葫芦娃视频

Henry Prescott looks more like a body builder than a stereotypically skinny 葫芦娃视频 bicyclist. The 2009 CU-葫芦娃视频 history graduate is a personal trainer now working at the YMCA of 葫芦娃视频 while studying for his teaching certificate at Metro State University.

On May 16, Prescott and a friend will begin a 43-day, transcontinental cross-country bicycle ride that will start in Seattle and end in Portland, Conn. His aim is to raise money to support people living with Parkinson鈥檚 Disease, and the ride is called听Cycle Sea to Sea for PD.

He鈥檒l average听87 miles per day for each of the 43 days.

"I have worked with numerous clients since 2010 and have developed a special admiration听and appreciation for those battling Parkinson鈥檚 disease.鈥�

Prescott has long been interested in physical fitness. But he admits that the idea for the cross-country fund-raiser will push him outside of his comfort zone.

So why cycling? And why for those living with Parkinson鈥檚?

鈥淚 have worked with numerous clients since 2010 and have developed a special admiration听and appreciation for those battling Parkinson鈥檚 disease,鈥� Prescott says.

At the YMCA, Prescott works with people with Parkinson鈥檚. In the beginning, 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know a lot about how Parkinson鈥檚 Disease progressed or how exercise could improve symptoms and delay or retard some of those symptoms.鈥�

After helping to teach fitness classes for people with Parkinson鈥檚 at the Y, in 2013 he attended a Parkinson wellness workshop, which reaffirmed the importance of exercise and continual movement for people with Parkinson鈥檚.

While cruising around Cape Cod on rented bikes with his father last fall, Prescott had a 鈥渆ureka鈥� moment.

鈥淚鈥檝e always been into health and fitness and wellness, and I thought, 鈥榃hat better way to combine a physical challenge with a philanthropic cause.鈥欌��

To prepare this spring, Prescott has been doing rides of up to 100 miles of and gutting out tough climbs such as Red Rocks, Sunshine Canyon and Magnolia Road.

鈥淏efore the last six months, I wasn鈥檛 honestly a big cyclist,鈥� Prescott says. 鈥淚 rode here or there, but I like taking on new challenges.鈥�

He describes himself as a gung-ho person, and he does not express apprehension about the cumulative fatigue of riding long distance day after day. He plans to use a foam roller and stretching to keep his muscles from getting too tight. He plans to sleep as much and as well as possible. And his dad will be following in a 鈥渟ag wagon.鈥�

At the same time, Prescott acknowledges a major mental component of such a physical undertaking. 鈥淵ou have to really settle in for the grind and realize that it is a grind. A lot of the ride will be more mental than it will be physical.鈥�

Initially, he aimed to raise $10,000. So far, he鈥檚 raised $26,000. The money will go to four nonprofits: the Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson鈥檚, GZ Sobel鈥檚 Parkinson鈥檚 Network, the Parkinson鈥檚 Association of the Rockies, and the YMCA of 葫芦娃视频 Valley.

Prescott said he appreciates the support he鈥檚 gotten so far. CU-葫芦娃视频 helped reinforce his perseverance and determination, and 鈥渁ll those skills are going to be incorporated on the ride.鈥�

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