Racing to Save Lives

My reason why I ride? Two words..."my dad". I lost my dad to cancer on June 29, 2000. Training and fundraising to find a cure for all cancers is my way of honoring him.

I'm training to participate in an endurance event 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. 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.

I hope you will visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thanks for your support!

MY PERSONAL UPDATES ON MY TRAINING: (May 31 - July 31)

05/31/09:

"First day riding with our new bikes. Got them "ride ready" with new road tires and headed to Harbor Bay in Alameda for a scenic bike ride along the shoreline. Rode roughly 3 miles for a nice 30-45 minute warm up as we gear towards our 8 week march to the Marin Metric Century 62 mile bike ride on August 1, 2009. GO TEAM"

06/06/09:

"Our first official Team In Training bike ride and it was a 10 mile ride along the countyrside of Pinole. Lots of hills, and definitely a challenge, but just another step towards the 62 mile ride in August. GO TEAM!"

06/13/09:

"Today was our first challenging ride as we rode 20 miles from Sausalito to Tiburon. Just a beautiful ride, but very difficult as the hills were longer and steeper. But the focus is for us to get conditioned for the big day on August 1 which is 62 miles, all to honor those who have suffered with cancer and to raise funds to find a cure in our lifetime. GO TEAM!"

06/20/09:

"Our team held a bicycle clinic where learning how to maintain your bike before, during, and after a ride was a priority. Learning how to fix a flat was important as well as knowing what equipment to carry with you on your endurance ride. Next week will probably be one of our most challenging rides as we will ride 30 miles ascending and descending on a tough and hilly course in Orinda."

06/27/09:

"The day started out rough with temps in the mid 90's at 9:00 am. Miscommunication with our mentor put us in the wrong location and we had to backtrack to find our coaches. Once we found our coach, he made us attempt a few tough hills to catch up with the rest of the team that challenged everything in us to complete. After about 45-60 minutes, the ride was called because of the heat. Looks like our training regiment for the upcoming weeks will be to work the hills as we gear up for the 62 mile ride in August."

06/29/09:

"Today marks 9 years I lost my dad to cancer. People say with time things get easier, but after 9 years, it still hurts as much today as it did 9 years ago when cancer took his life. This is why I ride and train...so we can fundraise to find a cure in our lifetime. LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU DAD!"

07/11/09:

"Today we rode bike at Point Reyes in Marin and what a thrill it was to ride in some of the most beuatiful scenery anywhere in the bay area. The ride was a 40+ mile ride and we rode 32 of those miles. By far, the toughest of all our training rides because of the distance we rode and the fact that we faced tough and long hills. Just 3 more weeks to the Marin Metric Century Bike Ride and we will be ready. GO TEAM!

07/25/09:

"Today was supposed to be our final challenge ride before our 62 mile ride next Saturday, going 52 miles through some of the toughest hills anywhere in the bay area, but for me it was a setback. I had trouble with my calf cramping up the prior 2 days before the ride, and it acted up during the ride as we engaged some of those tough hills. I pushed it as hard as I could until it finally knotted up and wouldn't loosen up. My calf looked like it had a baseball-sized knot. But the good news was that Ohnnmar battled those hills and the elements as the temps began to climb into the 90's and she finished 42 of those miles. I was so proud to see her push herself farther than she ever has and she made such a splash with the rest of the team. We will both be ready for Marin next week where I fully expect the both of us to finish the ride. GO TEAM!!!

08/01/09:

"Today was what we trained for the past 6 weeks: to complete the entire Marin Metric Century Bike Ride (all 62 miles) to honor those we chose to ride for in our quest to find a cure for cancer. The ride itself was just the most incredible experience I have ever been a part of. Just an absolutely gorgeous ride, sharing it with over 3000 other riders, with many of the riders representing Team In Training. Probably the most challenging event I have ever participated in, as I had to push myself harder and farther than I ever had. Having a picture of my dad on my handle bars gave me the inspiration and courage to finish this ride. There was absolutely NO WAY I was not going to finish this ride. Too many people counted on me to finish and I wasn't going to let anyone down. When it was all said and done, Ohnnmar and I crossed the finish line together! We both finished what we started, and together we'd like to send out a very heartfelt thanks to our coach Craig Working, who pedalled with us every step of the way giving us encouragement and the type of coaching and motivation to complete something both Ohnnmar and I never thought we could do. Also, to Wayne Spaulding, who's motivational way of getting you pumped up made you believe there was nothing that was impossible. Thank you both very much.

So, what's next after Marin? Well, I am seroiusly considering a 100 mile ride, and it could be as soon as November with the Solvang ride. I will let all of you know. A big thanks to everyone who donated both time, money, support, and encouragement in this lifechanging event for me. Much love and aloha to all of you. Remember, we can find a cure for cancer in our lifetime if we all do it together. GO TEAM!"

08/19/09:

"Since the Marin ride on August 1, I have chosen to keep on riding and it looks like I will be taking on the next challenge in my life and riding in a century bike ride. I'm just not sure which one, but it will either be Solvang in November or Tahoe sometime next Spring. Either way, I will still continue biking and training to complete event after event until we find a cure for cancer. It can happen if we all do it together. GO TEAM!"