10:17 p.m.
Last year I journaled my experience during the MS Ride and shared it with as
many people as I could think of. This year i've written a letter to the people
that sponsored me, not only to thank them but to explain why I ride for MS.
I'm sharing this with this group in hopes of encouraging others who rode last
week to share their experiences on the ride. And hopefully to encourge even
more people to join us next year.
I'm also sharing because I need to say thank to so many others on this list
for helping me make it to the MS ride this year. Strength and inspiration can
and will come from places were you least expect it.
Thank you Jen J and Nikki for sitting with me during my appointments and being
there when I needed you.
Thank you to everyone who told me I looked good even thought I knew better.
Thank you to Randy and Vic and many others for riding with me when I wasn't
100%. Staying back with me even thought I didn't think I needed them to. They
new better, I did.
And...Thank you to my partner, John, for tell me I was being ridiculous when I
was being ridiculous. And for being my hairdresser for almost a year and not
charging me.
It is amazing to be part of this ycling community that we have created.
"This chapter is closed" Time to start a new one. Hope to see you all next
year on the MS ride.
Ann
oh...BTW I think we can start signing up for next year in Nov. :)
_____________________________________________________________________________
Thank you for sponsoring me this year in the Rona MS Bike tour. My team,
Roger’s Angel’s raised almost $18000 between 33 riders this year. The events
total was over $1 240 000.
Last year I rode for MS for the first time because a friend of a friend was
doing it and I thought it would be a great opportunity to test my new abilities
as a cyclist. This year I rode for a completely different reason.
Below you will see a picture of part of my team crossing the finish line on
Sunday in Grand Bend. I’m the 5th person coming in the gate. The man in the
wheel chair is Mike. Mike has MS. Each year Mike sits at the finish line both
in London and in Grand Bend and “High Fives” us as we cross. This year, in
London , Mike sat in the rain and sun and rain waiting for each and every
person to cross the finish line. There were 1725 people who started arriving at
11am and didn’t stop until 4pm.
Last year Mike spoke at the MS awards ceremonies on the Saturday night. He
spoke of his dreams, his goals for the next year, how he was planning to train
to climb Mount Everest and how he was planning to ride with us in 2011 on an
adapted bike. I found Mike’s speech very inspiring. It’s hard to believe that
someone one with so much going against him could find the strength and the
motivation to continue to challenge him self so. Mike’s speech inspired me to
promise myself to stay strong and motivated no matter what challenges came up in
my life. Three weeks after Mike’s speech I was diagnosed with cancer and had to
put this newly made promise to the test. It’s funny how things always work out.
Seems like more often than not the universe or what ever you choose to call it
offers up just what you need when you need it.
So why did I ride for MS this year. There are two reason. The first was to
challenge myself……to prove to myself that I had come out the other end of my
diagnosis just as strong, motivated and happy as before. The second reason was
to thank Mike on Sunday morning after crossing the finish line for being the
inspiration that got me through one of the roughest challenges of my life.
Why will I ride next year? To ensure that Mike and others who have MS have what
they need to live as healthy and productive lives as possible, including a cure,
as you never know who they may inspire in the future and under what
circumstances. They might just “Say the right thing at the right time to the
right person” and inspire them to great things.
Once again…Thank you so much for sponsoring me.
Ann