12 hrs for St. Jude 2009 recap & 2010 event info!

Well another year under our belt! Our event certainly felt the effects of our nation’s economy, but so did every other charity event.  When I started this event, I quickly realized that I could not be successful without a tremendous amount of support.  There are always individuals that exceeded expectations and go beyond what is asked.  I would like to personally thank Ray Mercado for all of his help these last three years!  Ray is co owner of Chesapeake Cycle & Sport located in Havre de Grace, Maryland.  He and his partner have just recently opened a tri-specific shop located in Bel air, Maryland. They are now our official bike sponsor for the race and I am looking forward to a long relationship.  If you haven’t had a chance to check out their shops, I highly recommend it.  These guys love the sport and it shows!
The 2010 12 hrs for St. Jude event has been challenging to organize.  There was a time when we spoke of postponement, but with Rays help, we are on for the 28th of August, 2010!  During this process, I recognized the need for a backup plan and wanted to make sure that our request for funding would not miss a beat.  It looked like the event location and date were going to be an issue, so that’s when I had signed up for the Leadville 100 on august 14th, 2010 in Colorado.  I recruited two other buddies to register as well.  I knew it was a long shot, but if accepted, I would raise funding for each mile I complete.  As luck would have it, all three of us were sent our congratulatory emails.  The reason I picked the Leadville race was that it was the hardest 12 hr event I could find.  Not only is it a 100 mile mountain bike race, it’s in altitudes from 10,500 to 12,500 ft.  As Race founder Ken Chlouber says “you will need to dig deep”.  Even choosing this event dwarfs in comparison to the enormous challenges each child faces at St. Jude every day!  I thought that if they can battle, so can I!  Realizing this race would be a challenge for me.  I contacted retired professional mountain biker & 6 time 24hr world champion Chris Eatough for some tips.  Chris and his wife have supported our event in the past and I knew he could lend some helpful hints.  Chris has recently started his own coaching business and was glad to help.  If you are looking to enhance you riding performance on any level, I highly recommend contacting Chris at chriseatough.com. 
There has been one significant change. The event name and duration has been changed. The name of the event is 6 Hrs for St. Jude and will now be a six hour event.  We had many request from riders and we wanted more individuals to participate.  The event will be held on August 28th, 2010 at Susquehanna State Park.  Please save the date in your calendar and spread the word!  We are always looking for volunteers so feel free to contact our website (6hrsforstjude.org).
I would like to thank all of our participants, sponsors, volunteers and all the people that have donated these last three year! Our goal for this year is $15,000.00 and we need your help!

Sincerely
Brad Potterfield
Founder of 12 hrs for St. Jude