Have you ever ended your afternoon thinking how tired your are from sitting in your office chair for 8 hours? Imagine how you would feel if you had spent those same 8 hours sitting on a bicycle seat and pedaling. That is exactly what I am planning to do on June 3rd.
I have signed up with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Team In Training(TNT) program to complete a century (100 mile) bike ride around Lake Tahoe. At the same time, I will be raising money to help fight leukemia, lymphoma, and other blood cancers. My goal is to raise $3,500 by the time we start our 100 mile ride.
This will be the second time I have participated in a TNT century ride. I also rode 100 miles in Moab, Utah, last fall and raised about $2,500. My original intent was to do one event in honor of my dad, who lost his fight with Leukemia in 2007. But now I have changed my mind. I hope to continue doing TNT events and helping LLS fight blood cancers.
Why did I change my mind? Well, the biggest reason is that LLS is such a great cause and the TNT program is great. It is truly an outstanding organization and a great program.
But I also thought about my dad again. After undergoing chemo in the summer of 2006, he had beaten Leukemia and his cancer was in remission. Then in 2007, it came back. I think that to do a bike ride or to fight cancer once is tough, but the second time may be even tougher.
If my dad can battle cancer twice, then I can do a second century ride. Last year, I was a bit naive when I signed up to 100 miles. I didn’t know how tough it feels to climb mountains on a bike, to pedal for hours at a time, or that we would put in 1200 miles training. I now know what lies ahead, but I am still willing to do it a second time.
Of course, that is the big difference between me and my dad. I am choosing to do this again. Leukemia didn’t give him an option. When I think about it, it gets me angry and a bit more motivated. We have to continue to fight so that we can beat Leukemia and other blood cancers FOR GOOD!
Please join me in this fight. Please make a donation to help beat cancer. If you prefer, you can mail a check to me at 8822 E Easter Pl, Centennial, CO 80112 — please make the check out to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Together we can beat cancer!
