Back at a desk. Back at work. Back at school. Back in class. No matter where you are, you’re probably not on Spring Break right now, but wishing you were. That said, it’s already Wednesday and sooner or later, once we get lost in the shuffle that is the post-Spring Break sprint to the finish, Spring Break will just seem like a distant memory. We’ll look at pictures and think to ourselves, “Wow, did that actually happen?”I always liken these brief, intense periods in our lives to camp. The idea of camp is that there is a definite distinction between the “inside world" and the “outside world." “Inside” can refer to any number of places: a vacation abroad, a school trip, or an actual summer camp. “Outside” is simply anywhere that is not “inside.” That is, “outside” simply refers to the “real world” we left for camp. We forget all about our jobs, our responsibilities, our schoolwork, and just learn to just enjoy life at camp.Camp is interesting because in these insular societies everything seems a bit more intense. In my life I’ve been at speech camps, band camps, yearbook camps. I’ve taken trips to the Philippines, China, and to countless other destinations. But it looks like my biggest camp experience will be this summer. Illini 4000 consists of 72 days with 20 people that are constantly exhausted. It really sounds more like a season of Survivor than camp.At camp, everything seems a bit more intense. Everything on these trips happens so fast and much more dramatically than in the real world. If you’ve ever seen the show “Bug Juice,” you know that camp drama was more explosive and that camp romance was the most important thing in the world. And then, before you know it, camp’s over. Everyone goes their separate ways. Everyone says that you’ll all be best friends forever, but slowly, you lose contact with people and soon it’s like camp never happened at all.But even if there are these moments that seem fleeting and temporary, the beauty of camp is what you take away from it. After speech camp, I came home with an award-winning speech, and I met the person would eventually become my freshman year college roommate. At band camp, we learned drill that we worked all season to perform, and made countless inside jokes that only a handful of dehydrated/nerdy high schoolers could make. And after this spring break, I’m exhausted, a bit more tan, and have enough pictures and memories to #TBT for the next few years.Camp is important because we find out who we are when we don't have to worry about anything else. We meet new people, make new friends, and together we get out of our comfort zone and grow.Illini 4000 is a unique camp experience. It allows us to leave camp with new (and super fit) friends, fresh tanlines, and an amazingly unique opportunity to make a huge impact on the fight against cancer. And yeah, a year or two from now or maybe someday when I’m telling my kids about the ride, I’ll think to myself, “Did I really do this? Did I really bike across the country?” But I’m optimistic that I’ll make friends for a lifetime and that the impact we make will be felt for a long time in the future.
Missing My Bike During Break
People tell me I am obsessed with my bike. It may be true, but come on, I've been waiting for this day for 3 years. Ever since I rode my Dad's 1981 Trek with crank shifters and a rattling cage on the back wheel in my first triathlon, I've been begging him for a new bike. It was kind of fun when I would pass a $7000 bike in a race on my rattling piece of junk, but I was very rarely the one doing the passing. Now after 1095 days of waiting, I finally have a bike I can call my own, and she's a beauty. So if I post 7 pictures on Facebook, and lock her up with 3 different "kryptonite" locks inside of my room, who can really blame me? Originally I had her just standing behind the couch in my room, but for 3 days in a row I sat in Physics 213 texting my roommate back and forth, paranoid that one of us forgot to lock our door. So on the fourth day, I went to the campus lock store and bought a bike chain. Unfortunately, the only thing to lock a bike to in my room is the bed, which is on the opposite side of the room. So we have a cable around the bike, which is locked to another cable, which stretches all the way to the bed and locks to the frame. Maybe this is overkill, but it's justified after 156 weeks of anticipation. The only problem is, I can't get homework done in my room anymore, because I just love to look at her.
Portraits Gala
Part of the mission of the Illini 4000 is to document the American cancer experience, which we accomplish through our work with the Portraits Project. As part of the Portraits Project, we interview all sorts of people we meet while cycling across the country who have had some sort of experience with cancer, be they survivors, patients, doctors, caregivers, friends, family, or any other sort of connection they may have. These interviews are then processed and presented on the Portraits Project website (currently under construction) or presented in an art-gallery setting in locations around campus or elsewhere.On Sunday April 6th, the Portraits Project will be holding a Spring Gala, featuring a number of the portraits collected over the years as well as a brunch for all attendees. It will be held at the Levis Center (919 W. Illinois St, Urbana IL) from 11-1pm. Tickets are 20 dollars, and be purchased by donating through the PayPal button on THIS page.We hope to see you there!
Waiting for the Sun
First, please listen to this song on repeat while you're reading this blog post.Great! Now that that's set, please prepare yourself for the cheesiness that will somehow come full circle to the include the title of this post. If you've read either of my previous posts you know what I'm talking about. I refuse to acknowledge how tacky it is. Sorry. Also sorry if you're half a minute through that song and you've realized how much you dislike psychedelic rock. But I'm not really sorry because The Doors are great and we should both listen to them more often. Anyway...Spring break! We made it! And no matter where in America you're reading this from you'll probably agree when I say that this winter has been the longest and coldest I can remember. I'm sad to admit that between school, some traveling, and the nasty weather I've only been out on my bike for one real ride (which Christy talks about here!) this semester. However, regardless of what the weather is or will be, that's all about to change. Outdoor training rides begin in only 10 days. This is beyond exciting because, since we're already well on our way with fundraising and gear shopping, its essentially the last hurdle we have to jump over as a team before we actually leave for the ride.Before we actually leave for the ride. Wow. I can't believe how close that time actually is! It seriously feels like yesterday I was impatiently waiting to hear back from the Illini 4000 on whether or not I had been accepted to the 2014 Trek Bike America Team. Now, a blink of an eye later, we're all here. We're standing with our bikes feeling self conscious in our spandex outfits. It's been cold out, but the weather is starting to turn. We're unsure of what the future will hold and have no idea what we're going to learn, but we've been told and we think we agree that its important. So the time has finally come, and in 10 days you'll be able to find us loitering in a parking lot waiting for the sun.
Fundraising with an assistant
Inaugural blog post starting in 3...2...1...Hello! Welcome to my little corner of the Illini 4000 online presence! Yes, this will be very hokey, and yes, there will be many exclamation marks... but who can blame me!? I'm doing the craziest, coolest thing this summer and yes. I'm pretty jazzed about it.Since I joined I4K on October 18, it has been quite a ride. This spring, fundraising has become my part-time job. Alongside my actual part-time job, it's made for quite a busy semester! It's pretty crazy how gradually investing more time and money into something makes it become gradually more real. I can actually see myself doing it now, whereas before it was like ehhhhhh-but-its-so-scary-and-doesn't-feel-real-its-so-far-away sort of feelings. And I have my bike now! I put a picture down below on my porch in Urbana. More to come, of course.So yesterday I found out my grandma has an elevator speech for my trip. She even has the number of days memorized - 72! I'm at home for U of I's spring break this week and yesterday I spent all day with my grandma, Meme, and my mom. By chance, we ran into some family at a restaurant in the afternoon and Meme took off on her speech, rattling off the information like it was something she's said 10,000 times before. Because at this point, she totally has. I know she's telling everyone she meets about her granddaughter and this ride. And she's the type of person that makes friends at the makeup counter so there are probably some cosmeticians at Nordstrom that know what I'm doing too. So anyway we were sitting down at lunch and she interrupts our conversation to get on the phone to call her friends about it. She's a total hoot. She has commissioned herself as my assistant fundraiser - and the best one I could have.My family has been so supportive of this endeavor, and I feel so grateful to be sharing this experience with them. My mom has been involved in the whole thing since day 1, asking about bikes and making sure I sent timely thank you notes and even offering to train with me while I'm home. Sadly, Chicago has graced us with a very cold spring break and I'm not sure how much riding time I'll get, but we'll be doing some indoor exercise to make sure I keep on track. 
Crazy
There’s a Steven Curtis Chapman song that keeps popping into my head and the lyrics go like this: And he knows it may look a little strangeBut he just smiles and says "that's okay"Cause you know sometimes love makes you act that wayIt's crazy when love gets a hold of youAnd it's crazy things that love will make you doAnd it's crazy but it's trueYou really don't know love at allUntil it's making you doSomething crazy This team of cyclists-in-the-making is biking from New York City to San Francisco. Sometimes I wonder how hard it will really be. Riding into the wind with Ryan and Alex yesterday on the first half of our 25-mile ride, we thought it was tough. But this is Illinois; this is level ground. I hear all about the Appalachia Mountains, the first major challenge where we’ll realize that all the training in the world cannot prepare you to climb mountains on a bike. During training I always find myself thinking, 70x70. Approximately 70 miles per day for 70 days.7x70 times is the number of times Jesus says we should forgive those who do us harm (Matthew 18:22), thus portraying the kind of unconditional love we are called to bless others with. This kind of love is something I want to always have on my mind, whether I am fundraising, interacting with teammates, or simply telling someone about I4K.During Unofficial weekend, Shiqi and I raised $450 together by selling cookies. One boy I met simply started telling me his life story. He thrust dollar bills into my hand as he listed off the types of cancer his mother had dealt with. Then he started to cry and walked away. I was reminded of how deep the hurts of cancer are. Cancer never goes away because it can bring even the strongest people to a place of brokenness; it takes away so much from our loved ones. As the boy walked away, all I could do was call out “Stay strong! Stay strong for your mom.”Yet despite cancer’s evil infiltration into this world, there is a huge amount of hope to combat it. Last weekend was Relay for Life. I’ve never been to a Relay event before, and the most emotional part was definitely the Luminaria Ceremony. It is a period of walking around the track during which we are asked to remember the survivors, the fighters, and the lost. I prayed the entire time, praising God for sparing my mom, and desperately calling out to Him for my friend’s dad. During Relay, I spent time remembering why I am a part of the crazy organization Illini 4000. I contemplated why I chopped off 9 inches of my hair. That night I donated my hair – it is now quite short! – in order to contribute whatever I can.Whatever it is that I can contribute, I will do in love. I love meeting people who have stories to tell because that’s really what Illini 4000 is about: the cohesive, yet individualistic compilation of stories. People go through crazy experiences and trials and make it out not only with their lives, but as changed people. I use this motivation as a reason to do SOMETHING CRAZY.
This life.
This is one of those times I just need to write.My mind is very busy tonight. Yesterday we had quite an intense training which left my legs shaky and my stomach a little sick. It was tough and it was great. We also had the chance to do a practice Portrait of Connor. It was a good taste of what's to come - it's hard to describe the feeling of listening to a cancer story. Tonight I had a lengthy discussion with friends about history and theories and cultures and religions.Sometimes I just wonder about it all. Day by day we go about life, working hard or staying on the couch or debating and discussing or learning or playing or traveling and exploring. After each sunrise and sunset, each hour and minute of every day, new things can happen, and it's all up to us. What we create and the knowledge we soak in and the people we love and interact with - it's all there each day awaiting us.I don't want to take that for granted. No matter who you are or what successes you've had or what challenges you're facing or how you think your life has been or where it's headed...forget all of that. We've got this one life (that we know of) and it's here and it's today. It's ours for the taking and we should cherish it. If my experiences with cancer have made me realize anything it's that your time is unknown and your life can be unexpected. But just being alive is a gift. No matter the time we're given, it's beautiful. I try not to forget that in the times that I doubt or am fearful or think my life has hit a wall.You may have seen this video as it has been popular the last few days, but I want to share it here. I could quote many of its lines, but I'll quote the last: "You're awake. You're awesome. Live like it."http://www.faithit.com/his-open-letter-babies-first-day-on-earth-pure-poetry-something-for-you-too/P.S. I'm glad you're here.
Burning
Today is the calm before the storm; the cloudy, breezy 32 degrees waiting to dump many inches of snow upon the Midwest. So I rode. Today being the first real ride, I was nervous at first, but this is about overcoming fears for me, overcoming that which I did not think I could do. I rode 7 miles and it was fantastic!Yet you might be wondering about the title of this blog. You have realized by now that it is not burning hot outside, although zero Celsius could be considered a nice change from the frigid temps earlier this week. Think of my bike's name: Phoenix. What happens to phoenixes that makes them special? They are immortal. Describing Fawkes from Harry Potter, one wiki page explains "He periodically died by bursting into flames (an event called a 'Burning Day'), and was then reborn from the ashes." Burning Day was Tuesday.Nothing out of the ordinary, I was just bringing my other campus bike inside from the snow, and admiring Phoenix when I noticed something was not quite right. Bringing Phoenix into the light, I became concerned, seeing a small crack by the notch in the seat tube. The crack was only about 4mm long and seemed to be under the finish, but I knew this was not right. It's that small worm of panic that perhaps it's your fault, possibly, there will be no solution, that a precious possession has met its end far too soon. Connor brought it to the bike shop as Shiqi and I tried on cycling clothes (also super exciting!). Then all the professionals gathered around, arguing whether the crack was just the paint or was actually a problem. "What's the verdict?" I asked anxiously. The answer was shocking to me: We're going to replace the frame with your warranty; come back Saturday for your bike. So that's what I did.In the mean time, I had my first cycling lesson in the basement of ARC's cycling studio. I wore bike shorts for the first time; goodness, they're super comfy. Then I bought a trainer from Ashley. It's a wind-powered stand I can put my bike on to practice indoors with varying resistance levels. Super discount! Winning. :) Also it's very noisy but that's fine because I can use it in the basement. Looking forward to that!Fast-forward to today: I got my bike back, and it's the same color and size, with all fitting adjustments back to precisely the way they were set up before this week. Although I didn't have the opportunity to burn the old frame (haha that would have been rather epic), I consider this hiccup to be a blessing. I am very grateful to have found the crack in the frame. It was probably an assembly error, due to over-tightening of the seatpost clamp around the tube, maybe without the post in. For those of you who are wondering why a tiny crack resulted in me receiving an entirely new frame, you must understand the nature of carbon fiber. A small amount of damage can compromise the stability of the whole bicycle, so I am quite grateful to have noticed the fissure when I did.Well that's about all for now. I have taken a much-needed week off from fundraising, and am looking forward to more training and riding! Stay warm!
A two wheeled vehicle with a purpose
After quite sometime of deliberating (ever since signing up for the Illini 4000 back in September, about 6 months), I finally decided on a bike.
The bike is a Trek CrossRip and is designed for cyclo-cross; it should be more than able handle the 4000+ cross-country journey. More importantly, it was the silverly grey color of the clear coated aluminum, which I specifically selected as a dedication (see link to prior post about ribbons) to a close family friend (the father of my best friend) who is battling brain cancer like a true champion. In addition, I selected the red water bottle cages because it is my best friend's favorite color and perfectly goes together with the red painted accents on the bike, just like my best friend and the father. I will be incorporating other symbolic colors in the near future (e.g., lavender, orange, black, and lime).Also, I have been trying to keep in mind that this contraption is going to be my primary vehicle of transportation taking me clear across the USA from the Big Apple to the City by the Bay. It did not dawn on me until I actually sat in the saddle of the bike for a prolonged period of time during the initial bike fitting (more on this later) that I was completed overwhelmed with emotions of concern and nervousness. Typically, I have always been very selective on the days I bike ride for commuting around town. If it is too cold, hot, windy, rainy or if I just do not feel like riding, I always would opt out. However, during the 72 days of the Illini 4000 journey I will not have the luxury of choosing the "perfect" days to ride, and I will be exposed to all of nature's splendor for the entire 72 days. There will be no nice windshield or roof to protect me from the elements (sun, wind, rain, hail, etc.), no air conditioning to offset the temperatures, no radio to help pass the time, and no engine other than my own body to move this precisely crafted small collection of aluminum, plastic, and rubber at speeds of ~15 mph for 4000+ miles across mountains, deserts, hills, prairies, farmlands, and forests under whatever elements mother nature decides to provide that day. The very thought is humbling, rather intimidating, and seemingly impossible, but it is often said "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."― Lao Tzu, or in this case, I can say: "The journey of four thousand miles begins with a single turn of the pedals."
You learn something new every day
Before joining the Illini 4000 team and becoming knowledgeable about all the various cancers through team presentations, I would see the pink ribbons and instantly associate it with breast cancer awareness. However, I was completely naive to the fact that each form of cancer has its own color associated for it. See image below from a PDF via the Relay for Life website: http://relay.acsevents.org/site/DocServer/ribbon_color_chart_printable.pdf?docID=208789 (link to printable PDF)
What a surprise, and how true this statement is "You learn something every day if you pay attention". ~Ray LeBlond
It is odd how one tiny seed of information can have such a profound impact on your entire perspective. I will definitely keep these colors in mind and try to incorporate them in various ways as I prepare for the ride (say tuned...).
Also, is it just me, but I find it very strange that I do not see more Lavendar colored ribbons everywhere and in conjunction with the specific form of cancer at various events. Perhaps because I was not aware, I was blind to the fact. From now on, I will definitely take note and be more observant of interconnections in our world. Fellow "Culture of Man" course alumni at the Univeristy of Louisiana, Dr. Patricia K. Rickels, and Dr. John R. Meriwether should be proud :)
Still Celebrating.
Three years ago this week, my grandma was taken by breast cancer. Today is her birthday. And I am still celebrating.Not too many hours ago, I was walking around Newmark, the Civil Engineering building, standing in lines and talking to recruiters, attempting to find a job for after graduation this May. The night before, I was up late finishing homework assignments and essays and researching companies. Before that, there were meetings and classes. Each day there are a plethora of things that keep me busy, but when I'm driving for awhile or walking to class or eating a meal at home, I often think of my grandma.I remember how she was always positive no matter the situation (something I try to emulate), and she was constantly willing to sit for a card game or drive across town to have lunch with me. When I was younger she would stay overnight with me when my parents and siblings were away. Once, there was a severe thunderstorm going on and she came over earlier than necessary because I was freaking out (my fear of tornadoes has only somewhat decreased since then...). She gave so much of her time to others.My grandma was an extremely giving and loving person. And so when her birthday rolls around each year, I think of her best qualities and our best times. I can no longer celebrate with her in person, but that doesn't mean there's no celebration to be had. I celebrate the fact that she made the world a better place, and I celebrate by trying to show the people around me the same love that she always showed the people she knew. I celebrate the person I was able to become because of her.As I take part in the Illini 4000, I can celebrate further in each lap I make around the track in training and in each mile I will bike across the States. This journey will celebrate all of the birthdays that will be saved by cancer research. It will celebrate the people we have lost in that we ride for them. It will celebrate the precious lives that all of us have, the struggles and challenges we face, and the strength and perseverance and love that we share. This ride is about change, about hope, about community, and about each individual touched by cancer. That's something we can all celebrate.Happy birthday Grandma. 
A new perspective on bean counting
Based on my prior post, I though this short YouTube video entitled " The Time You Have (in JellyBeans)" was very relevant and helps to provide a unique visual perspective.To see the video, click this link: http://youtu.be/BOksW_NabEk
All that Glitters
Each week at our team meetings there's a fun question that we all answer upon signing in. Yesterday's question was, "If everyday tasks were Olympic sports, what would you win gold in?" My answer to this question was, "Watching the Olympics." My roommates and I recorded each day's primetime coverage (we're still in our 6 month DVR free trial and its awesome) and became experts at being at least marginally productive while doing homework in front of the television. With all the athletic sliding, jumping, and twisting happening it became difficult to suppress daydreams of my own upcoming athletic endeavor with the Illini 4000. I started thinking about how the Olympics and Illini 4000 are related aside from the obvious parallel that they both involve getting into pretty decent physical shape.The unity the Olympic Games create throughout countries and the entire world has always been remarkable to me. Amid political controversy and differences in beliefs, these Olympics seemed to be just as much about sport as they were about a people trying to unite with the rest of the world and communicate that they're not so different from the rest of us. The opening and closing ceremonies centered around the rich Russian history that often fails to be acknowledged under the shadow of other issues. What do a bunch of skiers and snowboarders have to do with this? I suppose to me it just goes to show that sport is something that puts everyone on the same level. To make a really terrible pun, (no shame.) sports keep the people of the world on a level playing field.This idea of the unification sports create became even clearer after hearing a wonderful speaker by the name of Jean Driscoll last Friday night. You can learn more about Ms. Driscoll on her website, but to make a long story short, she's the definition of a role model: Humble, sincere, and charismatic. She has also won the Boston Marathon 8 years in a row, broke the world record in it 5 times, and has won 2 Olympic medals and 12 Paralympic medals. In a wheelchair. She's labeled by society as someone with a "disability" but has accomplished things those considered "able bodied" can't even dream of. And what, you might ask, helped her overcome the challenges of being different while growing up? You guessed it! Sports. Being athletic. Playing basketball, competing in track, and later marathons. Everybody can relate to the experiences that athletic competition has to offer no matter how you propel yourself.So perhaps "All that glitters is not gold" isn't just a saying. Flashy medals and billowing flags cause us to stand tall, but the true Olympic gold and Illini 4000 finish aren't about winning the race, but instead embody the raw connection of people to sport and what it means to do something by way of your own body. We can't all pull a 900 on the half pipe or bike 100 miles a day, but we all have bodies and can all understand what it means to sacrifice comfort and work as hard as physically possible in order to achieve something truly worthwhile.P.S. Jean Driscoll actually let us touch her Olympic medals. I freaked.P.P.S. Is it too late for me to become a biathlete?P.P.P.S. Sorry for all the awful cliches I used in this post... but sometimes they just work, you know?P.S.S.S.S. Is it P.P.P.P.S. or P.S.S.S.S.?
Firsts
In the past 2 days, I've been through a whirlwind of fabulous experiences which have left me astonished and grateful. Friday, Ryan and I had a build-your-own cupcake sale on the quad. He made amazing frosting, I made 125 cupcakes, and we raised just under $300! But of the 4 hours we spent outside of the Union, yelling at people to eat our sweets, no half-hour was better spent than the time that I met a certain graduate student. A man using a cane came up to my table, asking what our cupcake sales are for. Then he shared that he had just finished up chemo last year. Naturally, I expected to hear his story and gently asked what kind of cancer he had. What followed was a surprise to me and is an encounter I’ll never forget. He told me he had been diagnosed with a type of multi-tumor sarcoma and his ankle and foot had been amputated the day after his birthday. He is the first amputee I’ve ever met. He showed me his prosthetic leg, and we proceeded to have a interesting conversation about fittings of different stages of prosthetics, the emotional impact of limb loss, and the physical therapy involved in rehab. As many of you may know, I plan to become a prosthetist when I finish my education. The combination of cancer and amputations/prosthetics made for an interesting conversation and a moving story. I ponder the fact that I’ve never met and talked to an amputee before and I truly appreciate the opportunity to meet this student.Yesterday (Saturday) was a beautiful day, until it started snowing in the evening. I was debating whether or not to try out my new bike, and I wanted to put flats on it because the cleats in the shoes somewhat terrify me. However, I couldn’t figure out how to change out the pedals, so I decided it was time to give my bike a shot. First time out the front door… what a beautiful day to learn to ride a bike! I walked Phoenix carefully all the way down to Florida Avenue, and then situated myself on a wide sidewalk which had grass on the side. Wow, I thought. This was a daunting task. I had to put my feet into those pedals and not fall over. So naturally, I didn’t plan ahead by reading up on clipless pedals, but was winging it on my own ideas. Here’s a website which would have been useful to have read beforehand: http://wheelswhisper.blogspot.com/p/getting-started-with-clipless-pedals.html. I clipped in my right foot for the first time and tried to swing my leg over. It wasn’t happening so I proceeded to straddle the top tube. Much better. Runners ran by as I stood there struggling for fifteen minutes. Eventually, I went through a long line of firsts: First time clipping one foot into my bike. First time tipping over on my bike. First time biking; going somewhere! First time unclipping my left foot successfully. First time clipping both feet without too much confusion and effort. First time going around a curve. First time biking a half-mile consecutively. My favorite one: first time totally falling over in front of people. “I’m fine! I’m just trying to learn how to ride this thing!” Yeah, it was a challenge. But now I feel a lot better about biking with cleats. It has been demoted from impossible to somewhat difficult. Falling over just twice for my first time riding Phoenix: not too bad.I’d like to thank everyone for your continued support and generous donations!
Why I Ride: Alex Massey
Name: Alex MasseyMajor: Political ScienceYear of Ride: 2012 I first heard about Illini 4000 in the booklet Illinois sends all accepted students. I thought it was the most amazing adventure I've ever heard of; it still is. The directors seemed so encouraging and the entire idea was so crazy I couldn't say no.I learned so much from my experience. There's something about pulling your team through a hard day that sticks with you. I remember biking through the Columbia River Gorge, something I would not recommend to anyone, and thinking that my team was counting on me, that I couldn't let them down. That part of the ride really made me think of others much more in just about everything I do and has made me a much more team-oriented person.Hearing stories from those affected by cancer also definitely changed my perspective of the disease dramatically. Interviewing those who had been through so much pain and loss really put a personal touch to the statistics behind cancer that you hear from so many organizations and in the news, at least for me, and made me consider how universal the experience can be. That definitely made the cause more personal to me.I also witnessed generosity on an unbelievable scale, from people just donating at gas stations to stayovers providing entire meals to smelly, sweaty bikers just trying to do good. The ride changed my view of people in a pretty dramatic way.
A simple fundamental question
It is often said that “Hindsight is 20/20” in which one is able to obtain clarity from difficult situations. This is wonderful for personal growth, however there is one rather large unfortunate drawback: one has to first experience the hardship. Furthermore, one is often in a muddled mental state during the hardship which exponentially compounds the negative feelings/emotions (e.g., helplessness, anger, and despair) which in turn directly impacts our actions (almost always negatively) during these trying times.
Since hindsight is based on historical events and it is more tangible, it is often easier for one to process than foresight. With fleeting moments of hope and intangible potential outcomes based on predicted events, one can quickly find themselves lost in a forest of uncertainty, doubt, and despair, unable to develop and/or maintain the required foresight and proper perspective to help guide them through the forest.
It is not that foresight will help you avoid or quickly escape difficult and trying times, however, by allowing yourself to develop proper foresight and positive perspective, it is akin to getting a 10,000-ft bird’s eye view of your location in the forest and which can help guide you through with some sense of comfort and hopefully minimizing poor choices in direction, time and energy expended as well as any regrets when looking back.
With this in mind, I feel it is imperative when faced with difficult and trying times to take time to develop a proper plan, intent, and end goal (what could be thought of as a map of the forest that is before you as well as a picture of the end destination) which provides a fundamental foundation for developing and maintaining the proper perspective. It is also important to be aware of your negative feelings/emotions and try not to let them cloud your mind of developing positive perspectives. Some times the resulting map is fuzzy or incomplete, which is completely fine and should not instill panic. Often, the mere fact of simply knowing that a map exists will do wonders in helping maintain a proper perspective and as time progresses you can always fill in more details.
It is this plan that will allow you to hold the course and help you to seek positive influences and guidance from friends, family, and life experiences despite how thick the forest might get or how lost the cause might feel. It my short time on this planet, I have had my share of numerous unfortunate circumstances and events, but I have also seen (or was made aware of) countless times in which a person’s capacity for tenderness, compassion, and pure raw determination to do selfless acts for the benefit of a person/people in need never seizes to amaze. This person’s drive might seem unwarranted or foolish to the untrained eye (i.e., one that has never experienced that situation first-hand before), but these are the events that shape, mold, and refine a person. In the end, it is entirely up to you as to how you choose your final form to be: highly polished reflecting light and illuminating the dark parts people and the world or jaded and jagged harming all those that come into contact with you. It is so unfortunate that the news, media, and humanity so frequently focus and dwell on the negative aspects, biasing our view points and leading us to quickly discount and/or completely ignore our opportunities to experience and be positively impacted by another person’s act of kindness and compassion. It is best to frequently ask yourself a simple fundamental question that Dr. Randy Pausch stated so concisely and eloquently: “When we're connected to others, we become better people” and although “We cannot change the cards we are dealt, [we can control] only how we play the hand”; “The key question to keep asking is, Are you spending your time on the right things? Because time is all you have. ”
A Milestone... of the sort
The other evening, after eating dinner I had two options: go to CRCE to run or wash my dishes. Neither activity quite qualifies as a favorite pastime of mine, but in the end, I would have to do both. So which would I do first? Which was the lesser of two evils? Running was. Leaving my dirty dishes to wait in the sink until I returned, I put on my gym clothes and headed to CRCE. As I walked out the door I realized: I had passed a milestone. I now dread running less than I dread washing the dishes. To call it a “milestone” might be a slight exaggeration, but hey, it’s something, right?Running has never been a favorite activity of mine. Even when I was on the track team in junior high school, I dreaded both practices and meets. But back then, I didn’t have much motivation. Why run? At that age, physical fitness was the least of my worries. Sure, it was good to be involved with extracurricular activities, but there were other activities I didn’t dread. I enjoyed hanging out with my friends who were also on the track team, but I could hang out with them anytime. Once I entered high school, I gave up on track.Riding a bike 4000+ miles from New York City to San Francisco, meeting people at every stop along the way, raising money to find a cure for cancer, hearing the stories of those affected by cancer through the Portrait’s Project, letting those people know that we are there to support them, and getting to spend the summer with 19 awesome fellow Illini. These are the things motivate me to run now and they have proved to be quite effective. Each week, as I get a little less out-of-shape, I find it easier to push myself a little bit harder than I was able to the previous week. Even though you still might hear me say how much I “hate running”, I have to admit: I think it’s starting to grow on me… Maybe.
Who Lives in a Pineapple Under the Sea!?
Today, if this thing called cancer did not exist, my cousin would still be here. She would be 25 and probably have an amazing career, a family, or checked off item 18 on her bucket list. Sadly, this isn’t the case. But I don’t like to mourn today, or any day.In her short 16 years, she lived, she laughed, and she loved like no other. We had few memories together because she lived 2,000 miles away but all I hear from those memories are childlike giggles and feel a lightness about life that is contagious to this day.She was four years older but she brought out the child in me (because really, I’ve been 82 since the day I was born). I think back to our time together, when I would see her youthful spirit and I feel warm with a childlike innocence. I want to watch Spongebob, blow bubbles, and eat tons and tons of candy. It’s nice to feel this. Especially as a real adulthood looms ever so near.So today Nancy, I embrace that spirit of yours. I’ll kick off my shoes, throw on my dancing monkey with a santa hat jammies and watch Saturday morning cartoons. And yes, we can’t forget the candy, especially can’t forget the candy.And I leave you with this.
99 Days - Down to Double Digits
Yesterday marked exactly 100 days until we leave New York on our first ride day for Illini 4000. I like to live my life in anticipation of what's about to happen next, so I've kept these types of countdowns for a while now.Despite having such high expectations for these singular moments, a lot of times it's the moments without a countdown that I remember most. For example, graduating high school was cool and all, but it's not like anyone actually remembers the ceremony. We remember the stupid jokes we used to tell each other, how we used to stay after school just to hang out, and where we sat in the lunchroom as we gossiped about stuff that really doesn't matter anymore.The point is, while Illini 4000 is 99 days away, there are so many little things that will make getting there even better. And with that, here are my 10 To-Dos over the next hundred or so days. 1. Get a bike. I literally can't get across the country unless I have one of these, and I have a feeling the hand-me-down sitting in my garage might not be the best choice. 2. Learn to ride safely. I would love to not get hit by a car this summer. 3. Ride Further. The furthest I've ridden a bike is around the Glen, past the Glenview Police Fortress, down Lake and back to my house. Considering we'll be doing about 10x that amount a day, I think I'll need to put in a few training rides. A couple maybe. 4. Buy all the accessories. If you think that its just a helmet, you're wrong. 5. Finish my second half. After this, it'll be like I've run a full marathon... in 2 parts... exactly a year apart. 6. Get straight-A's. I'm really not taking that many classes. This really shouldn't be too hard. 7. Go bowling in the Union. I feel like this is on some kind of classic U of I bucketlist. Someone come with me. 8. Pass 2 CPA exams. I should probably get around to studying for them too. 9. Graduate. What?! 10. Fundraise. Speaking of which, have you donated yet? If not, you should :)Countdown or no countdown, before I know it, I'll be hopping on a train to New York on the start of a crazy adventure. I'm sure there will be a lot of awkward/hilarious/exciting moments before then, but then again, that's what this blog is for, and I'm excited to keep you all filled in :).
100 days or so???
Right now I'm just sitting in my room doing some homework so don't expect anything exciting from my inaugural blog post. Anyways, all I really wanted to say was "Thank you!" I want to thank my parents and brothers for their support. I want to thank all of my donors, not matter how much you donated (If you still haven't, donate now!). I want to thank the team for allowing me to be part of this amazing group.Besides plenty of fundraising, weekly meetings and training's, there is not much to blog about from my point of view. It's absolutely unbelievable that in 100 days or so 20 of us will be in New York City, ready to begin our journey across America. It would be pretty cool if we had a countdown until the trip on the homepage. Someone should do that. But, I digress. Clearly, as a team, we have bonded immensely and I'm excited for what's to come in 100 days! That's all I have to say about that. See you next blog post! Freshman Extraordinaire,Tyler "T-Bone" Levy