Monday, November 24, 2008

We Did It!!!

On Saturday, November 22, 2008, at 4:06pm, we finished riding 109 miles in El Tour de Tucson, completing the ride in 9 hours and 3 minutes!

The results are here.

It was an amazing day, filled with fun, excitement, and firsts. Firsts include:
  1. First endurance event (for Anya)
  2. First time riding 100+ miles
  3. First time riding in a line with other riders
  4. First time fording a dry river bed carrying a bike with thousands of other riders (and did it twice in one day...)
  5. First time riding 37mph on my bike
  6. First time raising funds to find a cure for blood cancer!!!
We woke up WAY before dawn (4:15am to be precise), and headed over to the Waffle House for breakfast with friends Erika and Alena:
After breakfast, at 5:45am we assembled at our lovely (hah...NOT!) hotel with our Team in Training friends to head over to the start line with the 8000+ other riders.
It was at the start line that it really hits you what you are doing and how 3 months of training culminates in a great experience with friends and the satisfaction of knowing you're doing it for a great cause.

The ride started at 7am, and before long we were out in the desert, riding in a group with friends Jared and Erika. We passed an old airplane graveyard, and began a cool 9-mile descent down at 2% grade towards the mountains:
At about mile 46, we encountered the 2nd river crossing of the ride, the Sabino Creek crossing, next to Canyon Ranch. Unfortunately this involved a 3/4 mile hike, carrying our bikes, across a dusty riverbed with about 1,000 other riders who were doing the 67-mile ride. Needless to say it was exhausting. I wish I had a picture of the craziness but I think I was too stunned by the number of riders we suddenly encountered to remember!

After a nasty steep climb, we coasted to our lunch spot at about mile 56, where our hero, Jim, had sandwiches and re-supplied us with our energy gels and electrolyte drinks. A group of us took some time to take a photo before heading off for the 2nd half of our ride:
The rest of the ride passed in a blur, as we had a long slow climb that lasted about 10 miles. We passed some great scenery on the way, that I managed to remember to photo:
But after that climb, lordy were the next 15 miles FUN!!! Doug leading, the three of us (Doug, Erika, and I) averaged about 25mph down a long long decline to the valley floor. It was a blast, and we stopped at another rest stop at the bottom, mile 85, where again Jim and Jackson were waiting with beverages and an update on all our other Team members whom we hadn't seen since the start line.

After about a 10 minute stop to re-hydrate and re-fill, we were off again for the final stretch (no stopping from 85-109 miles!!!). Feeling great, we came to the finish line at 4:06pm, and met up with friends (and a much-deserved cup of bubbly!):
All in all, it was an amazing experience. You can't help getting a little teary-eyed when you finally make it 109 miles on your bike. When I think that there were people riding on Saturday that are battling cancer, or currently in treatment, I am awed at their strength and courage. I hope you will join me in making a commitment to this cause, knowing what these people are struggling with and the fight that still remains. Please help me on that last short step to my fundraising goal here.

I thank you so much for all your help in this journey, and hope you will share your thoughts with me. I plan on continuing my commitment to this cause in the future, and hope you will too!

GO TEAM!

Monday, November 17, 2008

Countdown to Tucson....

Well, the training is done, the bikes are somewhere west of here being shipped to Tucson, and the nerves begin. The list of what to bring is growing, but in the end I think all we need to bring is our enthusiasm and dedication to the people who made this possible...YOU!

We fly out with the Team on Thursday, and start riding at 7am on Saturday. Hopefully I'll be able to take lots of pictures of El Tour de Tucson, to share with all those who have supported me financially or otherwise.

I'll try and send an update from the road, but until then...THANK YOU!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Final Training Ride - Tour of the Potomac

Well, on Saturday we had our final training ride. 85 miles, three states, three trails, 7 hours, a very welcome beer, and some lime Tostitos, we achieved victory, and had time for a team picture:
Literally over a river (we had to take a ferry at one point) and through the woods, it was a surprisingly grueling ride with a lot of long hills. The slopes were not too steep, but they just kept going on...and on...and on.

View Interactive Map on MapMyRide.com

Nearly the whole team was there, as Coach Mark and Coach Ed threatened us with bodily harm if we didn't show up, which made it a great capstone ride for all of us. For 4 of us it was the longest distance we had ever ridden (me included).

If you had asked me at the beginning of this whether I thought I could do it, I would have said no. But thanks to the support of my Team, and thanks to the knowledge I was riding to raise money to cure blood cancers, I did it. We're having a fundraiser on Wednesday to try and meet my fundraising goal, but if you can't make it, I hope you will consider donating now to help save lives!

Here are some pictures from the road this weekend...only a week and a half until El Tour de Tucson and 109 miles!!!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Exciting Leukemia News!

Scientists have apparently isolated the mutated genes in leukemia cancer cells! Just one more step to finding a cure.

Read about it in the New York Times.

Every step helps. That's why I'm working hard for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and helping my friends on my Team raise money to find a cure!

Please join me by donating today!

Monday, November 3, 2008

80 Miles! I Can't Believe I Rode My Bike 80 Miles!!!

Well, we're getting close to the finish line...on Saturday the team rode out from Davidsonville, Maryland on a big 80 mile loop that took us all the way to the Chesapeake Bay and back. It was a crazy feeling to know you had 80 miles ahead of you when you start off in the morning, but it is also an amazing feeling to know that you've done it when you make it back to the car after 6 hours!

We had a great team meeting before we started out, as several people met extraordinary fundraising goals. I am humbled by their dedication to the cause and only hope that I can meet my goals and help find a cure for blood cancers, especially after hearing stories of friends and family suffering from the diseases as we ride along the beautiful fall roads. So please think about donating here to help people who really need our empathy and support. Otherwise, you can show up to our fundraiser on November 12th!

The ride went well, despite my sprained ankle. I am very glad I pushed through the ache and finished the ride, because for the first time I can really believe that I can finish the ride. It was quite a long ride with some interesting hills (interesting in a "lord that's a tall hill" kind of way):

View Interactive Map on MapMyRide.com

We had some great scenery along the way


And then there was the rest stop on the bay...little did we know it would be followed by a brutal hill....

But we made it! And next week it's 85 miles...then two weeks later the big ride at 109 Miles!

Monday, October 27, 2008

The Dangers of Not Biking

Well, I have officially discovered the danger inherent in doing something other than biking when training for a long bike ride...

On Friday I went hiking with a friend and turned over my ankle, and now have a mild sprain. I missed a beautiful 74mile bike ride on Sunday with the team because of it, but have been staying off the ankle in the hope that I can get back on the bike by Thursday and be there for our 80mile ride next Saturday.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Metric Century Completed! (that's 100km or 62miles)

The rides are getting longer, the recovery more difficult, but I can see the goal in the distance!

View Interactive Map on MapMyRide.com

On Saturday we rode a beautiful ride that goes over 4 covered bridges and took us through the Gettysburg battlefield and through both Maryland and Pennsylvania!

Most of the team was there, and we all got started at 8:30am when it was a mere 42 degrees! Thanks to Maura, I didn't freeze, because she loaned me a windbreaker. And did I ever need the windbreaker! There were 20mph headwinds for at least 20 miles of this ride...it's never a good sign when you're pedaling as hard as you can on a flat stretch and you realize you're only going 9mph...

But it was all worth it because I did it with a great group of people, and saw some amazing scenery as we went. On those bad days, when all you want to do is ask the SAG support to just take you home, it's knowing I've got the support of my team and knowing that I'm doing it for a wonderful cause that makes it possible.

Here's some more pictures from this week's ride...I'll let them speak for themselves:
At the first SAG stop...it was still only in the 40s at this point

A house built in 1830

Doug and I in front of one of the covered bridges

Gettysburg Battlefield Park

Erika on the Road

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Just One Story

I am riding for all of those that can't. I am riding for everyone who might need the help of a great organization like the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I don't have any personal stories to share, but training with a team motivates me in ways I never thought possible. As my teammates share their personal stories, what I am raising money for becomes that much more real. The last hill of the ride seems that much less painful when I compare it to the pain of cancer and chemotherapy and losing your family member, friend, or loved one. As you read this story from one of my teammates telling all of us why she rides, I hope you will take the time to donate here and make riding for a cure no longer necessary.

Rachel's Story --

I started this adventure with TNT for no other reason then to be able to say, "I ran a marathon". Now I fundraise and train in hopes that the money I raise funds finding a better treatment and eventually a cure for Blood Caner so my friends loved ones can live.

Here is my story.

I started with Team in Training in 2002 as a Marathoner. I had always wanted to run a marathon and a close friend of mine called me up one day to tell me he had just run his first Marathon. I quickly decided if he could do it, I could do it and the next day a post card for TNT showed up in my mail box. The post card obviously talked about the endurance training they offer you as a participant and in return you raise money for finding a cure. I thought, "perfect". This will keep me motivated to complete the training and actually finish the Marathon. Little did I know that this one event was going to change my life.

I asked one of my girl friends to join me and she immediately jumped on board as her 5 year old cousin was currently in the hospital fighting for his life. He had Leukemia. As we trained and fundraised I found out a co-worker and good friend of mine's Brother was a Blood Cancer survivor. Izzy made a donation to my fundraising saying he'd been looking for an organization he could donate too. I now had a personal connection. I wrote Ralph's name on my arm and ran 26.2 miles in his Honor.

Two years Later I decided I was ready for another challenge as I got a phone call from my Dad telling me my childhood role model had Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I signed up immediately for a century ride and started raising money for TNT. I obviously was doing this Ride for Clayton (our hometown TV Meteorologist) in hopes that he would win his fight against Blood Cancer. I called Clayton and asked if I he would mind if I put his name on my arm and ride in his Honor. He said yes. While I was fundraising again I found out another co-work/friend of mine's step father was fighting Blood Cancer. Leslie made a donation to my fundraising and I asked if I could put Charlie's name on my leg and ride in honor of him and in hopes that he would win his fight. She said yes so I did my first century ride in honor of 3 people...Ralph and Clayton on my arms and Charlie on my leg, they gave me the strength to finish the hardest 100+ miles I'd ever ridden. I felt like I was helping to save these guys lives.... unfortunately Charlie lost his fight and died a few months after I finished my first Century ride.

Two years later when I got a phone call from one of my best friends that her 15 month old nephew had just been diagnosed with AML (Acute Myelogeneous Leukemia) a fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow. I knew what I needed to do. I signed up for my 2nd century with TNT in honor of 15 month old Mason and started raising money. I wore a picture of Mason on the back of my Jersey and I climbed the mountains around Lake Tahoe. Mason is now in remission and has been cancer free for 8 months. I hope with all my heart he stays that way.

So as I am training with you I ride and fundraise for 4 very special people. In Honor of my personal Champions...Ralph, Clayton and Mason and in Memory of Charlie.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Half Century!!!

This weekend we accomplished a huge milestone - our first team half century ride (yes...that is 50 miles in one day!) It was a stunningly beautiful Saturday morning in Manassas, Virginia, where the leaves were just starting to turn, it started off at around 47-degrees, but ended up in the low 70s by the time we were finished.

After our ride in Napa, I was seriously hurting for the first 10 miles of the ride, as we did some nasty up and down hills as you can see on the elevations on this course map:

View Interactive Map on MapMyRide.com

But the coolest thing about Team in Training, is that there is always someone to help out when you need it. When I was aching, struggling to breathe, and wishing I could just stop, Ann and Rachel were right there, egging me on, staying back with me on the hills and helping me get through it. Then later in the ride when someone else had a broken brake on her bike, our team captain Kelly was right there with tools to help out.


This principle of helping out is why Team in Training is so great, and follows with what the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is all about - that we can, together and only together, find a cure for blood cancers. Because it is an endurance event, you have to work together and everyone has to pitch in to help out. I hope you will join me by donating now, and helping all of us reach the finish line...a cure!

In the meantime, here are some other pictures from the ride:

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Training Update

It is amazing how much time studying, training, and doing everything else life requires of us takes. So that is my pitiful excuse for not posting in a while. 3 weeks ago our weekend training ride was canceled due to a tropical storm coming through, 2 weeks ago it was raining and lightning on Saturday so the training ride was postponed to Sunday, and then I was sick on Sunday, and last week Doug and I were in California for family visits, a wedding, and finally...a truly challenging half-century (yes...that's 50 miles).

Now that all the travel and craziness has ebbed, I will be back to giving everyone who has been so generous in helping me find a cure for blood cancers updates on how things are going. The big news is that thanks to you, I have raised $1,805, more than 35% of my goal. However, there is still a long way to go, and I need you to reach out to all your friends and tell them about the great work the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is doing to help find a cure for blood cancer!

I thought I'd share some stories from the road. We were out in California for a week, and really needed to get some training in. So we managed to get both cross-training and our long ride in over the course of the week. I have to say, the cross-training was much more exciting than the usual go to the gym type of thing. We hiked in Yosemite for our cross-training! Here's a picture from about 9,000ft at the top of Cathedral Pass:

Just in case folks were wondering, we stayed in Curry Village overnight so that we were able to see both sides (Tuolumne Meadows and Yosemite Valley), and get in some hiking on the Yosemite Valley side before most of the tourists. The scary thing is we were staying in the tent cabins that this week were hit by avalanches...but fortunately we were there last week before the avalanches happened. But waking up nice and early allowed us to get this great shot from Sentinel Dome of Half Dome:

But the real training happened on Monday, where we stayed in Sonoma, rented bikes in Napa, and with the help of the nice folks at the bike shop found a route to ride a 50-mile training ride. And there's where the fun began. First of all...never rent bikes when you've been training for endurance rides - we were both miserable very quickly, as we were not used to the geometry of the bikes. Second of all...make sure you know what the terrain is going to be before you set out on a loop. We started on our loop, and after about 10 miles of climbing (I mean ALL climbing for 10 miles), we realized between the bikes and the hills, there was just no way we would be able to do our 50. We made it to this gorgeous lake before we turned back though:



But we didn't give up! Instead of doing the loop, we rode back to the Silverado Trail and rode out until we hit mile 32 on our odometers before riding back:

View Interactive Map on MapMyRide.com

And the best part...we finished! And we got a great shot of us in front of some beautiful vines...

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Meet the Coaches

Well we had a fun ride on Saturday, with a team picnic to follow. It was a great time riding up Beach Drive, with a detour over a hill that nearly put me on my back. Training has been a challenge for sure, mainly finding the time for the longer rides to get some serious saddle-time. But for me, the biggest challenge has been the hills. On Saturday, our ride had a 200-foot rise in it. Challenges are the name of the game in what I'm trying to do here, from fundraising, to distance, to learning new skills, to hills. I'm finding that I get through it by remembering how much greater the challenges are that LLS' beneficiaries are dealing with, and by having a great team behind me.

We've got two team coaches, Ed Cosgrove and Mark Frieden.
Both are TNT alumni and have dedicated themselves to this cause many times over. But the best part is they clearly love to help others get involved and succeed, both for the cause and for themselves. When I was struggling up the hill, Mark was right there egging me on and making sure I didn't give up. I admit I had to stop for a few seconds about 3/4 of the way up, but I made it all the way to the top!

Next time hopefully the hill will be a little easier, and I finally got clip-ins on my bike so I'm hoping it will make every mile that much more efficient...once I stop falling over that is!

Saturday, September 13, 2008

September is Leukemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma Awareness Month

September is an important month for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). It is when LLS, in addition to its ordinary work helping patients, caregivers, and working with medical professionals, also spends time building awareness of the toll LLS takes on our society. I just wanted to share a few facts and figures for you, to give you an idea of why I am riding on behalf of LLS with Team in Training.

Some important facts:

  • Today more than 894,000 people in the United States are living with a type of blood cancer.
  • Today about 75 percent of children with acute leukemia and nearly 80 percent of children and adults with Hodgkin lymphoma are cured.
  • Every ten minutes someone dies from a blood cancer.
  • An estimated 52,910 people will die from a blood cancer this year.
  • Since LLS began in 1949, it has invested more than $600 million in research to find cures and better therapies.
  • This year alone, LLS will dedicate $71.4 million to research.
These are just some of the reasons why I am working so hard to ride 109 miles in one day on November 22nd. If nearly one million people can live with blood cancer, I can surely dedicate myself to the cause for a short time.

I hope you will join me in helping raise awareness of Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Myeloma, and support the mission of LLS by donating here.

Thanks, and see you on the road!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Rain Rain Go Away

Well, it has been several days since I got out on the trails (though Doug rode both Monday and Wednesday mornings before work...getting up before dawn I might add!). Saturday, the remains of Hurricane Hannah plowed through, and biking in 5 inches of rain is not my idea of fun. Then Tuesday we had thunderstorms, and again, getting hit by lightening is not my idea of a good time. So here I am, waiting for something to break so I can get a good ride in. I tried the gym, but it is just mind-numbingly boring to sit on a bike in a gym.

In the meantime, I thought I'd tell you a little about the cause that I am riding for!

September is "National Blood Cancer Awareness Month"

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's mission is to: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

They do this by providing:

Research
Since its founding in 1949, LLS has invested more than $600 million in leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma research. LLS-funded research has led to key advances in understanding blood cancers and has helped produce new treatments to enhance and prolong lives. Innovations in cancer treatment over the years have included radiation and chemotherapy, stem cell transplantation and new targeted therapies that kill cancer cells without harming normal ones.

Patient Services
LLS has 68 chapters in the United States and Canada. Each office conducts life-enhancing patient service programs, inluding support groups, peer counseling and patient financial aid. LLS also hosts numerous Webcasts and telephone education events, where medical professionals share the latest research, treatment and clinical trials findings.

LLS's Information Resource Center (IRC), staffed by oncology social workers and health educators, provides the most current information on blood cancers and clinical trials free of charge. Call the IRC at (800) 955-4572 or visit www.lls.org.

Professional Education
The latest scientific and treatment advances are shared by LLS's team of medical professionals through medical symposia, educational events, the Web and printed materials.

Advocacy
LLS's advocacy program promotes increased federal funding of biomedical research and influences healthcare reform issues, including ready access to quality cancer care and insurance coverage of patient-care costs in clinical trials.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Down the Mt. Vernon Trail

There are a lot of great places to ride in the Washington, DC area, as we are blessed with a copious quantity of trees, rolling hills, and historic locations. Probably one of the best well-known trails in the area is the Mt. Vernon Trail. I don't normally enjoy trail riding, as trails are inevitably overrun by SUV-sized strollers, and generally do not allow for fast riding and good pacing. However, as long as you avoid this trail on the weekends, it is actually a very good ride. There were a few nervous moments, as one of the downsides is the copious quantity of wooden slat bridges (can we say a tire blowout waiting to happen???), but there were also gorgeous views of the various National Monuments, getting overpassed by 727s near National Airport, and beautiful panoramic views of the Potomac.

On Thursday, I went on another buddy ride, and it is a very good thing that I had made a commitment to meet someone else, because I woke up tired and unmotivated after our 30-mile ride on Tuesday up Beach Drive in Rock Creek Park.

View Interactive Map on MapMyRide.com

If you look at the map, from approximately Military Road to the start/end point, there is quite the long slow gradual hill (which are rapidly becoming the bane of my existence I might add). That is why Erika and I were so tired when we started riding on Thursday.

However, we pushed each other to ride hard, keep a good pace for the most part, and spend some time on tactics such as drafting. The first 5 miles of the ride were particularly hard, as we were warming up, but after that we managed to get motivated and ride a bit harder to increase our overall pace. As you can see, the ride goes through Old Town Alexandria, so it provided a good means to say "we made it this far...we can make it all the way":

View Interactive Map on MapMyRide.com

By the time we hit the steepest climb of the ride (at about mile 15), we were tired but feeling accomplished. We paused at the southern-most point of the ride, Mile 0 of the Mt. Vernon Trail for a picture:
Oddly, the way back was faster and more productive from a training perspective. Maybe I was also learning to enjoy the winding pathways through the hardwoods that are a bit challenging at 17mph, but fun nonetheless. By the time we finished, we promised to meet again on Tuesday to try and start some interval training (those dreaded hills....). Saturday's group ride was a complete wash-out due to the remains of Hurricane Hannah, but that just means I'll be rarin' to go for the next fun buddy ride!

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Bay Country Half-Century (...almost...)

Instead of joining our Team in Training team on Saturday on the W&OD Trail, Doug and I decided to get out of town to Maryland. We thought it would be fun to do our first organized ride, and registered for the Bay Country Century. When we headed out, we intended to do the quarter-century (25-miles), but by the time we arrived, we realized we had been doing 30-mile rides for a bit, and we decided to challenge ourselves and started out with the half-century (50-mile) cue sheet.

It was a beautiful ride. Unfortunately the first 20 miles was all hills! Now I'm the first to admit that I'm not in the best of cardiovascular shape...but lord were those hills HARD! Up and down for about a hour and a half. When we'd hit a flat spot we'd look at each other and say what the heck did we do!

By the time we hit the 32-mile mark, which was a great rest stop in North Beach, MD right on the Chesapeake Bay, there was music, snacks, and a bit of time to relax before continuing on. About that time we realized how exhausted we were. The best part of Team in Training is that when you're out there in the shirts you encounter people of all walks of life that are currently training for a bike ride, a triathlon, or alumni of a ride. We started chatting with one of these wonderful people at the North Beach rest stop, and he kindly gave us the cue sheet for the 25-mile ride, which would mean we only had 12 miles to go, instead of 20! So here we are, looking happy (please ignore the flat bike-helmet hair!) that we only have 12-miles to go:

Of course, right after we left the rest stop, Doug got a flat, and there were a couple of brutal long hills on the way back, but we can say we have done almost half of the ride that we will have in Tucson come November. So we patted eachother on the back, and went home and ate a HUGE pot of spaghetti with meat sauce to celebrate!

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Buddy Rides

One of the great things about Team in Training is that there's a built in buddy structure. When you and your team are all working towards the same goal, it is really easy to encourage each other to meet up and ride together. Unlike Doug, I have never done any endurance training (and have never wanted to before this), so it is particularly important to have this support structure.

Yesterday I went on my first buddy ride with one of the great people from my Team. We met at Theodore Roosevelt Island at 10am, and went to ride the "Arlington Triangle" 17-mile ride.

View Interactive Map on MapMyRide.com

It seemed so simple, but apparently my choice of this ride was foolish, as, although it looks simple on the map and the cue sheet, the trail markers were abysmal leading to about 30 minutes of riding around in circles trying to find the W & OD trailhead. Nevertheless, we persevered. The hills along the Custis Trail (which parallels I-66) were brutal after more than an hour riding, but it ended up being some very good interval training at the end. Erika and I agreed that hills are BAD...hopefully the next ride will have fewer!

In the end, it always go back to the fact that however hard it is for me to go over those hills, it is nothing compared to what those I am biking for are dealing with. Please go to my donation page and help those that I'm riding for so that I can continue training for them!

And what should you do after a hard ride? Why go to the pool of course:

Sunday, August 24, 2008

The First Of Many Early Wakeup Calls...

On Saturday, August 23rd, at 7:30AM, Doug and I left the house on our bikes for our first ever Team in Training group ride (which ended up being about 28 miles!), beginning our quest towards our first century ride, and helping raise money to fight blood cancers.
Clearly, this is a picture from before we started any serious riding....

There is a great park in Washington, DC, right next to the Potomac River, called Hains Point. It is often used by exceptionally good riders for time trail training, as it is a flat 2-mile loop with two wide lanes. We added an extra 6 miles each way by riding our bikes down to Hains Point through Rock Creek Park (an easy downhill on the way from Adams Morgan, but a somewhat torturous uphill on the way back) and the goal was 5 laps around the park, which we accomplished. Here's a map of our ride:

View Interactive Map on MapMyRide.com

We were far from the elite, but the first meet-up with our group was a great time. We will be spending a lot of time "in the saddle" with these folks, all of whom are involved in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for their own reasons. Some have friends or family members that are fighting cancer, others just want to do something challenging and support a great cause while doing it. I've discovered you can get to know people pretty quickly when you're riding along for 20+ miles at 15 miles-per-hour chatting!

But in the end, it is all about having something in common: a committment to riding for a great cause, and feeling like you are truly making a difference.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Committing to a Cause

Hi there everyone!

Doug and I have joined forces and decided to do something really exciting. On November 22nd, 2008, we will be traveling to Tuscon, AZ to ride in El Tour de Tuscon, a 109-mile bike ride. But we're not just doing it for ourselves, we are doing it for a great cause.

We have both, separately, committed to raise $4,200 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and joined their most successful fundraising program, Team in Training.

To contribute on behalf of Anya, click here
To contribute on behalf of Doug, click here

Through this blog, we will be sharing our experiences, challenges, and stories from the road (and pictures of course). Please join us in supporting this great cause, and we hope to hear from you on these pages as well!

- Doug & Anya