Borrowed Bike Blogs and Cancer

Just as I was about to start writing I had a change of thought - blog, my blog, has no right or wrong; blogs ARE for writing any ol'crap you like, or sharing someone else's blog crap if you like - it's my blog.

So today's blog, is about sharing someone's blog - her name is Lindsay, she is a cyclist, a damn fine one (and Lindsay, you always will be), she rides for Hammer Velo in Portland, she is pedaling her way through the crappiest race a young woman must - a shitty circuit course called breast cancer. Having been a spectator, a DS, a mechanic, and crew for more than one woman on that race I found Lindsay's blog refreshing and thought, just maybe one of you out there who read this blog might be, or know someone who might be, about to enter that breast cancer race as well - if so, Lindsay's blog might help.

Confessions of a Lapsed Triathlete
Stories about Biking and Why Cancer is a Huge Pain in My Ass

Excerpt from Lindsay's Blog:

"I've hit a mental breaking point, one which led me to think one of the thoughts I had forbidden myself to think for the last 4 weeks:

THIS IS SO FUCKING UNFAIR.

I am a fucking state champion bicycle racer. I eat vegetables, pay my bills on time, floss my teeth and use my turn signal. What is it about this universe that decided that I needed to be the one that has to be scarred, needs help bathing and getting dressed and can't even get out of bed without pain?

Something tells me that when I die, someone will tell me its because I voted for Ralph Nader in 2000."

Finally, she posted this, something everyone should eventually read:
"Having swallowed my pride, I have compiled the following list. I present, in no particular order, "Things You Can Do to Help.""

Chris King calendar debuts, to benefit breast cancer detection

"Pretty and Stong" is the latest effort from a seven year relationship between the folks at Chris King and the Komen for the Cure cancer nonprofit. Together with PDXCross.com they have assembled a cyclocross calendar to raise money and awareness in the fight for a cure to breast cancer. The 2010 Pretty and Strong Calendar highlights women cyclocross racers of the Northwest.

About the calenday and effort from the Chris King website where you can buy the calendar:

"Pretty and Strong enters its 7th year as a special edition and we are pleased to continue our strong relationship with the Oregon and SW Washington affiliate of Komen for the Cure. For 2010 we are excited to present a calendar benefiting Komen for the Cure in partnership with the talented photographers of PDXCross.com. Our shared effort with this calendar is more than an intimate look at the joy and tenacity of the women we see racing cyclocross each weekend during the fall. It's a call to awareness for early detection because breast cancer still doesn't care how fit or fast you are on a bike. Please make an appointment to see your doctor and circle the date on one of these great calendars."

According to a VeloNews online article,

"The concept gelled when Chris DiStefano of Chris King learned an interesting statistic related to rates of early detection in the Northwest. He was in a lunch meeting with the Oregon and SW Washington affiliate for Komen for the Cure, along with Diane Chalmers, Chris King VP of Operations, and Cristina Moore, Development Manager for the local Komen affiliate. Moore informed the Chris King employees that the demographic with the lowest rate of early detection included many of the women they were seeing at cyclocross races every weekend."

Chris' DiStefano and King sat down with PDXCross and poured through heaps of images to pull together the inaugural calendar effort.

You can purchase a copy of the Chris King “Pretty and Strong” calender on their website: www.chrisking.com