On Saturday, February 7th, hundreds of multi-sport athletes around the nation will unite together and ride as part of the 4th annual Cycle-for-ALS.

Cycle-For-ALS, is a national event started by the Blazeman Foundation for ALS uniting multi-sport athletes across the country in a day of unity to support ALS (commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease) research and awareness. Click here for a short slide show from events past.

HOW CAN YOU HELP? We are looking for any athlete(s) and team(s) to take part in the Cycle-For-ALS by hopping on a bike and cycling with us to
help raise funds for and increase the awareness of ALS.

TELL ME MORE! The event will take place from 10AM-6PM at Element Multisport and will allow participants to cycle as individuals or teams and more importantly, as part of the larger Blazeman Warrior team. This event will provide a unique opportunity to spend part of your winter-training cycling for a good cause and meeting new athletes, teams, and coaches from the Chicago area.

HOW DOES IT WORK? The event will last 8 hours and cyclists can ridefor all or part of the event and are welcome to create their own teams to participate and raise funds. The event will be indoors on trainers and spin bikes and afterward we will be celebrating the efforts of everyone involved at Kirkwood Bar.

HOW DO WE SIGN UP? Participants can sign up here, conact me at chicagocycleforals@gmail.com, or sign up at: http://www.veloist.com/events/cycleforals-chicago The event fundraising page is available at: www.active.com/donate/SpinForALS/chicago. Teams or individuals can create their own fundraising pages to tell their own story and track their own fundraising. I can provide more information for those interested.

WHAT IS THE BLAZEMAN FOUNDATION? The
Blazeman Foundation for ALS is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. It is a foundation that serves to carry out the vision of its namesake and founder, the late Jonathan "Blazeman" Blais. All contributions go to the foundation and are tax
deductible.

The mission of the Blazeman Foundation for ALS is 1) to raise awareness about ALS by leveraging the energy, commitment and compassion of the multi-sport community and 2) to raise necessary funds to be directed into cutting-edge scientific research to find treatments and an eventual cure for ALS...So Others May Live.

Jon “Blazeman” Blais was a teacher and lifelong triathlete that always had a dream to complete an Ironman distance race. In May of 2005, at the age of 33, Jon was given a death sentence in the form of ALS. Despite the news, Jon became even more determined to complete an Ironman and use it as a vehicle to make people aware of ALS. In October 2005 in Kona, Hawaii, he became the first person with ALS to finish an Ironman triathlon. By 2006, ALS had Jon in a wheelchair and in May of 2007, Jon passed away. While fighting ALS, Jon started the Blazeman Foundation to help find a cure for and ultimately defeat ALS. Since that time, Jon’s family and a team of multi-sport athletes have supported his cause by raising awareness and funds for ALS.

This video documents Jon’s story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrEUyIiApus&feature=related If you do one thing today, please take a moment to watch this short video. I promise you will be inspired.