I am not a cyclist. I am just human.
I became involved with 4K for Cancer because I wanted to encourage others to get involved with a cause that they are passionate about. For me, that cause is the cancer community. I also did 4K because I have always had an interest in staying active and finding new ways to achieve that. So I wanted to challenge myself.
Your passion does not have to be cycling to go on an expedition like 4K. Give into your heart and rekindle the love you have for others, because that is the motivation that is going to get you through a journey as beautiful and as difficult as this.
If there is one thing I learned about myself through 4K, it is that I am capable of redefining what is possible. And if there is one thing I learned about life, it is that the greatest power that exists in humanity is love.
Nothing will ever come close to the relationships you make with your teammates. They are the strangers who become family in 70 days. And those 70 days become forever.
Sometimes it felt as though we did not deserve the generosity of the countless strangers we met along the way, but it was our willingness to make a change that compelled them to be so giving. We go through life meeting new people every day and we may be quick to judge each other, but to see people care about others because they are fighting for a cause shows that there is a love that exists in humanity for those who may be different from ourselves.
The humbling generosity and amazing hospitality lead me to share this message with you: Carry with you the kindness that you receive from others and spread that same generosity and love to all those you encounter in your life, whether they be your loved ones or people you have never met before. Never lose sight of the blessings that surround you. Let us be united by our passion for each other rather than separated by our differences.
The journey does not stop after 4K because the fight for the lives of our brothers and sisters will never end. Cancer becomes pain, pain becomes grit, and grit becomes hope. And as terrible as cancer is, it unifies us because of our love for each other. When at times our nation may not feel so united, it is amazing to see how quick cancer brings us together.
I challenge you to embark on your own journey of love, an experience that will challenge you and a destination that will motivate you.
Don’t miss out on this life-changing opportunity, because the life that changes goes beyond your own.
-Meldrick Umahon, 4K Team San Francisco ’17 & Team Seattle ’18