Lobster Rollers
For the past couple summers we have participated in the Maine Tour de Cure, a benefit ride put on by the American Diabetes Association. We ride in both the Maine and Colorado event. The Colorado ride is special because Marshall has been participating for 7 years. His business is a corporate and logistical sponsor, he has a team consisting of numerous coworkers and colleagues, and he sits on multiple committees in the ADA Colorado. The Maine ride is special because it is made up of purely friends and family, important people in our lives who support Ollie, Walker, and Marshall.
The first year we participated was the summer after Walker's diagnosis. The Maine family had decided to band together to support her. She, my stepfather, and I would ride 12 miles with her while Marshall, Ollie, my brother, and my uncle would ride the 35 mile course. Everyone was excited to cheer Walker on and support the youngest solo rider in the 12 mile course, not even taking into account the youngest Red Rider! (As much as this event is an opportunity to raise funds for research and awareness for the disease, it's also a chance to spotlight those living with diabetes. Every rider who has diabetes wears a special red jersey, and whenever you see a rider with diabetes you cheer "GO RED RIDER"! It chokes me up every time.) That day, after hours of "GO RED RIDER!", "Look at that little girl go!", and miles and miles of cheers and pictures, Walker seemed to strut with a confidence I hadn't seen for a while. The 12 miles were hard for her; only weeks before had she learned to really ride her new 2-wheeler, and staying a straight course was still a challenge. We battled through high and low blood sugars throughout the ride, and the emotional roller coaster was just as taxing. Her little legs were sore and her stamina was weak. But the thing that amazed me, her Opah, and the motorcade rider who followed behind us was her determination. I have never seen anyone with such grit. In all the years of competitive rowing and working as a mover I have never seen anyone tackle a challenge in the way Walker rode her bike that day. It was so amazing even the Harley rider, a volunteer who follows behind the last rider and typically switches off shifts throughout the ride, wanted to stay with us and watch her finish. "This girl is incredible," he told my stepfather, "if she's sticking with it to the end then so am I. No way am I handing this over to anyone else!" By the time we crossed the finish line he may have been cheering as loud as the rest of us, and he came over to shake Walker's hand. She had completed something big and she knew it. This is why we ride.
As amazing and inspiring as Walker's ride was, Ollie's was more so. In his quiet, oh so Ollie way, he rode under the radar. You see, only a week before the ride, the ride that was supposed to highlight Walker's year of grace living with diabetes, Ollie was diagnosed too. If Walker is outwardly confident and determined, Ollie is inwardly so. The doctors felt he would be fine, and were confident Marshall was able to keep him safe during the 35 mile ride (35 miles was something he had done before). We talked about it as a family, and Ollie still wanted to ride. Sure, he was anxious, but he always felt protected. And Marshall and I were certain that riding 35 miles only a week after diagnosis was exactly what Ollie needed. He needed to know that diabetes will never stop him from doing what he loves. He needed to know that people with diabetes can do things that are hard. He needed to know he has an army of support. And he needed to know that he could excel not in spite of, but along with, his diabetes. Those 35 miles were hard for him and I can only imagine what Marshall and his other support crew were going through. They watched him struggle through the hills, devour peanut butter sandwiches (and his first Snickers bar!) at a rest stop to bring up a low, and battle through fatigue. But I believe that day paved the way for the mindset of living a life with diabetes instead of fighting against it. This is also why we ride.
Since that first Maine ride our team has grown. Other friends and family members were inspired by what Ollie and Walker accomplished in that first ride and wanted to be a part of it. We created a team and even made up some sweet gear. If you're in New England or Colorado, and want in on the action, JOIN OUR TEAM!! If you don't feel like you want to ride or walk, come cheer us on! And if you can't do either, but still want to support us, we would love it if you could donate to our ride. The money raised at Tour de Cure goes to research for a cure and support for families living with diabetes. The Maine ride takes place on June 10th this year, and the Colorado ride is September 8th.
Thank you for your support!
