Huntsman140 Survivors
Huntsman Cancer Foundation will host the 4th-annual Huntsman 140, a unique fundraising cycling event featuring a celebratory mass finish, as opposed to a traditional mass start on June 21, 2014 in Salt Lake City, UT. The Huntsman 140, an annual fundraising bike ride rallies cancer survivors and their supports, as well as cyclists of all ability levels to pedal 25, 50, 75, or a phenomenal 140 miles and raise funds for the Huntsman Cancer Institute in this one-day event.
Adventure rides have become more popular in recent years, especially among ’crossers looking for new adventure in the off-season, and for someone just getting started going long, a supported ride like the Huntsman 140 is a great starter ride. For those wondering how this relates to cyclocross, look no further than past participant, Jonathan Page.
“I began riding my bike from my hometown of Reno, Nevada, to the steps of the Huntsman Cancer Institute, which treated me for Stage 4 head and neck cancer,” explains Jeff Warren, who founded the ride. “The first time, it was just me. But every year since, several cancer survivors have joined me on that 667-mile journey, and even more ride the final day of my journey with me from Delta, Utah, to the Huntsman Cancer Institute in Salt Lake City.”
In 2011, 126 riders rode the 140 miles from Delta to Salt Lake City with Warren, raising $57,000. In 2013, more than 450 exceeded $213,000 in fundraising. Of those 2013 riders, more than 215 rode the 140-mile distance option. Huntsman Cancer Foundation’s 2014 goal is for 700 riders to raise more than $300,000. 100% of each dollar fundraised goes directly to cancer research at the Huntsman Cancer Institute.
“I helped to organize the ride in 2010 which, ironically, was when I was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer,” says Cindy Yorgason, a celebrity amongst Utah cyclists and racers across the country. A USA Cycling National Road and Track Commissaire, she officiates local, UCI, and NRC events. “I’m now a survivor, riding the 140 in a yellow jersey and paying it forward because of the treatment and recovery support I received from Huntsman Cancer Institute.”
Warren and Yorgason are just a few of the inspirational survivor stories one hears as the peloton rolls through the scenic valley roads that weave north along the majestic Wasatch Front during the Huntsman 140. And, Yorgason is not the only celebrity out on the course. Pro cyclist Jonathan Page showed his support by riding last year. The father-son duo of Dave and Connor O’Leary—both cancer survivors—are 2-time Amazing Race participants. They have ridden the Huntsman 140 previously and are planning to return in 2014.
“Riding helped me get my life back,” says Warren about his post-cancer recovery. “But, without Huntsman Cancer Institute and the research conducted there, I might not have had this chance. I am proof of what’s possible.”
The Huntsman 140 will be held June 21, 2014. To learn more, to choose a ride distance, and to start fundraising, visit www.huntsman140.com. Registration is $35, and each rider is encouraged to fundraise at least $500.
