How did I get to this point?
In July 2015, my wife Zoey told me she was concerned for my heart health, and I needed to start exercising. As most of you likely know, I am nothing if not a man who likes extremes. I decided that I should go from couch potato to triathlete, and signed up for a Sprint Triathlon with a friend (peer pressure meant I couldn’t back out). I bought a bicycle for the first time in 20 years, and started my training. Long story as short as I can make it, the Tri was in October, but I came to realize that I really enjoy cycling. I decided I needed an endurance ride challenge and I would use it as an opportunity to get healthier, travel and see some old friends, and raise money for a good cause.
I would not ask you to donate money, if I wasn’t prepared to make a significant effort on my part. I decided to take part in the 2016 One Day Ride Across Michigan (ODRAM) in August. Along with hundreds of riders from around the world, I will ride 150 miles in one day, to raise money for JDRF, the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. I chose to support JDRF in a large part because wanted to ride for two close family friends who have children with T1D.
Did you know T1D:
- Strikes both children and adults suddenly and is unrelated to diet and lifestyle.
- Occurs when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. Insulin is essential to turning food into energy.
- Requires constant carbohydrate counting, blood-glucose testing, and lifelong dependence on injected insulin.
JDRF is working every day to change this. And every dollar I raise helps them continue to bring life-changing therapies from the lab to the community until a cure is found.
I will be training hard as I prepare for this ride, and your donation will help JDRF achieve its goal of a world without T1D.
2/18/2016 - Started my training for ODRAM! Did my first 20+ mile ride in a couple of months with Rick Garibay last Sunday. Got to get my rear used to sitting in the saddle for hours at a time. I also committed to the Tour de Cure Phoenix in March. I will be riding 50 Miles, and hope for a time of 3.5 hours. I would also like to thank Omer Gal and Rick and Christie Valliere Garibay for their generous donations.
3/19/2016 - First organized ride of the season, did a 50 Mile ADA ride and finished in 2:52. My short term goal is a 5.5 Hour Century by June. I would like to thank Brad More for his donation.