It seems every year I charge ahead into something new. Well, this summer it is the “Team in Training” for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.  Team in Training has marathons and hiking also.

In November I will be riding my new bicycle for 100 miles in Tucson. Until three weeks ago I hadn’t ridden a bicycle in years (and never very well). I have now ridden 17 miles at one time—and am thoroughly enjoying this activity. With the “heat wave” Seattle has been having this summer I find the breeze that comes with biking helps to cool me off--something that I never got when running.   This is an activity that I intend to stay with as a future goal is to take bicycling vacations.  I will write more on that at another time.

This morning was our first training meeting and I found some helpful tips from the mentors: 1. Gregg’s bicycle shop has a machine you sit on to get fitted for the correct seat. 2. Bicycle shoes with cleats and the corresponding pedals greatly improve your riding because it gets you using the back of your thigh muscle. 3. The cleat releases your shoe when you twist your foot a little. I had envisioned not being able to get my foot off the pedal while I falling over (yes I do that).

I will keep you posted (that is a pun) on how the ride are going and when I come up with new tips.

Now for the most important part—this is a fund raiser for Leukemia. Did you know?

Blood cancers such as leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, myeloma and myelodysplastic syndromes are cancers that originate in the bone marrow or lymphatic tissues. They are considered to be related cancers because they involve the uncontrolled growth of cells with similar functions and origins. The diseases result from an acquired genetic injury to the DNA of a single cell, which becomes abnormal (malignant) and multiplies continuously. The accumulation of malignant cells interferes with the body's production of healthy blood cells.

40 years ago the survival rate for children with leukemia was 4%--today it is right around 90%. Leukemia affects 10 times as many adults and survival is significantly less. More than six people every hour die from a blood cancer?

How can you help? You can go to my fundraising website and make a donation, join a team or refer me to folks as a real estate agent so I can contribute more (any or all of the above is welcome!)