About Me

Profile

About:

I was born and raised in the beautiful city of Austin, Texas. I have lived here my entire life and could not imagine a better place to be. I am the baby of two brothers and one sister who still pick on me occasionally but it's okay(I still love y'all). Most of my family lives either in San Antonio or Austin so I have always been able to have my family close for anything I ever needed. My hobbies include baking deserts, running, bowling, camping, hiking, and last but certainly not least shopping like any city girl. But although I grew up in the city, I still love the outdoors and traveling to new places that are completely different from Austin. Colorado has always been my destination of choice but has also made me realized snow is not all that great like most Texans believe. So I would say I am like a city girl with a nature twist.

Growing up many would say I was the shy and quiet one, but over the years that has definitely changed as I have become more outspoken and outgoing. Especially when I finally found something that inspired me to speak my mind. I am in my fourth year of college and just switched to the College of Education to get my certification in teaching. It has become a passion of mine that I cannot help but pursue. The same goes for me wanting to be apart of Texas4000. Oh, and FYI I have not been on a bike since I was in middle school so the next couple of years should be very interesting but I am ready for any challenge that comes my way!

Why I Ride

Unfortunately when I was younger and not even aware what cancer was, this disease took many members of my family I would have had the chance to meet if it were not for cancer. While their memory continues in the people who did know them, I am sad to not have met such amazing family.

But cancer finally affected me in a way I will never forget when my uncle was diagnosed in 2008. I ride for my uncle John who lost his battle to leukemia in October 2010. I still remember his smile and laugh that was different than anyone else I knew and he kept it until the very end. Although he lived in San Antonio, he was very close to my mom and visited all the time as I was growing up which made me grow very close to him. He was always there to keep pushing me to achieve the better things out of life when I was going through my adolescent years and refuse to listen to my parents, but that never stopped him from keeping me on track. I respect him so much because he never had kids of his own but treated all his nieces and nephews as his own and always put any family member before himself.

And recently I have decided to ride for my mom who just discovered has a rare type of skin cancer. What she thought was nothing more than a rash has become something we never expected. My mom is truly my everything. She is my best friend and my rock; that person who tells me to never give up and reach to achieve any goal no matter how hard. As this is still hard to believe, I take on this challenge with my head held high to show my mom she is not alone because while there may be hard times ahead, cancer is something that can be fought and beaten. So far she has been doing really good and all signs have disappeared since the chemo.

I ride for my uncle whose battle is over, my mom whose battle has just begun, my grandma who I never got the chance to get to know, and everyone else who is battling this disease that affects you physically and mentally as well as the people closest to you. I have come to understand that cancer has and will continue to affect so many people and every step I take during training and every mile I ride will be for them. Prevention and knowledge is the key to show cancer who can really be in control.