I have ridden in literally hundreds of Tour de Cure rides all over the United States! I doubt I’ve ridden in as many different Tours as Red Rider Lew Alexander has. Lew selects at least 10 Tour de Cures each year and he travels to each of these Tours and he rides the 100 mile route. Lew is a Red Rider Champion without a doubt!!!
Lew joins Team Red when he rides in the various Tours. I started the first Team Red the same year that I started the Red Riders because I know that the more connected we are when we join a new activity, the more likely we are to enjoy the new experience, which results in a higher likelihood of wanting to do the activity again. It makes me extremely happy that all Tour de Cures have a Team Red and the Red Riders now. It took a few years to roll both out at all Tours, and now they are both alive and well.
I stopped doing triathlons after doing the Half Ironman in Austin, Texas in October 2009, because I found out I had breast cancer for a second time in July 2010. This past year, I realized I really missed doing triathlons. I love switching between the sports. I love the gear needed for each sport. I love the camaraderie between triathletes! There’s an inherent flexibility required in triathlon, and I appreciate that. Triathlon reminds me to appreciate and respect my diabetes and my experiences with cancer.
I found out about one year ago that my endocrinologist, Dr. Rebecca Mattison, has a women’s triathlon team that participates every year in the YWCA Women’s Triathlon in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The YWCA Women’s Triathlon is a sprint distance triathlon: 500 yard swim, 15.5 mile bike and 3.1 mile run, I knew I could do it!! And I did!! Dr. Mattison’s team is called Team ENDO, since she’s an endocrinologist and many of us on the team have endocrinology related health challenges.
This year, I suggested to Dr. Mattison that Team ENDO sign up and participate as a team in the Tour de Cure Twin Cities on May 30, 2015. Dr. M agreed and I’m the captain of our team!! It will be a warm-up for the triathlon!! We only have a few people so far on the team, and I am confident that we will get close to 25 team members and raise at least $5,000, which will get us a Team Tent!!!
If you live in the Twin Cities and you like to ride your bike, and you would like to ride in the Tour de Cure Twin Cities on May 30th, please consider joining Team ENDO!
Our website is: http://main.diabetes.org/goto/teamendo If you don’t want to ride with us, you can make a donation!!! Thanks so much!!
