Racing to Save Lives

Recommitment. That's what our TEAM meeting was about last night. For those who haven't visited my site before, I'm training to participate in an endurance event as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training.

We'll be riding in the El Tour de Tucson in Tucson, Arizona on November 22nd. 109 miles. Yep, in one day.

I'm commited to continuing to raise funds. There are so many people who are counting on our help and are awaiting these funds -- I'm in it for the long haul. How about you? Will you continue to help me so that I can meet my goal?

All of us on the TEAM are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease, and myeloma from taking more lives. I am completing this event in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

Week 2

I still haven't started officially training yet, but I do have one week of fundraising behind me -- and what a good week it turned out to be! Some of my friends jumped on and donated immediately and then one of my brothers (I have 4!) made a wonderful contribution. Now the challenge is there for the other three to match his amount. C'mon guys... are you going to let him show you up?

Rode my new bike several days last week. I don't want to show up for our first team ride and look like a total rookie... I even went to a local bike shop and had a "fit" done. Wow... what a difference minor adjustments can make. Thanks, Alyssa -- and I enjoyed the ride with you afterwards!

More next week. Keep donating, please!

Week 1 (Official training)

It's hot... man, is it hot. 107 here yesterday (Sunday). But no excuses -- ride ride ride!

This past Saturday was our first ride as a team. What a wonderful group of people. This is going to be an adventure/journey that I'll never forget! We did 10 miles on Saturday, I did 10 miles on the trainer yesterday, and I just came in after an 11.1 mile ride. I'm racking up miles I never would have believed I could do!

Week 2

45 cumulative miles last week. 15 miles yesterday in our group ride. 10 miles this morning. I'm becoming one with my bike... om... LOL! In all seriousness, the training is going well.

A quote I saw this morning: "No one can do everything but everyone can do something."

I think that speaks volumes, don't you?

Beginning Week 5

Time is flying! Lots of miles on the bike, lots of wonderful donations coming in, and an added bonus: touching base with some dear friends I haven't spoken to in a while.

We did 32 miles last Saturday morning through some pretty North Texas countryside. It was nice to get out of the city -- I could have done without the dog giving me a lesson in sprinting -- uphill, no less!

Week 7

I've been neglectful (and busy!) and haven't updated my page as promised. Training is going well, although Hurricane Ike drowned out our training ride this past weekend. I was back on the bike yesterday (Sunday) to get some miles in, though. We finally have some great riding weather -- it's about 20 degrees cooler outside than when we first started training.

My fundraising looks like it's stalled, but that's not exactly true. There's a pretty big donation that hasn't been credited to my account yet from Shermco Industries, and next week I'll be having a bake sale with a couple team members.

But I've still not met my goal. So please, if you're keeping up with me, I promise to keep riding and training if you'll help spread the word and help me get some more donations in!

Three weeks to go!

It's been much too long since I've posted any news. For those of you who have been following my training, sorry about that -- there's only so many hours a day holds, though!

Yesterday was quite a milestone for me personally. 74 miles. When I read back to the beginning of this journey and how large of a distance 10 or 15 miles seemed to me, I'm surprised at what I've been able to accomplish.

More than the 74 miles yesterday, though, I'm extremely proud of my friends and family and how they've come through in such a big way with donations. Everyone has been just amazing in their support, and I can't thank you enough.

But... I'm not done yet. And I've got more reason than ever to continue to push myself to the end. Someone very important to me has been diagnosed with cancer. Although it's not one of the cancers the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society helps to fund research in, it's cancer nonetheless. Any research towards any cancer cure is a step in the right direction.

So this ride has become more personal than I ever imagined and will be ridden with a special dedication to one of the most influential, special people in my life. I'm not stating his name so he can keep his privacy, but he means the world to me.

So... 74 miles. Ow... Yes, I'll admit it. I'm tired and sore today. But, wow. What fun I'm having!

DONE!

I'm back... and I did it! What an amazing weekend. The ride was long and sometimes difficult, but we all made it. What an awesome, rewarding day it was. Congratulations to all my teammates!