Fat Blobs and Good Causes

Dwight, who is as far as I am concerned, the closest thing to Superman without the Krypton driver’s license and the cape, made a good point. (Dwight’s one of the TNT coaches who makes sure we get into shape and do it safely)

I haven’t really gone into the “Why”. Why am I going out there every weekend, regardless of the weather, etc. and preparing to bike 100 miles?

It’s quite simple: I am a big, fat blob. There’s at least 15 pounds of extra “me” hanging off these bones and they gotta go.

Corpulence and kidding aside, ever since I was in Cub Scouts, it’s been part of what I do to join in to help the community or something along those lines. The last few years I have been helping out with the Manhattan Society, the Manhattan chapter of the MS Society. But ManSoc, as they like to call themselves, recently decided to make their membership to the chapter more directly tied with the money that an individual raises, and I didn’t like that at all.

So, I haven’t been active with ManSoc much lately, and didn’t have another charity to help out with for quite a while.

Then, about a month ago, my brother’s girlfriend Eve mentioned the TNT thing, something I had heard of several years ago, but never really considered. It was her second go around and if she could train and raise the money, I figured I could, too. So, here I am.

Now, that’s more the “how” – let me get back to the point: Leukemia and other blood cancers are extremely tough to fight and while there’s been a lot of research, there’s still a lot more to learn to find a cure. And research is expensive. Very expensive. Like new BMW with the fancy stereo and leather seats expensive. Like Paris Hilton spending spree at Bergdorff’s expensive.

And to answer a question that’s likely on your mind: I don’t know any one personally that is fighting or has fought leukemia. However, I did read that book ERIC in junior high by Doris Lund about her son’s battle with leukemia.

It was a powerful read, and I can still remember how hard her son fought off the disease, stifling the pathogen into remission a number of times before eventually becoming too weak. I think on that book when I am lacing up my biking shoes sometimes, or when I hit that hill and my legs don’t seem to have anything left, and I find more and keep going.

I think about if it were me, the subject and main character in the book, I would hope that there would be others out there, perhaps complete strangers, trying to help.

I get up and spend hours straight biking, I get nearly up every morning and spin away on my trainer, and endure stiff muscles and aching joints because it’s that important. And I am a fat, fat man.

http://www.active.com/donate/tntnonj/tntnonjEFlemin