I have pink bikes, pink bike lights, pink race wheels, pink sports bra, pink socks, a pink chain, and my team’s primary color is, well, naturally, pink.  I am fairly certain that some people think I am completely crazy or a girly girl that has always loved pink more than anything else (and probably played with Barbie–not the case I promise).  My affinity and dedication to the color pink has not been life long.  I actually was quite infatuated with orange for a brief period in High School…anyway, pink for me is about more than the color, it is about the cause.  In 1998 my mom was diagnosed with stage 4 Breast Cancer.  I was a freshman in college and was naturally devastated.  I felt helpless and like there was nothing I could do to help except be there for my mom, pray, and wear the official color for the cure–pink.  As I soon found out, I could purchase pretty much everything in pink, I did, and almost every time, proceeds went to the cause. (for instance, my AWESOME ltd Pink Standup Mixer)

My mom was lucky to have an amazing doctor, treated by Dr. Lawrence Schulman of Dana Farber Cancer Institute and his AMAZING nursing staff.  With his help and the clinical trials my mom swore to be a part of from minute one she was diagnosed, she was able to ENJOY ten years of living with stage 4 Breast Cancer.  In the winter of 2005 I became engaged and undertook wedding planning with my mom.  I also would check in with my hubby’s mom and his two sisters, one of whom, a mom of two in her mid thirties (who through phone conversations became close with my mom), was also living with stage 4 Breast Cancer.  In the early spring of 2006, my husband’s sister passed away.  Shortly after her passing, I purchased “Rosie”:

Glam shot of "Rosie"

In 2007, just one month after my wedding to my husband my mom was also taken by the disease.  It was at this point I went all-in with the color pink and with roses.  (my mom was an avid pray-er, specifically to St Theresa, the little flower…)  In 2008, Danish (my hubby) and I moved to Miami, in 2009 I ran the breast cancer marathon and in the fall of 2009 purchased “Pinky” to complete my first Half Ironman:

"Pinky"….a speed machine

Shortly after realizing I enjoyed the cycling portion of triathlon much better than any other discipline, I purchased my 6.9 SSL Project One WSD Trek Madone, “Rizzo” (with the intention of someday racing–I hoped):

"Rizzo" enjoying a nice little beach day…

And then once realizing (aka being talked into it my my husband) that mountain biking was a fun and awesome way to train for power on the road (cross train for crits) I started riding more mtb.  I signed up for the ORAMM and before racing, purchased a blank carbon frame, got a custom paint job of a pink ribbon that jumps off the frame at you and at the seat tube a pink rose with my mom’s initials hidden in the rose– FINALLY having a bike completely dedicated to the cause and, my mom…I call her Ma:

"Ma"

“Ma” is complete with pink SRAM noir, pink Hope brakes, pink SRAM XO, a pink saddle, a pink lady chain, pink egg beaters (that are actually the titanium ones with pink replacement parts), pink lock on grips by Token, and of course the must have obligatory pink tire levers and water bottles…

So, why do I ride pink?  Because I want to kill breast cancer…and I intend to do so one training day, one race day, one pink day at a time….