INDIANAPOLIS — It's a 3,000-mile trek from Cannon Beach, Ore. to Long Branch, N.J. A group of 126 bicyclists is taking on that challenge for a good cause.
Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer started in 2014 as a way to raise awareness and money for the V Foundation for Cancer Research.
Many of the dedicated riders have lost loved ones to cancer. Some are cancer survivors. Lana Goodwin is both.
Goodwin is a breast cancer survivor, but she lost her father and sister to cancer.
"My initial inspiration for ever wanting to do this ride was my sister, Alyson, who I lost to pancreatic cancer in 2015," said Goodwin. "Then, cancer struck my family again in 2017 when my father got lung cancer and died four days later on Father's Day. Then, this past year, I received the call myself, which is not a call anybody ever wants to hear."
Goodwin's breast cancer was detected early, and now she rides in honor of her loved ones and friends.
The goal of this year's ride is to raise $1 million for the V Foundation for Cancer Research.
Goodwin, alongside other riders, carried the St. Louis-to-Indianapolis leg of the 3,000-mile journey.
Goodwin biked 225 miles in all. She compared the tough terrain on the trek to the battles of life.
"Life has its hills," said Goodwin, "and it is those hills that give us a sense of purpose. That's what brought me here."
Wednesday's team of riders at Lucas Oil Stadium rode east, heading to Dayton, Ohio and eventually to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the eighth leg of the ride, according to organizers.
Goodwin says the 27-day ride concludes with a jump into the Atlantic Ocean with all 126 cyclists.
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