1. Please tell us the name of your firm, title, and describe your role in one sentence. Andrew Geenen, Citigroup, CMBS Trader. I crush the odd lot game.

2. What are your fundraising and athletic goals for The Decathlon, and what led you to choose them? Our original fundraising goal was 10k, which we have already tripled. Our new goal is 40k. Athletically, I would love for our team to place in the inaugural team event.

3. On average, a Decathlete receives donations from 34 supporters. What fundraising technique(s) have worked best for you that you would recommend to first-time participants? My biggest suggestion would be to speak with everyone you can about the event and cause. Last year some of my biggest supporters were people I barely knew but I happened to mention the event to. Everyone has been touched by cancer in some way and I was amazed how willing people were to donate. By increasing the number of people aware of my participation, I easily exceeded my donation goal. 

4. Most Decathletes have participated in mud runs, 5k’s, and triathlons. What differentiates The Wall Street Decathlon experience from those other events? The most significant difference I noticed is the unity around the cause. Every other event I have participated in has centered around self-betterment, competition, and teamwork. The Decathlon takes these purposes and focuses them on a singular cause, curing cancer.

5. What’s the one piece of advice about The Decathlon that you’d share with first-time participants? At least once before the Decathlon, run through all the events in one day. Individually the events are difficult but in aggregate they are exhausting. If you can grind through all the events in a few hours on your own, you will be both mentally and physically prepared the day of.  

6. How have you been training for this year's event? On a daily basis I focus on training for 1-3 events. I try to switch the order, frequency, and intensity at which I train for each event. 

7. Decathletes are motivated by the cause, the competition, and the camaraderie.  What inspirational quote -- not from Anchorman -- motivates you? While cliché: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

You can donate to Andrew's team page here.