Vote Lafayette’s Stan Lerille To 2013 IRONMAN World Championship In Kona

Stan Lerille has been a friend of Hot 107.9 since day one. Back when he owned Stan's Downtown, he was one of the first businesses to embrace our station. If you're a die-hard Hot 107.9 listener, you probably remember the 'Friday Night Block Party' broadcast that ran live from Stan's for years until he closed down to pursue a new business venture that we now know as Corner Bar on Johnston Street.

Back in 2009, in addition to closing the door on a chapter of his business life, Stan also closed the door on the chapter of his personal life. When he tipped the scales around his heaviest weight of 305 lbs., Stan made the decision to have the lap band surgery; knowing he would have to commit to a healthier lifestyle.

You would think that with a father who owned Red Lerille's Health & Racquet Club - one of the best gyms in the country - health and fitness would come as second nature, but that wasn't the case at all. As the old saying goes, it was "better late than never," and in addition to adopting better eating habits, training and exercise became a big part of Stan's life. Four years later, he's dropped over 100 lbs. and his journey has been nothing short of inspirational.

Currently weighing in at 170 lbs., Stan is a shell of what he used to be when it comes to his physical size, but he will tell you himself that when it comes to character, determination, and how he feels overall as a person -- he is more than quadruple the man he used to be.

In recent years, Stan has caught the triathlon bug, and right now now he's asking for your help in a contest that can send him to the Super Bowl of all triathlons. Kona Inspired is a program that provides seven highly coveted slots for the IRONMAN World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, driven by aspirational stories.

It is clear that every athlete has a story to tell. We will build upon the success of last year's program by engaging our community in selecting extraordinary athletes to compete on the largest stage in triathlon. As witnessed by the journey of last year's athletes, Kona Inspired is an exciting platform that allows individuals to share their story and demonstrate why they deserve a slot at Kona.

- Christopher Stadler, Chief Marketing Officer of World Triathlon Corporation (d/b/a IRONMAN)

Individuals can upload their videos for viewing and voting at the Kona Inspired website, and we encourage you watch Stan's video and give him your vote. But don't just do it because we said to. Watch his 90 second video on what drives him, and hear him explain why he believes he is deserving of one of the seven available slots, and we are almost certain he'll earn your vote.

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