The Challenge Begins

One month ago a real crazy idea came across my mind. I had been watching the Tour de France (23 day bike race averaging 100 miles a day) and after it was over I said to myself, that would be something real exciting to do. These ideas are not new to me. In 1972 after watching Frank Shorter win the Olympic Marathon (26.2 miles), I said I want to run a marathon. Having never run a mile before, I started to run and three years later at the age of 29 I ran my first of 50 marathons. The second time I had a crazy idea, I was watching TV the first time the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon was televised. After watching the event, I told my wife I have to do that. Several years later at the age of 45, I completed the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run). Now at the age of 63 it has happened again. Watching Lance Armstrong make his comeback at the Tour was inspiring. I was looking for a challenge.

For the past month I have been riding my bike to see if I could actually do the distances. My friends think I am crazy, but they always have. What matters is my own commitment and my wife and family's support. They have always given that as I have "done my thing".

The event has gotten the approval of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, LiveStrong, and I will be raising money to fight cancer. I will ride in the memory of my mother in law who died of pancreatic cancer and to honor my wife who is a breast cancer survivior and my father who is a colon cancer survivor. Hopefully what I will do will inspire more people to become proactive physically in regards to their lifesyle and understand that if we all do a little we can help people become aware of what is needed to live a healthy productive life and overcome our challenges.

Each day starting tomorrow, I will post my training and tell you about the challenges that I come up against. Any suggestions and support would truly be appreciated. This is a journey that will start on September 1, 2009 and will truly culminate with 23 days in July. The start of the tour is July 3, 2010 and ends on July 25, 2010. I will post a website in October where you can donate to the Lance Armstrong Foundation and support my efforts. If there are people who want to ride a day or two of the event, please contact me and I will tell you what is needed.

The Journey begins tomorrow.

Phil Benson