Hello, My name is Damon Allen, I am 34 yrs old and will be representing Belleville in the National Kids Cancer Ride across Canada in September 2010.
As a part of this esteemed team of riders, and our goal in raising funds and awareness to help in finding a cure for children living with and beyond cancer. My personal goal is to raise $50 000 -- please find it in your hearts to help in this goal by clicking on the sponsor me link and making a contribution to this worthy cause.
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I’ve covered the distance across Canada in my training now for those who were wondering 7050 km. I have a little less then 7 weeks until my journey from Vancouver to Halifax on Sept 9. I have 2 weeks of torcher rides 80 km to 200 km. Then I taper the last 4 weeks to the ride.
Here is the winner of the tandem bike we raffled off a while ago and raise $710 for kids and their families living with and beyond cancer. Wendy Danford is the successful winner. I would like thank everyone that came out and supported the fight. A big thank you to Steven Licence Inc. for donating the bike for the raffle.
I got to meet a nice family today that are fighting cancer. Mike and Mark Beaudin of Belleville. Mike wanted to do a news actical for the local College paper about the Sears National Kids Cancer Ride and why I was doing it, but was more interested in Marks store and how his experience has been. Also was nice to here that Mark is going to do the local ride with us on September 19 when we ride into Belleville.
They followed me around as I did my 62 km ride today. Taking pictures and video, but the best part was seeing Mark doing the shooting with the camera. This sure made my day.
Here is what Marks Dad had to say about Marks fight with cancer.
Mark was diagnosed with Burkitts Leukemia when he was 11 years old. Like many kids with cancer, he suffered through the ravages of chemotherapy. He spent the better part of a year in hospital, first in SickKids and then in CHEO. He suffered severe side affects from the chemo. He was so weak that it took a major effort just to walk to a wheelchair parked outside his hospital room. Those were dark days and we wondered if they would never end. But thanks to the efforts of the medical team at CHEO and Mark’s will to conquer cancer, he made it through the worst of the treatment. He refused to let it get the best of him. He played ball and hockey again just six months into his treatment, between visits and stays in the hospital for chemotherapy. Mark would go to the hospital in the morning for a blood transfusion and play ball that night. There were, however, many difficult days ahead. Mark finished three years of chemotherapy last fall. He is in the fourth year of a five-year treatment plan and so far the future looks bright. Throughout his ordeal, he has enjoyed the support of numerous non-profit groups. The Children’s Wish Foundation sent the entire family on a week-long vacation in the Turks and Caicos; Candelighters provided the family with Christmas baskets, trips to see the Blue Jays and a shoulder to lean on; Camp Ooch sent him to their camp in Muskoka for two weeks last summer; and the Tip of the Toes Foundation took Mark and 11 other kids with cancer on a wilderness snowmobile excursion in northern Quebec this past March. There are many other groups and individuals who donate their time and energies to help kids like Mark overcome not only their disease but also give them the confidence to just be children again. We salute people like Damon Allen for making such a huge sacrifice to raise money for all those groups that rely on donations to help kids like Mark. They deserve our help for all the wonderful work they do. They truly make a difference. Just ask Mark.
Today I did my first Duathlon(Run, Bike Run). Starts with 2km run I did in 12 mins. Then jumped on my bike and raced off heading for the Beast of the hill. 18% grade 300 meters was what everyone was a scared of. That hill was nothing it was the sec. one the hurt me a little and the back of the Beast on the way back.
Passing a few riders that did the olypic Triathlon that started before me. My confidence grow. Just like my friend Mike says “It easier to ride scare then mad.” I know he was much faster on the bike then me. So I had to stay in my game. I kept looking back seeing if I could see him, but he was no where in sight. I still kept pushing. I hammered through the 20 km ride of up and down hills (hills avg 10% grade) at 30.9 km avg speed.
I jumped off my bike changed my shoes and started my last 5 km run. Jen on the Mike makes a announcement that I was going to be riding across Canada for Kids Cancer and that I was going to eat up this run in 16 mins. Nothing like putting the pressure on. Pumped up and tired I took off. Got about haft a Kilometer into the run and stomach knotted up. I ignore it like I always do and push hard. Second loop and I see Jeff Walsh catching me. So pushed hard. He caught me with 500 meters to go and I had nothing left. So off he went, but that was OK he was in the spirit race not mine. I finished 1:07:36 and first place in the Duathlon. Mike crossed 4 mins behind. As he passed the finsh line I asked him “Where’s my Pizza?” Little joke for being the slower guy.
So with all that said. It really puts my training in perspective. Training rides are getting long, but yet seems to be easier and time consuming. Booked some Vacation for the end of July and beginning of August to get my training in. 200 km rides 3 days in a row should make sleeping a little easier. Wife and kids wont see much of me, but they understand. Its not about us its about the Kids that are living with and beyond cancer
59 more days until we ride. Time fly when your having fun or don’t have enough.
You can still help by donating at damonallen.snkcr.com or searsnationalkidscancerride.com
Another wonderful weekend too bad I was inside for it all. Nothing like riding 260 km on a trainer over the 2 days. Spent 5.5 hours Saturday and 6 hours Sunday spinning and raising awarness about the ride and about kids cancer. Man I hate the trainer, but time flew because I had lots to entertain me on the stage at the show.
I would like to give a big thank you to Amy Doyle for helping out and supporting the cause and letting me join in on the first Health and Fitness Expo in Belleville. Got alot exposure and talked alot about the ride and the ride along. Alot of people were impressed and looking forward to the ride along on Sept. 19 Pickering to Belleville.
Would like to thank all the volunteers that took the time out of their weekend to help sell ticket at the Health and Fitness Expo.
Steven Licence donated a tamden Bike (Bicycle built for 2); which we are raffling off on June 29/10 $3 a ticket or 2 for $5. All proceeds go to sears national kids cancer ride. please contact me if would like to get in on the draw
Also would like to thank Holly Credcott and the Sears Green Team for raffling off a tree and raising $177. Winner was Judie Smith-Wilmot.
So training been going good. Some days are better then others. Need to work on on eating habbits. Need a little more protein and less carbohydrates or fats.
Rode 21 km Saturday race a 10 km came in first. Worked too hard because the ride home over oats hills killed me, but I made it home. Slowly, but surely. Only did 62 km ride, but I need to recover for my 130 km ride Sunday.
Sunday we rode to Trenton to ride with the group from TRI and RUN. We did 2 X40 km loops. First one was about keeping all the riders together. So we rode about 29 km. Second loop was rough. We started out 34 to 36 km and we held that until the hills came. About 20 km into the ride we were in a straight line heading up a hill. One guy stood up the guy in front of me braked and I kissed his tire sending me into the dirt. I was more worried about my bike then the scratches and sore knee I got. I’ll heal, but don’t have the money for a new bike was all that went through my head. I got up walked it off while the others guys straighted the bars and brakes and made sure it all was good. I jumped back on and continued on. Frustrated and hoping the bike was OK. I made it the rest of the 70 km all the way home. More mad that my brake are scratched and a little chip in the paint then about scratchesand torren cloths.
Lessons about riding in a group:
Lesson one - don’t ride so close to someones tire even if you trust them.
On June 27 Tri & Run Sports is hosting a 30 to 40k Bike Tour for fun, friendship and fund raising for kids cancer. Scott Bikes will be on hand with demo bikes CR1 SL, Plasma LTD, CR1 Cyclocross as well as two Plasmas with Di2 for riders to try. Shimano will have demo wheels for cyclists to ride for the tour. Leaving Tri & Run Sports riders will proceed at their own pace over a scenic route and return to food and draw prizes. All riders that are pre-registered by June 15th will have their names in a draw for a prize package from Scott Bikes and one from Shimano.
