Florida Couple Trains for 109-Mile Bike Ride for Leukemia Research

Meet Florida residents Robert and Lynn Smythe. Rob, who is 50, is originally from Surf City, NJ while Lynn, who is 43, is a native of Rochester, NY. They have been living in Country Club Acres in Delray Beach, Florida for over 17 years. To look at them you would never guess that they are road bike aficionados who put in between 100 and 150 miles per week while riding their carbon frame Cannondale bicycles along A1A. They also participate in a weekly spinning class courtesy of Michael's Body Scenes in Boca Raton.

Rob and Lynn are training to participate in an endurance bicycle event as members of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training (TNT) program. This program helps to raise funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. The Smythe's are completing this event in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers such as their Honored Hero, Darian, who is a 9 year old boy from West Palm Beach, Florida.

Last year Rob and Lynn joined the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program to participate in the Intra-coastal Century ride. This was a 100 mile road bike ride which took place in October of 2006 in Cocoa Beach, Florida. In May of this year they were contacted by LLS Senior Campaign Director Elizabeth Hughes to see if they would like to be mentors for the Fall 2007 cycle team. They jumped at the chance to help train the Palm Beach County cycle team. The fall cycle team is currently training for the El Tour de Tucson which is a 109 mile road bike event that will take place on November 17th in Tucson, Arizona. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the El Tour de Tucson and the ride organizers are estimating that between 9,000 and 11,000 bicycle riders will be in attendance. The route that this ride covers includes two dry river beds where you must get off your bike and carry it across to the other side to get back to the paved road!

As mentors Rob and Lynn help their coach, Dennis Harkins, train the Palm Beach County Florida team. They help out during the weekly team rides, organize extra mile rides during the week along with helping their team mates with their fund raising efforts. Each team member has a goal to raise a minimum of $4,100 while training for an elite endurance event. The TNT program also offers marathon and triathlon events for interested participants.

For more information please visit Rob's TNT website at www.active.com/donate/tntpb/RSmythe or go to Lynn's TNT website at http://www.active.com/donate/tntpb/lsmythe. You may also contact Lynn via email at lynnsmythecreations@yahoo.com or by calling her at 561-239-0991.