| Mother-son team pedal for a cure |
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| Wednesday, 12 August 2009 | ||
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Staff writer Just do. Just go. Just pedal. Just ride.
The Coon Rapids mother-son team pedaled side-by-side, repeating millions of revolutions and covering a distance of 100 miles when they rode in the second annual Hartford Breast Cancer Ride Aug. 1 and 2. Both rode a bicycle equipped with 24 speeds – Tracy’s a Trek commuter bike and Hunter’s a Giant mountain bike – and each pedaled from Southdale Center in Edina to Treasure Island Resort and Casino in Welch, then from Treasure Island, down the Cannon Valley Trail, through Cannon Falls, Hampton and Apple Valley until finally crossing the finish line at the Minnesota Zoo. It was a century ride. It was a work out. It was a mother-son bonding experience like no other. And Tracy and Hunter vow to do it again next year. Only days after completing the 100-mile ride and still deep in recovery mode, Tracy and Hunter smile and laugh about their marathon fund-raising experience and promise to be on the road for the Aug. 7 and 8, 2010 Hartford Breast Cancer Ride. “This was really a great ride. We probably didn’t train as much as we should have, but the ride was great – and it was so much fun doing it with Hunter,” Tracy said. “I just really wanted to do it to support what mom was doing – and it’s for a good cause,” said Hunter, the 14-year-old member of the mother-son team. The cause the young bicyclist referred to is funding breast cancer research, supporting those undergoing treatment and finding a cure, endeavors pursued by the Hartford Breast Cancer Ride benefactors, Open Arms of Minnesota and the Minnesota affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Although Tracy acknowledges no one in the immediate Ekberg/Bartholomew family has fallen victim to breast cancer, the disease is one to which she’s devoted countless hours and hundreds of miles fighting. She’s pedaled in both the 100-mile Hartford Breast Cancer rides and she’s hiked dozens of miles as a participant in the Twin Cities Breast Cancer 3-Day walk. As for the Hartford Breast Cancer Ride, Tracy and Hunter have an eager third bicyclist ready to join the team. “Breck (Hunter’s sister) wanted to ride with us so badly, but she’s too young,” Tracy said. Hartford Breast Cancer Ride organizers set a minimum bicyclist age at 13, she said. Breck’s only 11. “Breck was so supportive during our training and the ride itself,” Tracy said. “She would go along with us for our training rides and put in 10 or more miles each time. Even though she wasn’t going on the ride, she did it without complaint.” “I really wish I could have gone along, but I’m too young,” Breck said, sad she had to miss out but thrilled that her mom and big brother were able to do it. To raise funds for Open Arms of Minnesota (which provides meals to patients undergoing treatments for breast cancer) and the Minnesota affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, adult Hartford Breast Cancer Riders had to raise $750 and students had to collect at least $250. “Hunter and I would like to thank our family and friends for sponsoring our fund-raising efforts and supporting us with lots of encouragement. We really appreciate it,” Tracy said. According to Kari Mitchell, executive director of Charity Events of Minnesota (the organization that planned and facilitated the Hartford Breast Cancer Ride), the 2009 ride had 210 bike riders and 75 crew members participating. “That is 100 more riders than last year, and we raised over $200,000 – exact numbers are not available yet,” Mitchell said one week after the ride ended. One thing’s for sure: with devoted and compassionate riders like Tracy and Hunter and eager and energetic future riders like Breck, the Hartford Breast Cancer Ride will continue as bicyclists just do, just go, just pedal, just ride. “I just really love riding my bike and wanted to find a bike ride for a cause and this was a great one,” Tracy said. For more information about the Hartford Breast Cancer Ride, visit www.breastcancerride.org or call 651-209-8387. Sue Austreng is at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it |
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