400 miles and counting!

Today I have passed the 400 miles mark. I completed 47.60 miles today in two rides and have a grand total of 445.51 miles. I’m taking Friday off of work to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness month with a ride. I then plan on riding both Saturday and Sunday - and may even try to do my longest ride yet...50 miles! Be sure to stop back each day this weekend as I will post about each of my final rides.

I’ve raised $865.00 so far towards my $1500 goal! If you haven’t donated, it isn’t too late to help make a difference in the fight again breast cancer. 100% of your donation goes to the YSC and is tax deductible.

Thank you for your support!

To donate go to: http://www.ysctourdepink.org/site/TR?px=1041937&pg=personal&fr_id=1090&s_tafId=1149

Tour de Pink Rides:

9/1/10 - 10.3 miles

9/2/10 - 36.5 miles

9/5/10 - 26.31 miles

9/6/10 - 30.34 miles

9/8/10 - 14.96 miles

9/9/10 - 42.83 miles

9/13/10 - 11 miles

9/14/10 - 15.8 miles

9/15/10 - 42.87 miles

9/17/10 - 17.5 miles

9/18/10 - 15.88 miles

9/19/10 - 43.37 miles

9/22/10 - 23.7 miles

9/23/10 - 44.95 miles

9/28/10 - 21.6 miles

9/29/10 - 47.60 miles

Total: 445.51 miles

I did it! 300 miles!!

I cannot believe it! Today (9/19/2010) I reached my riding goal of 300 miles; actually I’m at 307.66 miles. The picture was taken by James half way through our 43.37 miles ride this morning. I must say, never in my wildest imagination did I think I would make it to my goal half way through my journey. So with that being said, I’m going to keep riding. I don’t know how far I will go, but I’m going to ride as much as I can until October 3rd. I will still ride to work and home each week and do a minimum of two ride on the weekends. At this point I could do close to 500 miles if I keep up my current pace.

Another big moment in my journey came with a donation from my mother in-law. Her donation put me over half way to my fundraising goal. I’ve raised $790.00 of my $1,500.00 goal. If you would like to made a donation please go to my personal site (http://www.ysctourdepink.org/site/TR?px=1041937&pg=personal&fr_id=1090&s_tafId=1149

Thank you for your support during my Tour de Pink!

A little about the Young Survival Coalition

Thank you for visiting my blog and checking in on my Tour de Pink journey. So far I have raised $740.00 for the Young Survival Coalition (YSC) putting me 49% to my $1,500.00 goal. Since September 1st I have ridden a total of 172.24 miles of my 300 miles pledged. With the support of all of you I know I can reach my goals!

Several people have asked me about the YSC so I thought I would share a bit more about the charity benefiting from my Tour de Pink Virtual Ride.

YSC is the premier global organization dedicated to the critical issues unique to young women diagnosed with breast cancer. YSC offers resources, connections and outreach so women feel supported, empowered and hopeful. With an interactive website and almost 30 affiliates across the United States, it is YSC’s goal that young women with breast cancer know that they are not alone.

YSC was formed in 1998 by three young women with breast cancer. Today, the YSC community consists of tens of thousands of survivors and supporters seeking to make sure that young survivors have the support and educational resources they so desperately need.

YSC works with survivors, caregivers and the medical, research, advocacy and legislative communities to increase the quality and quantity of life for women diagnosed with breast cancer ages 40 and under.

YSC is unstoppably, unshakably and unconditionally devoted to the issues facing young women with breast cancer. No two cases of breast cancer are alike. But through shared wisdom and unconditional support, YSC has created a wealth of resources to help young women thrive.

Breast Cancer in Young Women

* Young women CAN and DO get breast cancer.

* Over 11,000 women under 40 will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. every year. In fact, there are over 250,000 women living in the U.S. who were diagnosed with breast cancer under age 40.

* One young woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 45 minutes.

* One in 20 women with breast cancer is under age 40 when diagnosed. One in 8 women diagnosed with breast cancer is younger than 45 when diagnosed.

* Breast cancer accounts for 26% of all cancer in women 15–39 years of age and 39% of all cancer in 35–39 year-olds.

* Young women’s breast cancers are generally more aggressive and result in lower survival rates.

Please visit the YSC website at www.youngsurvival.org for more information.

Tour de Pink Rides:

9/1/10 - 10.3 miles

9/2/10 - 36.5 miles

9/5/10 - 26.31 miles

9/6/10 - 30.34 miles

9/8/10 - 14.96 miles

9/9/10 - 42.83 miles

9/13/10 - 11 miles

Total = 172.24

Labor Day Weekend Rides

What a gorgeous weekend! A special thank you to my mother in-law, Linda, for coming over early Sunday morning so James and I could go for a ride together. We headed out at 9AM for a completed a 26.31 mile ride. The weather was perfect and it was nice to spend some quality time together - if you call following each other on a bike for almost 2 hours quality time, but there were no kids.

Monday I headed out in the morning alone planning on doing another 26 miles. Of course the excitement of the Tour de Pink got me going and I finished at 30.34 miles. I was tired but exhilarated because I had passed the 100 miles mark in just four rides. I’m well on my way to reaching 300 miles by October 3rd and have raised $740.00 for the YSC.

Thank you to everyone for your support!

9/1/2010 - 10.3 miles

9/2/2010 - 36.5 miles

9/5/2010 - 26.31 miles

9/6/2010 - 30.34 miles

Total = 103.45 miles

Wini's Story

As you know this year I'm participating in the YSC Tour de Pink in honor of my friend and co-worker Wini. To start my virtual ride journey I asked Wini to share her story in her own words. Enjoy!

My Story……

According to the world, at this age or shall I say “stage of the game”, I should be in the job I love making six figures, in the home I want on the water, driving the fully loaded Mercedes, and taking the vacations of a lifetime. Well, who made those rules??? I am in a job I love, not quite at the six figure mark (honestly nowhere near, but who cares?) the house is coming and so is the Mercedes. I can still take vacations wherever I want, so life goes on. I thank God for life. We tend to concentrate on the material things in life but, in a moment’s notice your life can change and those “things” don’t mean as much. On January 4th I was called back in to take another mammogram because there were “shadows” on the first. After the procedure the doctor informed me that I needed to get a biopsy to “make sure” they were just calcium deposits and not anything else. On January 18th I had a biopsy done on my left breast; three days later I received a call saying I had Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) a non invasive breast cancer. I was given two choices, have a lumpectomy or mastectomy. I chose the latter; hey in this day and age you can buy a breast anytime you want! So on March 8, 2010 in the early morning hours, I had my left breast removed. This was the second major surgery I’d had. The first being 29 years ago when my child was born! However God had me in His arms and spared me pain. I went through the surgery with flying colors and was able to heal with literally no pain. Then on June 22, 2010, I had reconstructive surgery. I finally got new breast at almost 50 years of age! I love the fact that I’m “perky”! I’m grateful that since turning 40 years of age, I’ve always had my mammogram every year. If it had not been for the mammogram I would have cancer all through my body today. Although there was no history of cancer in my family, and this happened to me, I chose to see the glass as half full instead of half empty. I believe everything happens for a reason. Hopefully my story helps someone else. Life is too short to wake up with regrets. Nobody said life would be easy, they just said it would be worth it. Seeing my grandson grow and learn makes it worth it. So I know I must laugh out loud, play with abandon, be at peace in my circumstance, and love God with all my heart.

Wini Alexander

August 27, 2010