Riding for a Reason

Blue lips? Uncontrollable shivers?  Feet that don't obey simple commands like "walk" when unclipped from their pedals? Must be the start of the cycling season!

Last weekend was my first organized ride of the season, the Front Runner Century.  My good friend Josh (any friend who will ride in 45 degrees, a 20 mph headwind, and nonstop rain with you is a good friend indeed!) and I muscled our way through a tough day and managed to emerge with quite the sense of accomplishment and not even a sniffle to show for our day of wet feet.  The season can only get better from here, right?!?

So, given the punishing misery of some rides and why do I do rides like this?

1. They're a lot of fun (admittedly, more entertaining without the hypothermia)
2. I love to get out and ride with groups of fun, like-minded folks
3. Almost all organized rides are in support of a very worthy cause. For example, the Front Runner Century raises money for Crohn's disease research. Several rides I'm doing later this year support the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake.

Want to be a part of the fun and fundraising?  Of course you do!! In June I'm going to attempt the Huntsman 140, a 140 mile ride from Delta, Utah to the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City.

Riding 140 miles in a single day is an intimidating goal for me (I've never done more than 100!) but I've committed to do something big and scary in memory of my mother-in-law and to raise money to fund research for other people's big, beautiful, and scary fights against cancer.

Please join me in riding for a cure by donating something big or small to the journey. Donate and get more info at http://h140.kintera.org/jamieamstar.