Week 6 Update:

This week was pretty eventful. I had a 20-mile ride at 5am on Tuesday morning, and pushed and pulled [in pace lines] for 40miles at the Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday. I still havent hit the 100-mile/week mark, but I'm trying. Given that I'll be going back home next weekend, I may have to squeeze in a few more early morning rides to keep up my pace.

Fundraising has picked up quite a bit for me. I met my recommittment goal 30 days early, and as of this writing have $1,325. But it's far from over. I still have to raise nearly $3,000 to reach my fundraising goal. If you haven't taken the time to donate, please take a moment and consider making a donation today.

Having just moved to Texas and diving into a new job, it's easy to carried away with work and leave the office late,or get in 20 or 30-min early. But it's been surprisingly difficult to get on a bike when you know that you're about to lose 2-3 hours of your day. However, when I take a moment and realize what this is for, and more importantly, who this is for, it gives me the push to get going. One individual in particular has shown me what it really means to work hard. George Meza is a fellow Team in Training teammate who has been at this for over four years. Prior to the start of the season, George was diagnosed with Lymphoma. Six weeks in, George has kept up with all of us AND has undergone two rounds of chemotherapy thus far. It doesn't seem fair that someone who has done so much to help the cause has suddenly been hit with such misfortune. At the same time, you can't help but be inspired by someone who doesn't back down in the face of such adversity. (Keep it going, George!)

Week 4 Update:

The odometer on my bike is officially past the 150 mile mark. Given I had one week off, I'm fairly happy with my training progress. However, I haven't been too pleased with my fundraising efforts to date. I just havent dedicated enough time to raising money for the cause-- which is really what this is all about. Up until now, the physical aspect appeared more daunting than the fundraising side. But after having a near 50 mile day with temps in the high 90s, I'm no longer worried about the ride itself.

So.. it's time to get in gear and start raising funds to support all those fighting cancer. The past few weeks I've had the pleasure of meeting the honored heroes for the North Texas chapter, and have gotten to know many of my other teammates. It saddened me to learn just how many other participants have either lost family members to cancer, or have relatives fighting the disease. Fortunately, I've also heard a great many positive stories to know that every dollar raised, one way or another, WILL make a difference.

If you haven't yet made a donation, there's no better time than the present!

Week 2 Update:

The week isn't yet over, but it's shaping up to be a good one. While it's not a lot, I have managed to keep up with the training schedule. and I'm looking forward to our next group ride. I'm also looking foward to this Saturday morning when we'll be having breakfast with our honored heroes - Doug Campbell (46- undergoing treatment) , Austin Moreno (5 - undergoing treatment), Sam Gowan (in remission) and Alan Vuckovich (in remission). On a personal note, I recently found out a coworker of mine had lost her brother, Rusty Kunath, to leukemia when they were both children. I'll be training and racing in Rusty's name. You may not think you know anyone who has had to deal with leukemia, but if you ask around you may be surprised.

Please make a donation and support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The support they provide to families and patients relies on your generosity. Treatment has made leaps and bounds over the decades; let's help continue that tradition and try to eliminate a disease that causes more deaths than any other cancer among children and young adults under 20.

Week 1 Update:

Just got back from my first (well, first official) training session. Got a little over 10miles in before the rain was too much. I don't mind the rain, but when your shoes build up enough water and the puddles aren't just in the road, it gets a bit annoying.

Racing to Save Lives

I'm training to participate in the UMC El Tour de Tucson 109-mile bike ride as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. I am completing this event in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers or lost their battle with cancer. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission. And to help out even more, after making your donation check to see if your employer offers a matching program. If they do, just ask your HR dept to contact me and I will take care of the rest!

To learn more about the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, visit their website at lls.org.

Don't forget to check back frequently to see my progress. We'll be training from now until the big race in November. Thanks for your support!