity host! If you are ever looking for these links again, just check right below the Ridicauthors in the sidebar and voila! instant linkage.

Own A Piece of Ridicathlon History!

Did you miss out on purchasing a t-shirt for the event? Perhaps you were hoping for something more personal from the competitors?

Now is your chance!

eBay Listing: Autographed Ridicathlon Media Pass Proceeds to Charity

Evan Sanchez has donated his Official Ridicathlon 2010 Media Pass to be auctioned off on eBay. These passes were given to attendees at the April 10th Press Conference in Egg Harbor Township.

Ridicathlete's Rick Petzold and Jim Heald signed the pass, and it comes with a sleeve & lanyard rumored to have been worn by Rick at the SuperBowl.

Most importantly: all proceeds from this auction will be donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters!

So please take a minute to check it out, and place a bid to help this amazing charity.

Auction ends Apr 23, 201015:27:55 PDT

Ridicathlon Press Conference

Here is the raw footage from the 2010 Ridicathlon Press Conference held in the Jersey Devil Convention Hall located in beautiful Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey.

Ridicathlon Press Conference from Evan Sanchez on Vimeo.

Ridicathlon Press Conference (Photos)

Here are some of the stills taken by world famous sports photographer, Johnny "Snap" Shot at the 2010 Ridicathlon Press Conference held on Saturday, April 10 in Egg Harbor Township, NJ.

Coach Kyle Gets Real on Training the American Hero (Maker)

"Those who can't do, teach. Those who can't teach, teach gym." Or maybe even Jim. That's what Kyle ended up doing after first joining Team Jim way back in late 2009. It's no coincidence Jim's strength and endurance have increased dramatically since then. Don't let his laidback lax appearance fool you, the man is serious, and if Jim does prevail, his training methods could very well be the difference maker.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Mr. Kyle Rosenberg, a self-professed athletic savant, over a few ice-cold brewskis to talk shop about his guy, Team Jim's Jim Heald.

Here's what he had to say.

ES: How did you get involved with Team Jim?

KR: Well, I saw this monster on the street and said, "Kyle, this dude is jacked; he might even have what it takes to beat somebody at something." I approached the beast of a man with a promise, a promise to make him bigger, better, faster, and stronger than he's even been. I did none of this, but this mother is ready regardless.

ES: What impact have you had on his training regimen?

KR: Well, I like to think that while I was sitting in the next room over, eating snacks and yelling at him to just give up that he was really pushing himself to get those 230 lbs off his chest.

ES: Which event do you feel like he'll dominate? Why?

KR: The long jump and boxing simply because of his reach.

ES: What does he need to work on most? How do you plan to help him improve in this area?

KR: He's really been having trouble keeping that milk down. I really have no idea what to do, it's going to come up at some point. Plus, I think Rick has this one in the bag.

ES: What would you like to say to those on the fence between Rick and Jim? Why should they support your man?

KR: Well, I don't think I could change anybody's mind if I tried as both contenders have a loyal following. However, I do think Jim will do just fine. This guy is an animal, and we have been training very hard.

ES: Is Rick going to win this thing or what?

KR: We'll see. It's going to be a good match-up.

Fan Images

We've asked fans of Ridicathlon on Facebook to share their favorite photos of the Ridicathletes. Here are a few of our favorites:

Submitted by Lindsay Christian: "This is what real training looks like."

Pictured: Ridicathlete Rick Petzold & Lindsay Christian

Submitted by Ridicassociate Evan Sanchez: "The Ridicathletes before the falling out."

Pictured: Ridicathlete Jim Heald, Ridicathlete Rick Petzold, & Host Michael Peacock

Submitted by Ridicathlete Rick Petzold: "Lucy & I are comin for you, Jimmy!"

Pictured: Ridicathlete Rick Petzold & Lucy the Elephant, the treasures of Margate

Join us on Facebook or email a link to submit your own photo!

Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

Screen Printing - Day 1

Shirts All in a Row

First & foremost, I want to thank my rock-star assistants, Ridicathlete Rick Petzold, Ridicassociates Kelly Renn & Evan Sanchez, and newly coined Ridicallies Irena Fonorow & Tom Tallman. Couldn't have done it without you!

Screen Printing

The first day of screen printing went swimmingly. It was a little chilly, but we toughed it out and managed to print the front of the "Team Rick" tees, and the first layer on the back of the "Team Jim" tees. Kelly, Evan, Rick & myself all had a go at printing. We all needed a few tries to get the hang of it, but once we had it down we were golden. Rick also kept us on task with some quality control, especially concerning the "Team Rick" tees. The process took about 4 hours.

Evan, Rick & I also started on the front of the "Team Jim" and back of the "Team Rick" tees, but by 5pm it was too cold and we were all a little loopy. When we finally decided to call it quits, Evan dropped the hose while rinsing a screen; it landed on the handle and gave us all a nice solid spritz before he realized what had happened. It was definitely the perfect giggling ending to a productive & fun day.

Screen Creation

Before we could move forward with the t-shirt printing, I was charged with the task of purchasing supplies & creating screens. I went to Blick Art Materials in Center City, Philadelphia for paints and screen design materials. The store is beautiful, with a friendly, helpful staff. I rounded out my supplies search at my local Goodwill, for some frames & sheer material. The cashier gave me a student discount, and rung up most the frames at the lowest price possible.

The screens were constructed by stretching sheer fabric over a frame, using an industrial staple gun to secure it as tightly as possible. To transfer the images to the screens, I used the Drawing Fluid/Screen Filler method. The printing image is painted on the screen using Drawing Fluid (blue); once dry, the entire screen is coated in Screen Filler (red). After the Screen Filler dries, a quick blast of cold water washes away the Drawing Fluid, and the image is the only open part of the screen. It's like magic! This method is a little time consuming, but best for the resources I had available.

I'll be finishing up the final screens tonight, and have a marathon of screen printing planned for tomorrow. A busy weekend for sure, but well worth it.

Thanks again to everyone who came out!

Rick Petzold: Fully Revealed in an Exclusive Interview

Ridicathlete Rick Petzold enjoys the good life. He invited me to his beach-front property to discuss his newly acquired home, a little known limbo contest, and his utter lack of respect for the competition. It was quite an experience.

Exclusive Interview with Jim @ Vic's Subs

I caught up with Jim right after he finished a long day of work at Vic's Subs in Absecon, NJ. He was happy to sit down with me to chat about the current condition of today's youth, Rick's "sculpted calves", and a slew of other hot topics.

Q & A with Team Rick's Coach, Sam Summerville

It's been a busy couple of weeks for Sam Summerville, world famous Ridicathlon trainer and coach of Team Rick, but he found some time to sit down with me and discuss his Ridicathlete, the competition, and Ridicathlon in general.

ES: How did you get involved with Team Rick?

SS: I have known Rick for a few months now, and I know a bit about strength training, so I offered my assistance.

ES: What impact have you had on his training regimen?

SS: We do a lot of strength training, and he bounces some ideas off me now and then about diet and conditioning. It seems a bit funny that I’m talking with Rick about diet and conditioning if you look at the two of us, but knowledge and practice are two different issues.

ES: Which event do you feel like he'll dominate? Why?

SS: Rick has a great throwing arm, it’s something that you really can’t teach. If there was one event I think he has in the bag it would be fast pitch.

ES: What does he need to work on most? How do you plan to help him improve in this area?

SS: I think he is going to have to practice the miniball dunk a bit. Jim has some natural advantages in that area being tall and pretty creative. Rick's going to have to have a game plan going into that one. As far as my help, he hasn’t asked me anything about that yet, but if he does I’m open to planning some stuff out with him.

ES: What would you like to say to those on the fence between Rick and Jim? Why should they support your man?

SS: Truth be told they are both great friends, and I just want to see them both compete well. I have a little personal interest invested in Rick since I’ve been helping him out a little bit but both guys deserve a good showing. I will be the judge of a few events during the contest so I stay impartial as to be fair.

ES: Is Rick going to win this thing or what?

SS: I think that when the day is done the contest will be a squeaker. I wouldn’t be surprised if either guy wins it. Right now I’m predicting a 5 to 4 win in the 9 real events for Rick. If Jim takes a win in this evening wear thing I have to give the edge in sports trivia to whomever defends themselves the best in the boxing match.

Can't get enough of Ridicathlon? Neither can we!

There are already tons of people buzzing about Ridicathlon on Facebook:

Sara says: "I ♥ the sub and the milk"

Zenith says: "Is it true Rick is going to drink a gallon of milk?"

Meghan says: "This is amazing"

Monica says: "This is ridic."

What do you have to say? Join Ridicathlon on Facebook!

Which side will you choose?

The time is finally upon us: a time of ridiculousness, a time of athleticism, a time to decide who you will support during the 2010 Ridicathlon.

Our Ridicathletes found time during their rigorous training schedules to put together short videos urging you to join their team. Will they resort to bribery? Smear campaigning? Good old-fashioned charisma and charm?

Check them out for yourself:

Team Jim - Jim Heald - "Who Wants to be on Team Jim??"

Team Rick - Rick Petzold - "Ridicathlon Promo Video"

Now it's up to you. While our Ridicathletes build up strength, they need you to build up support. We encourage you to purchase a team t-shirt, sign-up for blog updates, follow Ridicathlon on twitter, and invite your family and friends to join a team!

Most importantly, mark your calendars for Ridicathlon: May 8, 2010, where Rick & Jim will compete in the final five events, and one will claim victory to the most ridiculous athletic honor of all time.

Welcome to Ridicathlon

You've found it. The official blog of the most ridiculous athletic competition ever. In less than 3 months, Rick Petzold and Jim Heald will come face to face, hoping to prove once and for all who is the greater man. Over the years there has been a lot of smack talk, one-upping, and perhaps a little embellishing. (Although, the Ridicathletes would probably tell you otherwise.) This blog will follow the journey towards the culmination of their life-long competition. The champion of Ridicathlon will earn the ultimate bragging rights, and it will probably only be a matter of time before they earn fame and fortune to accompany their glory.

So, take a minute to check out the site, get to know the Ridicathletes & crew a little better, and join us. We have lots of fun planned for followers and fans. Who doesn't need a little ridiculous in their lives?