What a great weekend our Events Team had in San Jose as we returned to this city for the second time to put on the LIVESTRONG Challenge! It was a perfect weekend for a bike ride and 5k and the city of San Jose was certainly welcoming. We had 1620 riders, 1520 runners and 600 volunteers totaling 3740 participants collectively raise $1.3 million dollars! Way to go San Jose!
Saturday was typical in having the Village where folks could stop by and visit some of our great sponsors, Merchandise Trailer for the latest LIVESTRONG gear, packet pick up and share their story in the Mission Booth. However, the whole weekend I was looking forward to Saturday night as Carly Fiorina spoke at our Fundraising Appreciation dinner. She was the former CEO of HP and the author of the book Tough Choices, one of my favorite books on leadership. Carly is also a breast cancer survivor and thriver as she completed her last chemotherapy treatment Tuesday prior to Challenge weekend. That evening she spoke on fear and how differently she views fear in her life now having gone through cancer. She mentioned never knowing how much she was loved until diagnosed with cancer and that the blessings came from family and from an outpouring of strangers. If you’ve gone through cancer, or have been a care taker, you certainly know this to be true. Near the end as we allowed folks to ask a few questions she said “Cancer was not tragic…moments of fear, alone, and hard but not tragic. A lot of joy and blessing along the way.”
One of her final thoughts for us she mentioned the community she belongs to now and how she wants to always stay a part of that community in order to remember all those blessings. In essence that is what LIVESTRONG is….it is a community ready to take on cancer with no fear. We stand with one another through our own individual journeys and fight. Game on Cancer.
Thanks so much San Jose riders and runners! Next stop…Philadelphia!!
- Posted in LAF General
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It truly was a great weekend! There is so much energy and kindness and respect for all who attend no matter what their capacity is at the moment. In my decreased capacity while I am going through chemo, I found it a very comfortable place to spend a couple of days doing my LOC chores. I could feel it as a “in treatment” guest, as a “survivor” guest, and as a LOC. We “in treatment” people are definitely looking at “what looks like a safe environment for me today”…and you guys provide that to the MAX. Thank you!!!
I “influenced” several people to sign up as volunteers..and by the end of the day yesterday they told me they were “in” every year going forward and were pumped up and filled with ideas and suggestions for next time. Including my pedicab drivers. They LOVED IT!!! SO YEAH…you continued to impress!!
Proud to be…a member of the LOC and LIVINGSTRONG with the support of the Lance Armstrong Foundation. YOU…are the rock stars!!!
Jere Carpentier
San Jose
I am reminded every year of how wonderful this event is. It is great to be with other survivors. And it is great to feel part of an army of people that fight this disease. Thanks.
Way to go San Jose, LAF staff, and all the dedicated people who joined together to make the 2nd annual San Jose LIVESTRONG Challenge an unforgettable day!
As an LOC member it was like Christmas morning yesterday-up so early, couldn’t wait for event “GO Time”…I watched walkers, runners, riders arrive from every direction. There was excitement and emotions as people lined up in their area, pinning their bib number and In Honor of, In Memory of or I am a Survivor messages on their jerseys. The Pedicab area was especially busy-children and parents decorating their ” LIVESTRONG Ride” with posters made by them, yellow balloons, pompoms, Lance fans and the biggest yellow pinwheels ever! This was their big day and they cherished every joyful moment! A huge thanks to Jere for making their LIVESTRONG Day so special!
There are so many moments of sweet victory this day…crossing the finish line, sharing stories with strangers who’ve walked the same journey, writing your bold message to cancer and posting it on the wall in the Mission Booth or writing it on the ground in yellow chalk!
Participants end their day feeling a great sense of unity and unbelievable attitude in the LIVESTRONG community!
SJ LIVESTRONG Challenge was an amazing, fulfilling, emotional day! We came out in force to fight cancer! I am proud, honored and grateful to be a 7 year LAF volunteer-it’s changed my life. Thanks to all at LAF-you are Super!
LIVESTRONG and THANKS Lance!
Linda Santos
San Jose
Another unbelievable job by the entire LIVESTRONG and LAF teams – the support was amazing, the pack of riders and runners in great spirits, and the course challenging, as always! Can’t wait for next year, our team will be riding again!
Thanks to the LAF staff and volunteers. It was a wonderful event and great feeling to raise money and ride 50 miles for such a great cause. Thanks also to the city of San Jose and the Police department. Can’t wait to sign up for next years event and raise the awareness.
Robin Nishizaki
Thousand Oaks