Livestrong and ride for a good cause
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Looking for a fitness challenge this summer that does some good for more than your health?
Ride with a group of cyclists who are traversing the U.S. raising money for Livestrong, the Lance Armstrong Foundation that supports cancer research and education. Livestrong Across America kicks off July 1 in San Diego, as six cyclists begin their 33-day, 3,300-mile ride to Washington D.C. Armstrong won’t be on a bike, but a group of friends from Beaumont, Texas, are happy to have anyone come along for part or all of the journey. (People who wear those yellow Livestrong bracelets, we’re looking in your direction).
You’ll have to pony up some dough (amounts vary depending on how long you want to share the road), but of course it goes to the charity. And don’t worry if you’re not in elite shape — one of the riders, Richard James III, assured us that slower cyclists won’t get left in the dust.
‘You can be in any kind of shape,’ says James, who has a line of edu-tainment products. ‘The only reason for us to go faster is that we want to meet our commitments to visit places like oncology centers and make sure we’re there on time. But people can always continue and finish, and we’ll be there when they arrive.’ Go to the organization’s website and you’ll notice in the riders’ bios that not only are they in fantastic shape (some raced in the U.S. Cycling Federation), but all have a direct connection to someone with cancer — not that unusual, says James: ‘You don’t have to think very hard to think of someone you know who is battling cancer.’
The group (shown left to right: Joe Haeggquist, Charlie Dixon, Tom Simon, Britt Gober, Eric Laing and James) will take no rest days. That’s probably why James’ training has consisted of 80 to 100 miles a day, since they’ll be averaging 100 miles a day on the tour. Their goal is to raise $100,000 to $300,000. Of the inaugural trip, James says, ‘We don’t know what to expect, we’re just out there to raise as much awareness and as many funds as possible.’ The team will post updates on the website’s blog during the tour as well, so stay tuned.
-Jeannine Stein