33 is a nice friendly, symmetrical number; can I stop here, please?
To celebrate, I am launching my big 2010 fundraising campaign!
In June, I’m going to spend a weekend cycling from Vancouver to Seattle to raise money for the BC Cancer Foundation as part of the Ride to Conquer Cancer. The final route is still TBD, but will be something like 250 km / 150 miles over two days. Oh, and did I mention I only have a hybrid, rather than a road bike? (Yes I am crazy). The longest ride I’ve ever done was 60 km in one day, for the MS Society; I did that without any training at all, but this is a different beast altogether and I will be putting in some serious clicks between now and June!
FULL DISCLOSURE:
I work for the BC Cancer Agency, who will be the ultimate recipients of the money raised. The money is all going to support our research efforts rather than our publicly-funded treatment centres.
A couple of years ago I wrote about the difference in culture between the BCCA, where many of the staff and trainees raise money to support the institute, and my PhD institute in Scotland, where people were more than happy to donate to, say, a cancer hospice, but were reluctant to raise money for their employer.
So, what convinced me that my Canadian colleagues have it right?
Well, my PhD and postdoc projects were almost completely divorced from any clinical impact. But my new colleagues’ research is very, very different. I work with people doing some simply amazing work in cancer genomics, and I’m involved in some other outstanding translational and clinical research projects. (I wish I could tell you about some of the other awesomeness emanating from our labs and clinics, but until it’s published, that’s just not possible). For the first time in my career, I have more contact with cancer patients than just seeing them in the canteen when I pop into the clinical building to grab some lunch, and I have a much better understanding of how my colleagues’ work can and will result in better diagnostic and treatment options.
In the last couple of years I’ve also seen several relatives, friends, and colleagues (and their kids) diagnosed with cancer, and a few of them have either died or have incurable metastases.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
In order to take part in the ride, I need to raise at least $2,500. This is almost as daunting as the length of the ride, and hence I am asking my awesome blog readers to help out!
Now, I’m not just asking for money, and I’m not expecting people to give without receiving anything in return. Please click through to my other blog for full details of how you can help, and how I might thank you!
“You can view my personal page and make donations here”:http://www.conquercancer.ca/site/TR/Events/Vancouver2010?px=2353200&pg=personal&fr_id=1331&fl=en_US&et=KQIeQZCxXhjxqwCz8GyLSQ..&s_tafId=158451.
This will be the only time this year or next year that I ask for donations. 2012 and onwards… well, it depends on how my legs feel when we get to Seattle!
Thank you in advance for your donations, advice, link love, and good luck vibes!
Right, I’m off to work and then to the Canada-Norway hockey game. Let’s hope Team Canada can give me a win for my birthday! If anyone’s watching on TV, I’ll be the one in the red shirt.
—————–
I am publicising this event and asking for donations with pre-arranged permission from Nature Network management. Thank you so much, guys! Keep up the good work.
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You are good to get pre-arranged permission. I don’t see any problems with your promoting a cause you support. I’ve done so before and had a good reception. (I also made a token gesture of support and wish you best of luck!)
Happy Birthday Cath! And good luck with the bike ride – don’t forget to keep us updated on your progress. I did my DofE expedition on a bike (something stubborn about not wanting to carry a rucksack at the time and thinking it would be easier to transport a tent by peddling…) and that led on to daily cycling to lectures at uni, so it can’t have been all bad! Just make sure you get some padded shorts…
Congratulations on becoming 11 times older than Nature Network. Good luck for the ride.
Thank you so much for your support, Heather! Very much appreciated.
I decided that this post should probably be an exception to the “easier to ask for forgiveness than permission” rule 😉
Thanks, Lou! I will indeed keep people updated once my serious training starts (after the Olympics).
You can do your DofE expedition on a bike?! I never knew that. I carried my backpack around the Yorkshire Dales on a dodgy knee like a mug!
Padded shorts, eh? (Makes mental note).
Thanks Matt!
Happy Birthday Cath!
Some of those padded shorts also have a little bit of stuffing for other things… at least that is what a friend of mine told me when I asked how the bikers in Tour the France and all managed… I still, to this day, don’t know if he lied or not 😉
In any event, i’d have a darn comfy saddle! Not the sleak hard ones that you’d see most of the times.
Hey Cath, Happy birthday. We’re nearly the same age – I am looking forward to celebrating two birthdays this year. My birthday when I turn 33 and my 1/3 unbirthday when I will be 1/3 of the way to 100 – planning to get to 100, just hoping I won’t be too senile by then.
Good luck with the ride it sounds fantastic – how light is your hybrid? I like to kid myself that mine is nearly as good as a road bike anyway!
Thanks Åsa! I’ll pass on your wisdom about the shorts to my male friend who’s riding with me!
Samantha, thank you to you too! I love the idea of the 33 and 1/3 birthday! I might have to adopt that plan!
My hybrid is lighter than any other bike I’ve owned, but I’ve mostly owned mountain bikes. It’s a pretty decent bike, but I’ll need to invest in new gears/chain before the ride – they’re already wearing down and I have a lot of training to do!
After the Olympics, of course…
Happy birthday, Cath. I suppose this little anecdote has lost its point nowadays, but when George Harrison was 33 1/3 he made an LP called 33 1/3. I always liked his sense of humour.
Well done on this work for a good cause. I hope it goes well, and may your saddle be well padded and cushy!
Thanks, Maxine!
George Harrison will always be relevant – well, to me anyway!
Have you thought about buying a reclinable bike? Then you could sit back in comfort and peddle.
Peddle what? That might be against event rules, I’ll have to check.
I like the idea of lying back in comfort and maybe having a cocktail (in a coconut shell, of course) while I’m riding. But feedback from a colleague with a reclining bike is that they’re scary as hell on steep downhills and in traffic – and there are plenty of both on the official route as well as on my commute!
A great gift for your birthday.
Biciclyng guirrafes
Thanks, Alejandro!
“The unicycling girrafes” might make a good team name, if I can persuade my friend!
I actually mentioned to the head of the BC Cancer Foundation that I was worried about doing the ride on a hybrid, and he said not to worry because last year, people did it on full suspension mountain bikes “and we had two guys on unicycles! Well, two of them started. Only one of them finished”.
Or my god,my dear Cath: If but this is bycicling girrafes no unicycling.
At this age Jesus Christ died at age 33. It is a good age to analyze your future. If you are not atheist of course.
Or if you prefer another gift, a Pteranodon without parachute.
See you Cath:
Happy Birthday Cath! Clearly, we’re both approaching 40, though from opposite directions.
Cath – That’s my younger brother Henry is very difficult to interpret but if one makes an effort finally be understand. Is a correct person.
Happy birthday Cath! Has no one let you in on the secret that life begins at 40?
Shh. It’s a secret.
33? That’s nothing. Congratulations anyway (!) and best of luck with the fundraising!
Happy birthday!! What a fantastic thing to do – good luck with the ride!
Oh, and so jealous of you going to the game tonight – cheer your head off for me! We’ll be watching.
Young whippersnappers…mumble, mumble…
Happy birthday!
Happy Bday! You could always celebrate it as the 12th anniversary of your turning 21. (wonder if that would be more comforting..)
And holy cow, that is a lot of bike riding in one day! Good stuff.
Thanks all! I’m a little too
hungoveroverwhelmed by the awesomeness of Canada’s Olympic athletes to say any more than that right now… that was one of the top three birthdays of all time!“Happy Birthday to Me”. Me me me. That’s all this blog is, just about you.
Oh, wait… 😉
Hippie Birdy to you and ALEXANDRE BILODEAU WON THE GOLD AND SO DID MAELLE RICKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh sorry about that.
P.S. Our women’s hockey team… 12 quick goals in their first period of play. They are teh awesomenessness.
(Belated) Hippo Birdday to you, Cath.
Why was I not informed that Men’s Figure Skating, Short Program is now Men’s Figure Skating, Emo Program?
Not that I didn’t enjoy watching the lithe besequined emo guys and their acrobatic hair …. 😉
Ha! I enjoyed the bits of the short program I saw. I thought the young Russian with the big hair was cheating by getting extra lift from his “do”.
Thanks both!
Richard, we’ll be leaving within 30 minute to go to the Canada-Sweden women’s hockey game. Should be less one-sided than the last two games – what are we now, a combined 28-0?! I have $20 at stake in a bet with a certain blog commenter…
Kristi, I have to say that figure skating is pretty much the only winter sport I don’t watch. I tend to prefer events with more objective measures of victory (although the freestyle aerials and snowboard half pipe events are exceptions for me!)
Happy (late, sorry!) birthday!!! And happy cycling (with photos from the trail?)