As I sit in the education building trying to finish up my last two weeks worth of homework, I can’t help but be distracted with the realization that in 25 days I will be biking away from New York City headed to San Francisco with the rest of Illini 4000. Within those 25 days I am overwhelmed with the amount of school work, student teaching, actual work, preparation, fundraising, and training I have left. Additionally, as I sit in the education building trying to do homework I can’t help but creep Facebook and see multiple statuses about Derrick Rose’s torn ACL which brings upon a whole new realm of realizations. With today being May 1, I have broken what I call my “April Curse”. On April 30, 2009 I tore my left ACL/MCL/meniscus. On April 19, 2010 I re-tore my left ACL/MCL/meniscus and chipped my fibula. Sometime around April 8, 2011 I tore my left hip labrum. But this April, after making it through our 90 mile stay over trip during the last weekend, I can say I haven’t torn a thing in 2012.While biking 90 miles in one day is a great feeling, what I really took away from this weekend was our portrait we conducted at the church that night. I sat in on a portrait of one rider’s mom, and she told us how she lost not just one, but two moms to cancer. Her biological mom passed away of cancer when she was not even a teenager, and then more recently her step-mom (who she knew as ‘mom’ for the large majority of her life) passed away of cancer. Both of her moms had different forms of cancer, but eventually developed tumors in their spines which ended up taking their lives. Her stories about being so young and having to care for her mom because she could no longer care for herself were beyond moving. She told us that after a chemotherapy appointment, at nine and half years of age, she had to drive her mom’s stick shift home from the hospital, with her mom in the passenger seat, because she was too sick to do so. And another story about how other adults didn’t think she was old enough to know everything that was going on, so when everyone knew her mom was coming home because she was dying, she had made ‘Welcome Home’ and ‘Congratulations’ banners for her mom thinking she was coming home because she had beaten her cancer. Days later, she saw her mom pass away in her bed. I could not even wrap my mind around these experiences and the stories she told. They were so emotional and can only make me think, “Why does something like this have to exist?”Before I signed up for this ride many people told me I couldn’t do it. They told me that my prior and current injuries are going to stand too much in the way, and that it would be too difficult. And I am not going to lie and say that the injuries I have dealt with have been easy on me. They have very strongly affected me physically and emotionally. Every time after being told something was torn I can remember crying and thinking, “Why does it have to be me, again?” The reality stands that due to these injuries I will be getting a third knee surgery, and a hip surgery all probably before I turn 24. And the very real reality is that this ride could make the tears in either my knee or hip worse by the time we arrive into San Francisco. But after hearing portraits like the one I heard over the weekend, it all seems so trivial.Every time I was told I tore something, I was immediately after told that it could be fixed with surgery. Those diagnosed with cancer do not get this luxury. They are forced to start the toughest fight of their life after being given their diagnosis whether they are ready for it or not, and I have been so fortunate to have never experienced that. Even if the tears in my knee or hip get worse, I still can arrive home knowing that two surgeries can help me with my problems. Cancer patients never get the convenience of not worrying. Even if their cancer goes away, years later it can come back, and that is just not fair. So when people tell me this ride is going to be too hard with my injuries all I can think about is how lucky I am in comparison to those I am riding for. When my leg hurts or gives me trouble, I just have think of the real reason I am riding and the future that I am riding for, where no one ever loses their mom, dad, brother, sister, or friend to cancer again. These portraits I know will continue to drive me all summer, and I look forward to hearing each unique story.And to my mom- No, I'm not going to ride when I am in a ton of pain and I know I am causing more harm to my leg, but I can give it my best effort until then. I already see that question/comment coming :)
Reconnecting with the Cause
We've been training for the trip for a long time. Trips to the ARC have been going on since November, twice a week since January, and we've been riding like crazy since we got back from Spring Break. For a while all I could think about was the trip: What type of bike should I buy? What snacks will I want eat? Should I get a rack bag? When are my bike shoes finally coming in? Will I be in shape enough when the trip begins? And so on and so on.This past weekend we did a doozy: a 90 mile trip. In fact, my group got lost and off track enough that we ended up going 104 miles, so I can check that off my list already! It was pretty brutal: the morning started out very cold and it didn't warm up much, the sun came out for only an hour or two, it rained for part of the trip, and my group got about 10 miles off course at one point. While finishing the ride was rewarding, it was difficult and sometimes frustrating, and my group ended up spending about 10 hours from start to finish.After we arrived at our stayover location, we had an event for the Portraits Project. I was tired, but I knew had to do it. The half hour that I spent doing that portrait had a huge impact on me. I heard the story of a father of three who fought acute myeloid leukemia, and the struggles that he and his family went through. At the end of the portrait, I had an entirely new perspective on the day. I worked hard to move myself 104 miles on a bike, and I was tired, but that night I got to eat pasta, chill with my fellow riders, go to sleep, and wake up well-rested the next day. And after returning to campus, I got to go to sleep in my bed, and by Monday morning it was as if nothing had happened.A cancer patient is not so lucky. They can't just go to sleep and wake up better; they go through chemo, and can wake up feeling even worse. It takes years to recover, if it all, and not just a couple of days. My ride was hard, but it was nothing compared to the ride of a victim of cancer.I complained a lot on last weekend's ride, and I really regret it. Whenever I was hurting on the short ride back home, I did my best to not allow it to get to me. Instead, I let it motivate me. My struggle was just the tiniest blip in my lifetime, and I let it remind me of the fight that others have to give against cancer. When I think about the ride, I no longer think about how hard it will be to bike every day. Instead, I think of the difference that I can make with this ride. My sacrifice is small, and if it means something to someone battling cancer, then it is way more than worth it.
Last Training Ride for Team 2012
This past weekend, the riders of the 2012 Bike America team had our last training ride of the year. After a windy 90 miles out to Kickapoo State Park and through Indiana, we spent the night at Faith Church in Fairmount, IL. We would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to all of the people there who helped us out; we can't thank you enough for all of your kindness and generosity.This year was the first time that we had our a stayover for our overnight ride, and it was a great decision! The team was able to conduct four portraits of local community members. We really appreciate the openness of all of these people and their willingness to share their stories with us. It is these stories that provide the fuel for this ride - your strength and courage motivates us to keep going!
A Day In the Life.
This morning we completed our 'day in the life ride'. We headed off of campus at 7am yesterday, rode some 90 miles throughout Indiana, ended the day off at the Fairmount Methodist Church, and rode some 25 miles back this morning. Although we still had our directors with us, this was the closest we have ever been to a day comparable to one on the ride.It was tough. All of the training we have done has been relatively close to Champaign, so we have only encountered mostly flat land. This ride had some tough hills, which just kept making me think of the even tougher mountains we will be facing during the beginning of the ride. There were also some pretty strong headwinds although I am sure they are nothing in comparison to the completely flat states in the west. I knew this summer would be tough, but after this ride I have a much better grasp on what to expect and what will be expected of us along the ride.Once we got to the church we had the opportunity to conduct portraits with some of the members of the community. Tory Cross set this up, and she did an absolutely perfect job! Interviewing these patients, survivors, and caretakers reminded me of why I am riding. Those headwinds and hills were going to stop in 90 miles. When I get off my bike at the end of the day I can relax. These fighters don't get the chance to stop after a long day. They cannot just take a break. They are in a constant fight, and what they do is much tougher than what we do. These fighters are my reason to ride.This weekend was spent entirely with the team and we spent a lot of time bonding. (We even have a hand motion indicating just that.) The riders on this team are undoubtedly some of the best people on this campus. They are happy, energetic, caring, and strong. What else could you expect from an organization this great?! I am so fortunate to be able to spend my entire summer with these folks, and I really cannot wait until it begins.I know this summer will be insane. There will be tough days. We will be tired, hungry, and exhausted. But I will have the support of the incredible 2012 team and a legitimate reason to ride. With this ride we can make an impact, we can spread stories and hope, and we can accomplish something great.26 days until yesterday becomes just like my everyday. I am not sure I could wait any longer!-AY
It's for Cancer!
My friends are probably ready to smack me every time they hear the phrase "It's for cancer!" With all the super successful events we've had lately, everyone who has heard me speak in the last few weeks must have heard this phrase at least once. Between the super successful date auction run mostly by Jaime and Ashley (Way to go Kristen, going for $100!!), the team's favorite night ever with the 24 hours of cycling (which included everything from learning Alex Massey is ridiculously photogenic to watching Bradford completely beast the rollers to multiple rounds of singing Mr. Jones), the upcoming underwear mile (where Buddy the Elf will be making an appearance!), to setting up the stayover for the ride where will be doing 120 miles in one weekend (team, get pumped!), to listening to Connor Ramsey sing in pure excitement during the first training ride that was long enough to feel like a real I4K ride, to trying to convince ALL of my guy friends to shave their heads, to basically every conservation that I have every single day.On a slightly more serious note, Saturday was our alumni ride, which was a lot of fun! Actually, it kind of sucked, because it rained the entire day, the entire team was cold and soaked down to the bone, and we probably owe Allen Hall a lot of newspaper from using all of it to try to dry our belongings out. Other than that, the ride was a lot of fun! I chatted for awhile with Cristian (I think, I'm awful with names!). He asked what I was most excited for, and I told him that I'm super pumped for Portraits, because I think it's going to make a really amazing impact. When I asked what his favorite part was, he said that my choice of portraits kind of reminded him that it's not just a bunch of kids riding across the country. It's for cancer. He told me a story about a little kid that he met, who was a complete inspiration to the team in his determination to have no fear about his battle with cancer. Cristian said that meeting the little boy was one of his favorite things about the ride. Stories like that are the stories that have me the most excited to leave New York in 38 days (38 days?!). Stories like this are also the kind of stories that have led me to the conclusion that I almost definitely want to use my double major of Psych and Bio to fight cancer to the best of my ability, either through research or as an oncologist. After all, it's for cancer. Peace, love, and tailwinds,Tory
Whoa!
Before joining the club, I had never ridden on a bike more than a couple miles. Not knowing what I have gotten myself into, I packed A cliff bar and joined 45 miles ride last Saturday.Long story short, I do not think I have ever been as tired as I was that day. After the ride, I could barely talk! I was very confident about my endurance as I have been through pretty tough stuff I thought. It turns out I am WEAK!To be honest, I am more worried about this journey than I am excited. When one day of 50 mile ride exhausts me this much, I cannot imagine myself doing 80+ miles everyday for three months!However, tomorrow is another day, and there is always another snack bar. I will survive this.Love, Peace and Cliff bar.
Is this real life?
I have asked myself the same question for half a year now.. Is this real life?I am currently spending all my time working on my fundraising, keeping up with school, and spending as much time on my bike as possible. With all of this distracting me, I have not spent much time thinking about the reality of this summer. Sure, I am going to spend it on my bike with 29 other beautiful people. We are going to be doing great things, raising money, collecting portraits, and literally riding our bikes across the country. This is what I was expecting... But as school ends and summer approaches, reality is setting in.Now that the training rides are in full swing, meetings are becoming more focused on the summer, and we are spending so much time as a team, I can't help but think about how much my life is going to change in 45 days. I will be living in a saddle, with 29 college kids, and limited showers. We will be riding though big cities and small towns in whatever weather is thrown at us. We will be sharing everything but toothbrushes. We will have the opportunity to collect the stories of those effected by cancer and spread them with hope. We will make an impact across the country. This is what I am looking forward to most.I frequently question the reality of this, and most everyone questions our sanity. We all have our reasons for doing this though. I am riding for my family, friends, teachers... People who have made me the person I am happy to be and who have fought with positivity to continue to impact the lives of others. Although as a team, we can narrow this down to one solid reason: We hate cancer.So I guess this is real. My life will change for the better in 45 days. We will make an impact. And perhaps we all are a little insane, but at least we have solid reasoning backing us up.This summer couldn't come soon enough.-Ashley Young
Team Ride Across America 2012!
I4K '12!!You are working so hard, training and fundraising your way to the top! Just look at you all! Only a bit more and, before you know it, you'll be at Union Station, then Penn Station, then (come up with an insane word for The Ride and insert here (this one's mine)) Wahshwhooolowoooyaybiblneyness, and then, the Golden Gate Bridge.It's an unforgettable journey. It goes by fast. Live in the present always.Sincerely,Cristian E. GarciaI4k '11
Learning what life is all about with I4K
So do you ever think you are worrying too much about things that do not matter? I mean this is it; this is your life happening right in front of you, moment by moment. Time as it flows in the moment signifies your existence, not the past experiences you wish to relive or the future you actively try to create. It is, through the moments you live, beginning and ending simultaneously; a chain of moments that will unquestionably end. The actuality that time is not infinite is such a hard concept to truly grasp.I was able to help conduct an I4K interview with a student here at U of I. At my age she had become a caregiver for a fellow student and friend diagnosed with colon cancer. Twenty-two years old, and all these people around her are saying, after some stomach problems, that she has cancer. That was it; her life- and all the individuals whose lives, by chance, intertwined in this specific place and time with her- changed. I can imagine her experience: pain, physical degradation, surgery after surgery, financial strain, loneliness.She graduated from the university that same year, and decided she is going to travel, and do whatever she wants, rightfully so. Her friend that was retelling the story to us recalled an amazing moment: as she, now a cancer survivor, was flying over the endless rows of houses one can watch from the window seat of an airplane, she became overwhelmed with a sudden and overpowering emotion. Most of these people, with their unique days that come together to create their life stories, were probably worrying about things that just did not matter; things that prevented valuing the moments of their lives.I4k is much more than just a fundraiser ride. As we ride this summer and hear stories of how cancer has impacted the lives of others, we the riders, listeners, and learners, shape our understanding of ourselves, what we value, and how we want to live. Every day, eight hours a day in the saddle, time will flow in the moment. You do not have to travel to exotic places in the world to change your perspective on things; you have to open your eyes and ears to the people around you, wherever you find yourself.In the context of humanity, most importantly, we learn from the people that suffered in the past, and the people that continue to suffer today, that people do not have to suffer from cancer so we can all learn to live differently. All the people of the past contributed to the world by adding ideas and thoughts to the web of human understanding. Ideas in society are about progression. Cancer will be cured, and the ideas of the past preserved so that all the future will benefit.The moments chained together that create our existence on this ride, will shape the future of others, whether it be donations for cancer research, our Portraits Project, or giving hope. Cool, right? Thanks to this experience I think I have a better understanding of life, time, and suffering. Let’s learn from others whose experiences shaped ideas that are now imprinted on the world, and stop suffering in the future.From two wheels...
Where does time go?
A few days ago, Julianne posted her blog titled "The Journey," saying that we have a mere 100 days left. Except how that wasn't a few days ago. As of today, there are 57 days till we start out pedaling in New York City. I can't even process the fact that Julianne did not actually post a few days, it's no longer fall, and the ride is looming before us like this giant, terrifying, exciting thing. Personally, I injured my knee about 4 weeks ago, and it still hasn't healed to the point that I can be training like everyone else, which is making this particularly scary. Starting next week, I'll be able to ride with the team again, and I can't wait to have the opportunity to finally get outside with the riders! At the same time, it's scary for me in the same way it's scary for everyone. This is ground completely uncharted to most of us, full of things that will break every expectation we've made. At the same time, I remember the day when the count opened on the page, and I thought the train ride to New York was so soon! I didn't even realize how different it would be once we got this close. I'm afraid if I blink, I'll open my eyes and be standing with my bike at the train station, wondering where those 57 days went, just like every day that has ticked away toward our trip.
Cars are big, you are small.
Today, the team had the absolute pleasure of getting to meet a member of the Livestrong Foundation! Lance Armstrong is one of the greatest inspirations in my life, and the entire Livestrong foundation is an absolutely amazing non-profit, that has touched millions of lives through all of the work that they do. The entire time that Brian, the Livestrong representative, was speaking to us, all I could think about was what an interesting effect cancer has on people. It's an individual experience, but it has united millions of people to do genuinely amazing things. The biggest thing that amazes me about Illini 4000, and all the other non-profits dedicated to ending cancer, is the generosity that comes from people in all walks of life. Livestrong, Illini 4000, and all the other cancer foundations simply wouldn't be possible without the pure generosity that comes from all of those who've been affected by cancer. Everyone knows someone who has been impacted by cancer's reach, and that's almost unfathomable. At our meeting today, we also had safety training, since we start outdoor training this weekend. One of the key points that Josh, our head of team development and training, made multiple times was, "Cars are big. You are small." When he first said that, I hadn't yet seen the phrase on the Powerpoint slide, and heard it as, "Cancer's big. You are small." Obviously, I was really confused as to what this had to do with safety training, but it did hit home. Cancer is very, very big. It's terrifyingly daunting, in reality. It's a disease that leaves a huge impact on every life it comes in contact with, and it comes in contact with almost every person. There are 29 of us, working together to try to fight this thing that's almost too big to fathom. Let's be honest. Cancer is big. We are small. However, we're only small as single entities. We're only small if we let ourselves be. Together, 29 of us are fighting like hell to try to make the change that we can. Even more importantly, people everywhere are donating, volunteering, or helping in their own way, in their own communities, to combat this disease that is so ensnared in our lives. Cancer is big. But together, so are we.
Livestrong
The Illini 4000 would like to thank Brian Myers from Livestrong for coming to visit us at our team meeting this week! We really appreciate your support and ideas, and we look forward to growing the relationship between our two organizations.Our talk with Brian helped us to reconnect with the cause, as well as to see what amazing initiatives that our donation to Livestrong helped support. Be sure to check out Livestrong.com to learn about the many ways in which Livestrong can help you or your loved one through the entire cancer experience and beyond.In other news, our new Portraits Project website will be launched soon! Keep your eye out for the announcement!
Athletico
The Illini 4000 would like to thank Athletico for helping us out this year! Rebecca from Athletico came to our meeting this week to talk about training and how to deal with pain and injuries. We really appreciate the guidance you are giving us this spring. With your help, the 2012 team is going to be the most prepared I4K team to date!
Sometimes, it is about the bike
Most of the riders have been athletes their entire lives. Some of us played basketball, ran cross country, dominated the football field. Some of us do lacrosse, soccer, or any number of other athletic endeavors. We all have something we love, a past in sports of some variety that lead to us being capable of Illini 4000. For me personally, I have always been completely, totally, and entirely awful at sports. Rackets and tennis balls never collided, basketballs seldom went through nets, and baseballs never entered gloves. Even PE was awful; soccer balls seemed to be determined to fly past me into the goal, the kickballs flew right into the defenses' hands, and dodgeballs never, ever hit their target. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED to play. Basketball was my favorite for a long time, but it's hard for a kid to stay in love with something they're so beautifully awful at doing. Then Daddy bought me a bike, a really beautiful bike. A fire engine red Windsor, probably the prettiest bike I'd ever seen. I fell in love. It was beautiful, and it could carry me anywhere. I enjoyed mountain bike riding with Dad and my sister, but nothing compared to the pure freedom of being on the road. Mountain biking was fun, riding through the woods, looking at rivers, cranking up and down hills, trying not to fall on roots and rocks (mountain biking in central Illinois doesn't involve REAL mountains). However, road riding made me feel alive like nothing else could. The wind that came from every direction, the sound of pavement and tire meeting, the exhiliration of pedaling as fast as possible for a mile just because I could. There was nothing like being under a beautiful blue sky, feeling like the entire world was in front of me. In fact, biking memories are the only ones I see through my own eyes instead of as an onlooker. Maybe it's because biking makes me feel so significantly like I'm myself. It was almost like my bike became a part of me. I rode every morning with it on a trainer if it was cold out, or got on almost everyday after school if weather permitted. The bike meant the world to me, as a way to calm down or to think through something that had happened that day. My bike brought me peace in the midst of madness.One of my favorite books of all time, Heft on Wheels, by Mike Magnuson, is a super inspirational autobiography about a man who turns his life around through cycling. During his story, he got hit by a truck while he was riding. He ends up in the hospital, feeling awful about everything that happened, and realizes that what got him this far was the bike, and what will get him back to health was also the bike. Mike shows that you have to find the thing that saves you. Find the thing that keeps you from falling prey to just walking through life, as though you have no control. He states, "There's life on the page, and then there's life." He's right. I've always loved my bike, and I know that biking is what saves me. My bike consistently reminds me of what it means to be alive, and I can only imagine how much this summer will affect that idea, for the better. Being able to mix biking with fighting cancer, a disease that affects so many of us in different ways, is a dream that is seconded only by seeing no one ever have to battle cancer again. I can't wait to see what this summer brings, and how it changes all of our lives. It's hard to believe that in 81 days, we'll all be attached to our bike for 74 days, but I can't wait to begin. I think Illini 4000 is exactly what Mike was talking about when he said that there's life. In 81 days, we'll all be experiencing life in a way that's barely imaginable. Here's to life (and bikes!).
"There's a whole lot of good"
I guess I just assumed that hosting a spaghetti supper was as easy as making noodles, adding sauce, buying salad in bulk, and selling tickets ahead of time. I thought it was totally do-able and that me and a support team comprised of my two older sisters and mother could handle it together. I could not have been more wrong. Even though I logically had the supper planned out…I missed so many important details that needed to be accounted for. Somehow, though, everything just seemed to fall into place. My 4-H leader from years past had donated to my team and when I ran into her at a basketball game when I was selling tickets, she told me to stop by the 4-H meeting that was conveniently held the next morning to thank the club myself, and read the thank-you letter I had written them. After talking with my leader and other moms in the club the next morning, they suddenly volunteered to arrange desserts for the dinner. A few days later, my mom called me and told me that the same women (amazing women, might I add) called and volunteered to help coordinate the supper. It was so great hearing that there were people who actually WANTED to help out and did so just because they could. This group of women got together and brought tickets to town meetings, basketball games, local businesses, their own families, their friends, anyone and everyone who was reachable. They acted as my messengers just constantly spreading the word and letting everyone know what I was doing and how they could help. I often asked myself: why are they giving so much of their time to help me out? How can they be so generous? I still ask myself why. It seems like things seem to just have a way of always falling into place and I can’t exactly explain it. I guess you could say I’m a lucky girl, but I don’t even think that would do it justice; it’s something beyond luck.Each day for the last week our friends in the community have committed hours of work to helping me out in my quest to raise money, fight cancer, and cycle across the country. It’s funny the way things work out sometimes. In all, I’m learning soo many lessons unrelated to anything cycling. I guess, on this journey, I’m learning about life. My goal for hosting this spaghetti supper fundraiser was not to just raise money for cancer, but I wanted to actively engage the community in what I’m doing. Every year the Illini 4000 stays in my small town of 1200 people but less than a third of the community know what Illini 4000 is. I want people to see me and be able to connect to the cause…After tonight, I think I did a pretty fair job of that on top of reaching my fundraising goal and smelling like pasta. But, I owe all of the success of the fundraiser to my supportive friends in the community. I think there is something to be said about the strength of community and the bonds you create with people. I learned that in life you have to remember to smile a lot, do a lot for other people, and maintain all of the relationships that you create. You never know when you’ll need a hand, or five, and so I’m going to make sure that I’ve got five on hand when I need them : ) Thanks Clifton and Iroquois County. Tonight I learned what it means to have a home, it’s something more than a house and a family to come back to…it's neighbors who make dessert, pastors who donate their parish to you, relatives who surprise you, sisters who clean tables, and moms who stress out. Luck doesn’t even begin to describe it, and after commenting on how generous the volunteers were, one said to me: “Well, you know, people talk a lot about the bad, but there’s a whole lot of good still happening in these small communities.” He couldn’t have been more right. Here’s to the end of fundraising, and the beginning of the journey.
The Journey
Today, we are a mere one hundred days before the start of our trip; the expedition that will lead us from New York City to San Francisco on mere contraptions of metal and other knick knacks. I think, however, for most of us, the journey has already begun. As we are ever approaching the date of departure, I am constantly reminded of why I signed up to do this. Cancer is so ensnared in the lives of all of us: even since making the team, a good friend of mine lost his father to cancer. We are on this journey, and this ride, not only to raise money and have a fun summer, but to hopefully be impacted by those we meet and to reciprocate the action. I personally don't plan on coming back from San Francisco the same person who was on the train to New York City, and I couldn't be more excited.
What it means to be I4K 2012
Of course, there are a million things it means to be an I4K rider. It's walking into ARC at 10 AM on Saturdays, smiling because we know that in a few weeks we'll be getting ready to ride at 8 AM. It's the extreme joy at playing I4K basketball, which are the most fun basketball games in the world (especially when Bradford ducks and rolls). It means skyping for team meetings, and taking "5 dozen" team photos that all look exactly the same.It means knowing that no matter what happens, someone will always have our backs. It's the joy that we'll have chore partners because of the "extreme bonding" that will happen. It's the silly smile we all get when someone says "Do you have your bike yet?," or how we all have the same feeling when we tell someone new about what Illini 4000 is. It's knowing that this summer is going to be the greatest experience of all time. For me, what exactly it means to be part of the I4K team was made really, really evident a few weeks ago, and again by Connor Ramsey at last night's meeting. When we had the first training of the semester (which was wonderfully painful!), I was sitting on the couches in the lobby of CRCE with Connor Wilson and Ashley Young, and we were just chatting about how close we all live to each other. I had just turned my phone on, and suddenly it was bombarded with 4 voicemails and 4 texts, all from my mom, saying that Dad was out biking, so she had an ambulance coming to the house, she needed to go to the hospital immediately. She didn't give me anymore detail than that, so I was obviously really freaked out! (It turned out that she had really, really awful vertigo from a deep inner-ear infection. She's doing much better now!). Connor and Ashley walked with me through the whole time I was on the phone with her, and they still ask me on a regular basis how she's feeling. It kind of solidified for me what the whole team is like--it's a whole bunch of people, who really, really care about people they don't even know, because we all understand what it's like to see a loved one in pain. Connor Ramsey, at last night's team meeting, stated something along the lines of: People aren't donating to help you ride across the country. They're donating to help affect millions of lives. Connor's completely right-- people may be donating in our names specifically, but their donations mean so much more than that. They're for the researchers that we fund. They're for the families, who've lost loved ones. They're for the survivors that we help support. They're for all the lives lost in the fight, and for all of those still fighting. That's what it means to be an I4K-er: we want to make a difference. We want to change lives, of those people we meet and those who can potentially benefit from the work that we do. We're young, we're dedicated, and we're trying to spread hope through every conversation, dollar donated, and pedal stroke.
Portraits Project Info Session Next Week!
Thank you to everyone who came out and talked to us yesterday at activity day! It is always wonderful to see people so excited to hear about what we do.For anyone interested, we will be having a Portraits Project information session next Tuesday, 1/31 at 7pm in room 119 English Building. We've spent the last five years collecting stories from cancer patients, survivors, and caretakers and we need your help to share them with the world! We are currently working on creating a website, and we need a lot of help to take all of the Portraits we have and get them ready to go up! If you want to help us document the American Cancer Experience (bonus points if you have photo or video editing skills), come out next week to hear more about the Portraits Project!We look forward to seeing you!~The Illini 4000 Board of Directors
Ready to Ride
This past Sunday, I purchased the bike that is going to take me across America this summer, and I couldn't be more excited. Monday I took her out for our first ride together, and everything about it just felt right. It was a short ride, but I just wanted to get used to how the bike feels and how we work together. I rode yesterday and today as well, thankful for the unusually warm weather we've been having.Unfortunately the weather is supposed to turn ugly tomorrow, which means I probably won't be going out on my bike. But that does mean more time to work on fundraising. I'll be hoping for an early spring this year, because the sooner we all can get out on our bikes the better!
First Blog of my life
Never done this before. But figured this is a great time to start. Got my bike over break and I4k is all I currently think about. To the team: lets have a get together on the first weekend back for some bonding (and I suppose you non-team board members are invited as well). My place is always open, but we'll plan in further detail at another time. Anyway I figured I'd post one of my favorite songs which is now quite relevant to our lives: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EzeW5KoPUI Enjoy. And once again, Bradford, bring your uke.