You are your own limit.

The days are numbered! We only have 6 days left until we depart for one of the best summers of our lives. I can’t believe that the time is finally here. During first semester, I thought that this summer would never come. But now it’s here and I don’t even know how to contain my excitement. I have spent the entire school year thinking about the Illini 4000 and imagining what our journey will be like. Now it’s time to make those dreams reality! FINALLY!Before I start blogging about my adventures, I would first like to give a huge thank you and a huge virtual hug to every single person that has donated to our cause. Your donations have made this ride possible for me and you have supported a cause that is so close to my heart.

So, in the order of donations received, THANK YOU:

Kathy Fairbairn, The Schimdt Family, Karen Crowder, Robert Berg, Karen Styrna, Sandy & Gary Houser, The Turk Family, Dan McDonnell, Carolyn Kinsellla, Anne Seidel, Deborah Muehlbauer, Bert Kooi, Shelly & Sara Kruse, Mary Patt Clancy, Janeth Kreis, Daniel Kemock, Melissa Hurst, Carol Whiteaker, Robert Wendlick, Jill & Nick Lundin, Renee Ebel, Chrissy Fosdick, Raymond & Tamara Liberatore, Sara Boroni, Mrs. Mariellen's Preschool, Joe Urbelis, Steve & Kay Zimmerman, Debbie Dobson, Ellen Kijowski, Patricia Kuchenbecker, Dennis Ferguson, Matthew Thomas, Teresa Harrington, Jon Monti, Delaney Contracting Ltd., Tracy Kwasny, Terri Baranski, Anna Fairbairn, Jill Pfieffer, Chris Blackburn, Kelly Thompson, Michael Boeringa, Karen Aldworth, Cheryl Pillsbury, Sarah Massey, Carolynn Bartolotta, Wesley Anderson, Cathy Scaropoulos Smith, Jaime Chandler, Julie & Brian Petrovic, Gerald & Marian Rillstone, Pamela Rillstone, Ken & Lyndal VanBlaricum, Janice Reitsma, Kim Swanson, James Boyter, Douglas & Jean Rillstone, Nancy & Thomas Lehman, Mary & Brian Lundberg, Carrie Prosek, Anne Blanco, Tom & Greta Lesniak, David & Martine Pullara, Leah McDonald, Tory Greiner, Minooka Junior High Newspaper Club, The Bielec Family, Gary & Amelia Pedersen, and Susan Smith.Lastly, I want to give a very special thank you to my mom, Kathy. When I told my mom that I wanted to ride my bike across the country for cancer research, I did not get a response that most kids would expect to get. My mom said, “That’s a great idea and I think you should do it.” Since then, my mom has supported me throughout the school year—she came with me to every bike shop, constantly searched websites for the best deals, and played a key role in my fundraising efforts. She would even text (yes, text!) me every Saturday morning to see how our training rides went. Her support surprises me everyday because no one has ever believed in me as much as she does. I am so so so so so grateful for my mom.Just this evening, my mom and I were talking about the ride. She said something to me that left me speechless for a while: “You are your own limit.” I never realized how true those words are until tonight. If you doubt yourself, then you will fail in your attempts to accomplish something. If you hesitate to do something, you will never do it. This summer, and in the years to come, I will not limit myself. Living life is all about actually living—which means doing those things you have always wanted to do or doing those things that you think are impossible. If riding your bike across the country is possible, then finding a cure for cancer is also possible.Basically, my point is that my mom always supports my crazy ideas and that her support inspires me over and over again to accomplish the things that seem impossible. As my anxiety kicks in about the beginning of the trip, I know I can always fall back on my mom’s words. So mom, this ride is also for you. I love you. :)LET'S GET THIS 4,520.1 MILE BIKE RIDE STARTED!!!P.S. - I will try to make all future posts shorter.

I will pack all my pretty dresses.

It's time to leave the diva clothing behind because NYC is SO close and it's time to rough it.This past year with Illini 4000 has been so amazing. I remember some of our first meetings in 131 EB and the team potluck. I didn't know a soul. We've since became well acquainted during our training rides, and social/fundraising events. It's funny how my impressions of my teammates have morphed since those first meetings. I'm pumped to learn how weird everyone really is. And in case you were wondering, I love weird quirks. A few include Pi's love of Star Trek, Gabrielle Gaga, Max Mustache, Shea and Jill's obsession with small donkeys, Justin's fab dance skills, Lauren and Steve the choreographers, and Eamon's love of the UGL(y).Some highlights from this past year include our first ever 24 Hours of Cycling Fundraiser on the Quad, Relay for Life (where we did our second Portrait of the year), and our 90 mile ride/camping trip to Kickapoo. Oh, and our skivvies mile fundraiser was fun too.Next step, fit my whole life into one teeny bag! Wish me luck.

Thank You to Everyone!!!

I cannot thank my friends and family enough for all of their support!! Thank you to everyone who has donated to the cause and helped me throughout the year in various ways.I want to thank my parents, John and Carol Russell, who have been so supportive of this endeavor. I think they are just as excited as I am, and I could ask for nothing more.Special thanks to W.E. O'Neil Construction Company, Bill and Janet O'Neil, Pat and Tracey Russell, Stacy O'Malley, Jeffrey and Donna Widdman, The Mikuzis Family, Ann and Cameron Russell, Joe and Judi Weingarz, Genevieve Russell(Aunt Gen), The Dalton Family, Mary Dalton (Nana), Bruce and Karen Bethards, Phil Cerney, Carolyn and Gerry Murphy, Phillip and Jill Maxwell, John and Carolyn Healy, Bill and Maureen Bolotin, Brian and Kathleen Chaps, Doug and Cindy Evak, David and Lisa Hanneman, Colin and Marie Sumida, Pat and Brian Egan, Tim and Kathy Russell, Georgean Wegrzyn, Andrew and Stephanie Hofner, John and Janet Juarez, Jane Powers, Cindy Poletto, Michael and Mary Jo Hosman, Donald and Anne Knibbs, Patty Dalton, and all of my friends on campus who have purchased wristbands, raffle tickets, and given words of encouragement!

a)Thanks! b)Hello!

Dear Generous Contributors,Thank you thank you thanks to everyone who has donated, helped, or otherwise contributed. I couldn't have imagined the amount of support I've received since joining the Illini4000. A hundred thousand thank you's! You will be in my thoughts and thanks this summer, as I am reminded daily that this trip would be an impossibility without your help.Love And Thanks In Bold and Italic,Max--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dear Team,As I'm a student at UIC, my only face-to-face meetings with you have been through two visits to U of I this past year--one in the winter-time and one in the spring. Both were exciting! Everyone I met was an awesome dude or lady with wise words to offer and/or stories to tell. And your bicycles are all so pretty!You know something? I'm really, really excited to get to know all of you. I've found something to admire in everyone I've spoken to, and I already feel a sense of kinship with all a'you, despite having such limited contact.Excitement, that's at the heart of it. To partake in such a worthwhile cause! To ride our bikes for a long-ass time! To pedal westward of our own determination and belief and volition! This will be a summer to remember.Excelsior!-Max

Departure Times

Come see the Illini 4000 depart on their 4th journey across the country, raising awareness for cancer and being touched by the stories of countless individuals. The team will be gathering in the Great Hall of Chicago's Union Station at 5:30pm on May 22nd before departing for New York City. Of course, you may also come visit the team as they depart New York City's Central Park on May 25th. Look for them near Central Park West and W 108th St around 7:00am.

There Might Not be a Title to this Post

In exactly 11 days, or 264 hours, or 15,840 minutes, or 950,400 seconds (depending on your preferred method of timekeeping), 28 bodies* with 1 bicycle each, or 56 feet* with 2 wheels each, or 224 fingers* (thumbs aren't fingers) with 1 vision (depending on your preferred method of humankeeping) will have just stepped onto to Train 48 to depart for New York City, having just said our goodbyes and feeling the most butterflies we'll have felt since the first day of kindergarten.Tears are a must, apprehension is a must, forgetting something minuscule is a must, but without momentary loss, there is no permanent gain.My belief in the greater good and untapped potential for humanity to work together for a common goal will keep me pedaling. How about you?eamon*These numbers are not accurate, because some team members will drive the support vehicle to New York, but their bodies, feet, fingers, bikes, & wheels will leave the station with us in spirit.

Message to our Donors

The Illini 4000 has undergone many changes in the past year, most visibly our website. Unlike 2008, we made our 2009 contributions to the American Cancer Society (ACS) and Camp Kesem with very little fanfare or announcement to our faithful donors. With this in mind, it is appropriate we look back at the past year before we continue forward with this one.In 2009, we contributed $52,500 to the ACS and $7,500 to Camp Kesem. One-third of the amount contributed to the ACS was designated for Patient Services and tripled through a matching grant by the Coleman and Duchossois Foundations. We committed to this matching program because we believed that it would be the most effective use of our fundraised dollars in order to support crucial programs that help cancer patients and survivors in Illinois.You may notice on our homepage the photo of our President, Conor Canaday, presenting a check to Steven Derks, the Illinois CEO of the ACS. This check, in the amount of $20,000 represents our commitment to contribute once again to a matching program benefiting Patient Services. Fifty percent of this amount will be matched by the Coleman Foundation. Our decision to participate is motivated for the same reasons as in 2009. This opportunity, however, had a time limit, as it expires in June. For this reason, we made this contribution before the 2010 ride rather than after it - and this is only a part of the total contributions we will make this year.Our total fundraisng now exceeds $96,000, far surpassing our previous fundraising marks. This is outstanding because it means we will contribute more to ACS and Camp Kesem than we ever have before. And we will continue to raise more over the summer.We thank you for your support and for continuing the fight against cancer. We look forward to sharing with you our coming summer, stories from the ride, and overall successes in 2010.

Eighteen Days

Hey all,This is my first post and I am using it primarily as  a test post.  Excitement for this trip is growing; each day passes with a change in dynamic from somewhere on the team- from the 24 Hours of Cycling event, Relay for Life and the Underwear Mile.  Receiving our jerseys three days ago was another event that made this trip more real.  And with each of these milestones in our preparation for this journey, the prevalence of cancer becomes real.  Everyone knows someone who has cancer or has had cancer themselves.  My experience on this trip will truly be affected by those who I have met in passing who have had cancer, those who are caretakers and those who are supporters.  Together we can make a difference.In my first entry, I would like to give a very special thanks to Alex Hodge and his family who headed up a raffle in my name in support of The Illini 4000.  Without his help, I would have been broke and probably would have not been able to participate on the trip.Another special thanks to all my supporters of whom will be mentioned later in the blog.  I look forward to sharing my experiences on this trip and to continue fighting a battle with all those who are affected by cancer.

Get your jackets ready!

Waaaaaaaaaah. So the summer is creeping up and I could not be more excited, only 21 days!! Since this is my first blog, I'll give a quick update on what's kickin' (forewarning to the adorable Sean Laude, my grammar is meh):The past month has been fantastic. Pi threw together a 24 hours of cycling event and a bunch of us attended Relay for Life a few weeks ago. This past weekend, we went I4Kamping at Kickapoo which is about 30 miles east of Champaign. Before the thunderstorms crashed in, Eamon and I did a fantastic job setting up our group's tent... and while we all stayed nice and dry though out the night, I can't say that for the rest of the team.. hm, I guess we all weren't cut out to be girl scouts. We rode back bright and early and met up later in the evening for a movie screening of What People Do. Other than those events, I've just been training and trying to finish up these last few weeks of school. As crazy as it is, the only thing standing between now and NYC are two finals and graduation (yikes).Hm what else... OHHH our jerseys are "dope" as Kevin would say. We received them yesterday and once I got home, I geared up and paraded around in my uniform for my roommates... and then walked over to my friends to fish out more compliments. Long story short, it's unanimous that they're awesome and I wouldn't want to wear anything else for 72 days straight, except maybe a jacket.Also, I would like to thank everyone who has made this experience possible: Jimmy Mazurski, Aunt Mel and Uncle Ted, Michelle and Matt, Uncle Mike and Aunt Eileen, Grandma and Grandpa, Nanna and Nannu, Claire and Alex Mendez,  Martha and Marion, Aunt Clare and Uncle Joe, The Love's, The Greco's, The Jefferies', Terry Tomisak, Ben Nixdorf, Dane Whaley, Ed Leracz, Magdelana Garrison, Jermeka Jackson, The Rooney's, The Cooney's, Rick Gutierrez, Janet Moss, Deborah O'Conner, Dawn Souliotis, Tammy Ryan, Karen Shoemaker, Lauri Ognar, The Friese's on behalf of Linda Peterson, State Farm Insurance, Notes-n-Quotes, C & R Tire and Automotive, Petty, Bielik, & Burke Orthodontics, Guardi's Pizza, Westpoint Insurance, members of the Chicago Police Department, and Chicago Trading Company. Most importantly, Mom and Dad, thank you.Finally, as promised, I've set up a number of things to stay connected this summer:I'll be blogging here. So bookmark it! http://illini4000.org/riders/lmazurski/Tweeeeter (If I can figure it out) http://twitter.com/laurmazgmail: laurmaz@gmail.comAND I'm going to set something up for photos, so I'll get that out later.Until next time, deuces.

One month to go

With only one month to go before we kick things off from New York City, it is important to see where we stand as a team. We're now down to 28 riders, however that has not prevented us from having record breaking fundraising. We're less than $14,000 from reaching our goal of $100,000 dollars, so if you haven't contributed yet, please help us make this goal a reality this year.A little over a week ago we also held our first, "24 hours of cycling event" on the UIUC quad. We had over 25 riders and alumni come out to spend an hour or more on a bicycle from noon Thursday to noon Friday. Pictures from this event can be found on our website in the photo gallery. In the process we raised $1,252 through donations and the sale of Illini 4000 t-shirts and wristbands. If you didn't make it out to see us, we'll have our online store up and running in the next couple weeks.Last weekend also brought about the our first ever, Alumni Weekend, where alumni from every previous ride were out riding in support of this years team. After a windy ride through Sidney and Philo, riders and alumni met up again for a tasty meal at Mas Amigos and indoctrinated the future riders in the culture of "Great Friends".Finally, next weekend riders will undergo our longest training ride to date, riding 90 miles and culminating in a night camping under the stars at Kickapoo State Park. Stay tuned next week to see how it went!

Get on your trainers and ride!

Last Thursday, I4K hosted a 24-hour bike vigil on the Quad. From noon on Thursday to noon on Friday, at least two members of our 28-person team were fixed on trainers, peddling away in the hopes of raising money to meet our $100,000 fundraising goal. I had the privilege of biking during the 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. shift, during which I serenaded my fellow riders and a few Quad lingerers to the entirety of Queen’s Greatest Hits Volume II. It was a magical three hours for them, I’m sure.The event was quite a success, and more fun than I ever expected. It was a great chance to bond with my new teammates, whom I’m beginning to love just a little bit more each day. We raised about $1,100 dollars, which, given the marginal success quad booths usually garner, is quite an accomplishment. To everyone who bought T-shirts at 2:30 in the morning to help support our cause, don’t worry, you look fly. And if you don’t, well, you’re money is going to a good cause, so all is not lost.The success of our event can only be attributed to the commitment and determination of this year’s team. First off, I’ve got to give credit to my teammate Pi, who organized the event. Without his hard work, I4K 24 Hours of Cycling wouldn’t have been nearly as successful. He was there the entire 24 hours, making sure everything was running smoothly and efficiently. Still, his hard work would have been for naught without the dedicated members of our team. I’ve never been surrounded by a group of people so motivated by a single cause. It’s inspiring. It pushes me to work harder, pedal faster and complain less (which is saying something). I feel so lucky to be a part of this team, I can’t even put it into words.But I think more important (for me at least) than the money we earned was the support and encouragement we received from friends and random passersby throughout the day. Given that I was the 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. shift, I wasn’t expecting many people to stop by. Yet I was surprised and touched by the number of friends who showed up to support my teammates and I. Visiting was such a small gesture, but it meant the world to me and reminded me how blessed I am to have some of these people in my life. On top of that, having random strangers approach just to tell us how how inspired they were by our dedication and to encourage us to “keep pedaling” or give us a high five was so moving. I’ll never forget it.So really, what I’m trying to say is, thank you so much to everyone who came out to support us last Thursday. It’s comforting to know that you’re behind us for each and every one of those 4500 miles.

I4K 24 Hour Cancer Vigil - Team Building at 3:00 AM

Its dark, cold, and all the drunks have made their way back to their bed from the bars. All across the campus, there isn't a creature stirring this Thursday night...except for the gaggle of ~15 I4K riders on the quad. Blasting loud music, fervently persuading passersby to donate money (harassing passerby in the case of Emon), and pedaling furiously on their trainers in sets of four.The level of dedication among our group is stunning. No sleep, barely keeping warm against the surprisingly cold spring night, the team pedals forward. The synchronous hum of the trainers at hour 15 is almost a lullaby now, but we can't/won't stop now. We've raised over 500 dollars from our efforts tonight, and hope to make a big leap forward tomorrow upon the arrival of moms for mom's weekend.From the quad, this is pi signing off.Over and ooouuuttt.

Illini 4000 - True Champions

The Illini 4000 was recent featured on CNN Headline News's True Champions segment. Watch the clip after the break.

Alumni Ride - April 17th

April 17th will be our first-ever Alumni ride. All Illini 4000 alumni are encouraged to come out and meet/ride with this year's team. If you would like to ride with us, we plan on departing from Allen Hall at noon, and going for a short 30 mile ride through Sidney and Philo. Cues will be provided for any alumni who wish to join us.

24 Hours of Cycling

April 15th and 16th, the Illini 4000 will be holding its first ever "24 Hours of Cycling" on the University of Illinois quad. From noon Thursday to noon Friday (and possibly beyond), riders of the Illini 4000 will be pedaling away, raising awareness for those afflicted by cancer. Drop by and cheer us on and stop by on Friday when we raffle off tickets to shows at the Krannert Center and gift certificates to the Illini Apple Center.See you out there!

Chomping on ice...

I love to chew ice. At home, at restaurants, while shopping. It's a terrible habit I picked up from my mother. So despite the terrible weather during our first training ride yesterday, I couldn't help but laugh when a chunk of hail landed in my mouth and I was able to enjoy a refreshing little crunch.

April Showers

I grudgingly report that this is a very accurate description of April so far...I had a chance to go on a few training rides this week, and overall they've been good learning experiences.  Tuesday's 8am ride was 23 miles, starting off in mid 30 degree weather.  Surprisingly, I wasn't terribly cold except for my fingers; I am thinking of investing in some full-fingered gloves.  Wednesday's afternoon ride was beautiful weather except for the 20+ mph winds, which are a nuisance to say the least.  It sucks when you're pedaling with all your might and only going 7mph.  Luckily, very cloud has a silver lining: with a strong tailwind the ride back to campus was awesome.This morning I rushed to the post office when it opened to pick up my new Sugoi bike shorts and Camelbak insulated water bottles before setting out to Allen to meet up with the team.  It was drizzling pretty hard when we left for Homer Lake, and continued to do so for the 15 miles to our destination.  I was in the front group today, we made good time averaging 18mph for most of the ride there.  By the time we got to Homer Lake, my shoes were completely soaked through and I was a bit chilly, but luckily my rainproof jacket performed very well and kept me really dry.  Hooray for a good purchase!  The ride back was a bit slower, and the sun teased us for most of the trip before Mother Nature decided to pull a late April Fools prank and hailed on us right as we were drying out.  All in all, a good ride despite the elements.  Now I'm just waiting for those May flowers...

A Dime, 2 Quarters, 2 Nickels, & 3 Pennies Walk Into a Bar...

73 daysConclusion: About 60% of my awake, conscious thinking concerns the trip in one fashion or another.Goal: I pledge to use proper grammar and punctuation for the duration of these blogs (look out, semi-colons).I've been contacting last year's stay-over hosts lately. I'm in charge of most of South Dakota. What an accent. Everyone is terrifically supportive and excited to host us, which, needless to say, is a great feeling.It's becoming more and more real everyday. What was once a theory, an idea, and a dream is becoming the real, the practical, and the beginning.Getting my bike tomorrow. Look out.But seriously. What an accent.Cordially Yours,eamon

A Portrait of Cancer Across America

I've had the privilege of helping out with the "Portraits Project" under the direction of Claire Reiling. Each summer along the ride, I4K riders visit with cancer patients/survivors and ask them to tell their story. Our organization then works to document these stories and put the material in a cohesive and presentable form. I see the portraits project as a great tangible link between our ride and our cause.So far this year our committee has worked on transcribing interviews and editing photographs of the interviewees. In the past these stories were turned into portable foam boards, but we have recently spent time brainstorming ideas for a new multimedia presentation.Tonight was the first time our whole team got together to work on the Portraits Project. Claire gave each team member a slide to work on for a multimedia presentation. I can't wait to see how this all comes together. Stay tuned!

Here comes the sun

Let's talk about the weather. I think we can all agree that spring is around the corner - I smelled it and tasted it this weekend and even heard a few faint chirps from my mom's favorite bird. All of this energy reminds me of how close the ride is!On Saturday, I went on a casual ride with some veteran I4K members, and I think I did a good job keeping up for the most part. We explored some of the lone country roads south of campus and I even got a little tutorial about riding my bike safely. I'm now well-versed in the language of cycling hand signals.After a bout of bronchitis kept me away from working out for a while, I've decided it's time to amp up my training if I want to survive outside of the flatland that is Illinois. Buns of steel here I come!