By: Jeff Lipton
For about one week in August, Mitchell Leibson may wish he were sunbathing at his Atlantic Beach home.
From Aug. 20-25, Leibson, 49, a general contractor, will accept the challenge of his life, a 500-mile trek on bike from Fairbanks to Anchorage, Alaska. He will be one of more than 1,500 bicyclists from around the country taking part in the Alaska AIDS Vaccine Ride.
"We are just ordinary citizens responding to this extraordinary personal challenge within the context of this really compelling social cause," said Leibson, who is also a soccer coach for the Hewlett-Lawrence Soccer Club.
With donors sponsoring his six-day ride, he said he must raise at least $3,400 but hopes to raise about $5,000 toward research for the development of an AIDS vaccine. This is the second year that Pallotta TeamWorks of California has organized the Alaska bike run. Last year, the ride raised $4.1 million, said Alan Parker, manager of Pallotta TeamWorks, which has been orchestrating fundraisers like this since 1994.
"This cause is very important to us," Parker said. "In order for us to find an AIDS vaccine, we have to fund the research for that."
Parker said Alaska presents a major challenge for bike riders. "Alaska is a great adventure, a new frontier, the last of the uncharted territories," he said. "To find an AIDS vaccine brings out the adventure and courage in people."
During the first two days of last year's ride, the conditions were less than ideal. On the first day, the riders were hit by rain and sleet. On the second day, it snowed enough to force 1,250 of the 1,500 bicyclists from the ride.
"It was some real rough days last year," Leibson said. "But I'm committed to riding every day and every mile."
He said he saw an advertisement for the ride in a magazine. An avid bike rider since 1989, Leibson said he had been looking for a ride that he could participate in and this was it. "I came home with the magazine and told my wife what I wanted to do and she just said, 'OK.'
"This is a very compelling idea," Leibson said. "I've never done anything remotely like this. I am aware of the enormous challenge this poses. I am training diligently to meet the challenge. And the cause is important to me."
He has spent about four to six hours a week training, mostly in back Lawrence because of the hilly terrain. He will increase the number of training hours in the months leading up to the big run in Alaska.
He became interested in bicycling when he was recovering from major back surgery. His doctor advised him to stay active and do some physical fitness. He has ridden his bicycle 40 miles a week in the past, but lately has increased that to 75 miles per week. He hopes to increase his total weekly mileage by 25, leading up to the big bicycle event.
Leibson said he has never been to Alaska and does not know what to expect. All riders are on their own to get to Alaska, and Leibson said he would fly there and meet his wife in the last day of the bike tour. "She said she will be there when I arrive in Anchorage," he said.
He has mailed out about 200 letters to family, friends and business associates, asking them if they would sponsor his bike run, and has received positive feedback. "I don't want to let the people who sponsored me down," he said. "I'm very motivated to ride every mile, every day. And I think I can do it. I have never done anything this physically demanding before."
All bicyclists can hit the road at about 6 a.m. each day but must finish the day's riding by 7 p.m. If they don't, a support vehicle "comes along and sweeps them off the road," Leibson said. He stressed that the ride is not a race and the object is not to finish first, but to attempt to complete as much of the total distance in the six days allotted. At the end of the day, makeshift and mobile cities are established with tents and camping gear so bicyclists may rest for the night. In addition, there's a dining tent and catering truck where food is cooked for the riders, as well as a shower truck. Every mile along the ride, areas are set up for the riders for food, drinks and bathroom facilities.
"Last year, the run raised extraordinary numbers," Leibson said. "I think people surprised themselves about how much they end up raising."
He said similar runs are being held elsewhere in the coming months - such as one in Montana and another from Canada to Portland, Maine. "I chose the Alaska ride," he said. "I can't wait to see what it looks like."
As for the prospects of finishing the ride, Leibson said, "I regard it as a certainty."
Anyone interested in participating in the ride or sponsoring a bicyclist may call Pallotta TeamWorks at (888) 553-4567.
