Feel like taking a little 400-kilometer ride on your bike? You will probably need a lot of training and ambition. Elizabeth DeLeón has both and therefore registered for the “MS150 Ride”. The charity bike race raises money for multiple sclerosis research.
Combining sports and professional life is not always easy, but that doesn’t stop Elizabeth DeLeón, an employee at the American subsidiary Bilfinger Westcon, from trying to get on the saddle in her free time. But it’s not something she does just for fun: she regularly participates in charity races with her racing bike. This was the case, for example, with the “MS150 Ride” between Houston and Austin, Texas.
150 stands for the distance the cyclists have to cover. There are about 150 miles, or 400 kilometers, between the two American cities. Together with her sister, Elizabeth DeLeón competed for the team of Bilfinger customer Enerflex. They got their motivation not only from the sporting challenge, but also from the social aspects of the race. The host of the event, the National MS Society, organizes various races to raise awareness of multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease of the central nervous system.
“Bike MS is more than just a ride. Each mile I pedal is an accomplishment and encouragement to tackle the next one. It is rewarding to know that I am part of something bigger and new research projects are being financed as a result of our commitment.” All of the money raised goes to research initiatives. With about 75,000 participants in 600 teams, the MS150 Ride is among the largest charity bike races in the world.
Elizabeth DeLeón has already participated in the race on five occasions and is now getting ready for the next event in October. “It is always a great experience to take part and I would encourage everyone to get on their bikes and give MS ride a try. You will be surprised what you can do. I know I am!”