Update This Week

I am just 5 weeks away from starting the cycling portion of  my journey! Wow how time flies! Here's a summary of everything so far for people who have been following the blog. I missed a week of blogging I believe, sorry, time has really been flying!

1)Oklahoma's route and logistics are pretty much set in stone now! Here is the current nation-wide route again if you want to take a look and see if you can meet up with us anywhere. we have places to stay, people who are generously feeding us, and groups to talk with pretty much in each city. If you would like to add to anything we are doing in the communities on the route (visit a school, store, community event) let me know and I will try to arrange our schedule to visit as many places as possible

2) Fundraising- I'm still in need here. It's looking better but only a little over halfway to my $2700 goal each rider is expected to raise. Please check out my Personal Page if you are considering donating. Any amount would be helpful, it's tax free, and I'm even willing to exchange a donation for almost any type of reimbursement, labor, activity, etc you may think of. I also have a mailing address if you'd rather donate that way: Ride For World Health, PO Box 8234, Columbus, OH 43210 and place my name in the memo portion of the check. I am so thankful and appreciate everyone who has given so far. This upcoming journey with the opportunity to promote health and wellness while advocating for non-profit health organizations around the world would be impossible without your aid.

3) Event days- the Tulsa community ride and world health day on April 13th is coming along great! We have a location, OSU Medical School, are finishing details up on the 20 and 40 mile bike route, have some vendors, and am just about a week away from opening up registration! We are also organizing a "Global Health day" at the school following the ride which will feature local non-profit health organizations and booths on how any normal individual can become involved in changing the health of themselves  their family, community, state, nation, and world. The Norman community ride on April 10th is going to be a smaller since on a Wednesday evening but will have a great impact as well. We have a couple local riders from the Norman area helping us organize organizing everything to make the event a success. I'll let you know once the events are finalized and you can register to participate. Also, if you would like to volunteer with either of these events, let me know and I'll get you plugged in. We can use plenty of people from helping us set up the days before to actually helping at the event.

4) Research/Presentation- I have finished a group of modules now concerning international health and have just submitted the outline of my research paper and presentation which will be used along the route to talk with  groups and organizations. I still have an 8-10 paper and hour presentation but with the outline done and references already obtained, it shouldn't take too much more work. I'll definitely be sharing the final pieces with you.

5) Training- oh yeah I almost forgot I am training for the ride. This is going great and I am enjoying it a lot! The problem in Oklahoma is that it is either cold or windy or recently both! I've been logging well over 100 miles a week the past few weeks and will be stepping this up even more in the next month. You can follow most of my training on Daily Mile website. I've started riding with Schlegels Bicycle, a OKC bike shop, on Sundays and they are really forcing me to turn into a man on my bike. Most of my other rides are solo during the week since I'm in Okmulgee and have a unpredictable schedule being on a surgery rotation.

So that's the "scoop" on the ride. I have a special request to add this week outside of the ride. Tomorrow February 11th is my Match day for medical school. This is when I will find out where I will be completing my residency after graduation and so where Katie and I will be spending the next 4 years of our lives. It could be OKC or it could be Michigan, New Jersey, or anywhere else in the US. With that said, there are some nerves, anxiety, and so forth affecting us so prayers from yourself would be very much appreciated and would matter more than anything else. I got my packing list for the ride this past week so might be going over my equipment and some interesting logistics of the ride in that regard next week. thanks for reading everyone!