Rosemary Leblond of Lower Macungie has no idea what it's like to ride a bicycle across the country, but next Saturday, she and husband, Denis, will be in Oceanside, Calif., to work as co-crew chiefs as sons Marc and Patrick start out on a journey to tackle a monster.
Marc, a 26-year-old graduate of Emmaus High School and Columbia University, and Patrick, a 24-year-old graduate of Lehigh University and Emmaus, where he was a three-year swimmer, are competing as a two-person team in the annual Race Across America (RAAM).
The Leblonds, going by Team Xtreme, are one of six two-person teams competing in RAAM, which also includes 4-person, 8-person and solo rider divisions. The event for teams kicks off June 16 and is expected to take nine days for the 3,000-mile trip that concludes in Annapolis, Md.
"I read an article about Race Across America, I think in an airline magazine, and fell in love with the concept," Marc said. "I brought it up with my brother two years ago, and he said, 'That's a great idea. Let's talk about it later.' We decided to do it this year and started training a bit more seriously for racing across America on a bike in nine days."
The rugged endurance ride, which includes chilly mountain climbs and scorching desert flats, will test the young men physically and mentally, but that isn't what's driving them the most for this ultra-endurance event.
But that's not the only monster the Leblond family is trying to tackle.
"As we started doing preparation for the race, we thought we could also raise funds and awareness for a cause," Marc said, "and one that matters a lot to us is Down Syndrome because we have a cousin with Down and have seen her blossom into a wonderful child who brings a lot of love and light into people's lives."
The brothers' race efforts will raise funds for the Jerome Lejeune Foundation USA in honor of their six-year-old cousin Brigid Leith, who lives in Falls Church, Va. They are also hoping to see her cheering them on shortly before or at the finish line in Annapolis.
"This race provides us with a powerful tool to help promote a cause that is very close to us," Marc said. "The Lejeune Foundation, with its focus on research, care and advocacy, has been instrumental in helping children like our cousin Brigid live productive and joy-filled lives. This charity helps people with Down Syndrome lead better, more productive lives. Originally the challenge appealed to us, but being able to use it as a reason to raise funds is more important."
"It's astounding how much more this is than Marc and Patrick making it across America," Rosemary said. "The Down Syndrome aspect is more important for me and to Brigid, and the fact that we can give them a bit of west-to-east publicity. On our Facebook page, we got a hit from a group called Down Awesome, and they're planning to come to Oceanside to gives us 'a Down Awesome send off.' This is definitely something bigger than Mark and Patrick racing across America."
It is certainly bigger altruistically, but the task of riding a bicycle approximately 1,500 miles each over a nine-day period is huge. The brothers plan to take one-hour individual rides, or pulls, during the daytime to stay fresh, fueled and hydrated, and plan four-hour pulls at night so that they can get some kind of concentrated rest over the long haul. On difficult climbs or particularly hot desert stretches, the pulls will drop down to 20 minutes or so.
Rosemary and Denis are the co-chiefs of the crew, which includes younger brother Gabriel, who has aspirations of becoming a Navy SEAL, Marc's wife, Stephanie, aunt Marie Francillard, who is a physician in France, family friend Jeanne Cunningham, who is a nurse, Emily Yama and Elisabeth Sellier.
Oddly enough, neither brother capitalized on the mecca of track cycling in Trexlertown while living in the East Penn School District, and neither rode the wonderful rolling hills that international professional and amateur racers and cycling enthusiasts utilize in the Lehigh Valley.
Marc lives in the Denver, Colo., area while Patrick lives in Morristown, N.J. Marc spent his sophomore through senior years at Emmaus High School, graduating in 2002 before attending Columbia.
Patrick spent three years swimming at Emmaus before his senior year, when their dad moved the family to Troy, Mich., because of work. Patrick came back to the area the following year to earn a degree at Lehigh. The parents and younger brother Gabriel now live in Lower Macungie, and Gabriel will be a freshman at Emmaus in the fall.
"We moved from France to Emmaus at the beginning of my sophomore year," Marc recalled. "We moved around a lot for my dad's work while we were growing up. I was born in Texas, lived in California for a couple of years, in France for a couple of years, California again, then France, and then to Emmaus. Herman Corradetti was the Emmaus principal then, and he was such a wonderful, welcoming person."
To keep track of the Team Xtreme or donate to their cause, go online to http://teamxtremeraam.wordpress.com .
To find out more about Race Across America, go online to http://www.raceacrossamerica.org .
Train with the pros for D&L marathon and half: Early entry into the D&L Heritage Marathon/Half Marathon could be your ticket to winning a personal training program from Craig Sheckler, the head coach and owner of Endurance Multisport, as well as a full-season membership to Endurance Multisport Club.
In order to qualify for the random raffle drawing for the personal trace training program, you must register for the race by Friday, June 15. The winner will be announced June 18, and the training program will run right through race day on Sunday, Nov. 4.
To register for the race and be eligible, go online to http://www.active.com/running/northampton-pa/delaware-and-lehigh-heritage-marathon-and-half-marathon-2012.
ROAD AHEAD
Emmaus brothers tackle RAAM for a cause
Looking to raise funds and awareness in battling Down Syndrome
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