Dear Friends and Family,
As most of you know, I’m a storyteller with a deep love for riding my mountain bike, especially in big and wild places. I’ve always had a need for movement—keeping my body in motion and thankfully I have a bountiful bride and strong daughter who get this and support me. Now, I need your help to support a special group of young adults affected by a life altering medical diagnosis. Together, we can help these young people in crisis discover the solace of open spaces and wilderness travel.
I’ve often said, “I’m the guru of go and when I can’t go, I get low,” meaning, it’s during periods of injury and illness that I’ve experienced my most challenging times—depression, frustration and fear. For me, movement, especially outside and on a mountain bike is the best medicine I know and this is a message I’ve tried to share in my speaking and writing to inspire others to bounce forward from injury, illness and setback.
I recently received word from First Descents (a Denver based powerhouse nonprofit I’m excited to introduce you to), that I’ve been selected to ride on their 2024 Leadville 100 Team. If I stay healthy and meet the $3,500 fundraising goal, on August 10th, with your support, I will be taking on the challenge of a lifetime, racing 104 miles on the infamous and world-renowned Leadville 100 course. It’s an iconic race and route, traversing high altitude and rugged terrain across gnarly and rutted jeep roads with a splash of singletrack in the heart of the Colorado Rockies. The race starts at 10,152 ft and gains over 11,000 ft of climbing, as 1600 riders go for it, navigating “The Race Across the Sky.” Leadville is to mountain bikers what Kona is to Ironman athletes—it’s the stuff of legends.
I’ve long dreamed of racing Leadville but knowing what a massive commitment it would be for the entire family, training long hours each week for six months in the lead up, we want our Leadville experience to be bigger than me, bigger than us, something that truly fosters meaning, purpose and connection—and teaming up with First Descents checks all those boxes.
We have so many reasons why we want to take on this challenge, but the most important reason is to honor my mom and to fundraise for and be a part of Team First Descents. First Descents offers young adults impacted by cancer and other serious health conditions an outdoor adventure experience, empowering them to paddle, surf and climb beyond their diagnosis, while connecting with others who are doing the same. For every $2,500 donated, a young person affected by a life changing diagnosis, can experience these impactful programs. In 2023, Team First Descents raised over $260,000—enough to send over 100 people to one these life affirming programs. With your support, we can match or exceed this again in 2024 (the year of Kobe and Gigi).
I’ll be riding this year for my mom and for all the young adults out there impacted by chronic illness, Ankylosing Spondylitis, chronic migraine and Factor V—all of which I live with daily. And for Kamiah, so she can see that despite my challenges, we are capable of enduring through hard things and dreaming big dreams. For me, racing Leadville would truly be a celebration health and fitness—being free of injury and having the fitness to pull off something massive on the bike.
It’s been over twenty-five-years since my diagnosis with Ankylosing Spondylitis as a 19-year-old athlete while chasing my hoops dreams at Edmonds Community College. Following this diagnosis, my sense of self and identity was rocked. What helped me navigate the challenges that come with my tendon and joint ravaging autoimmune disorder was a mom and dad who never stopped believing in me and a love for outdoor adventure.
On October 4th of this year (2023), I turned 45-years-old. I awoke that morning to an email from Anna Wallace of First Descents, inviting me to be on their Leadville 100 Team. I was stoked beyond belief. I couldn’t wait tell my mom—who I knew would be over the moon with enthusiasm and excitement. We unexpectedly and suddenly lost my mom that evening—it was devastating. I knew right then that I had to do something big to honor her.
We’ve been riding waves and treading water ever since. I also knew I wanted to go big in 2024 to honor the ten-year anniversary of my brush with eternity—on Christmas Eve of 2013 I was diagnosed with a crazy rare clotting disorder that makes me 40-120 times more likely to clot each year, than the next person. This diagnosis came after doctors discovered a massive Deep Vein Thrombosis, bi-lateral pulmonary embolisms and an infarct (a part of my lung was dying). My mom and dad were told I had a 50/50 chance of seeing Christmas Day. After a week of drifting in and out of consciousness, I was told I had to give up all of the activities that had given me so much purpose and joy—skiing, climbing, biking. But with AS, chronic tendinopathies and poorly shaped hips, the bike had become my wheelchair—my tool for getting steep and deep into wild places.
So, with the support of my University of Utah doctor and blood specialist, I’m on blood thinners for life, and still riding and racing my mountain bike—against all odds, albeit more carefully on the descents.
Riders at Leadville have 13-hours to finish what many call “The hardest mountain bike race in North America”, and riders must finish under 12 hours to receive the beautiful belt buckle (something about 2/3’rds of the riders achieve each year) and any of you who know my style, know I’ve been rocking a belt buckle every day for over twenty-five-years and I’d be proud to add this one to the quiver—it’s one that Great Grandpa Doc would approve of, I’m sure.
After my mom took her flight to the spirit world, Anna from First Descents wrote me, “I’m so sorry to hear about the sudden loss of your mother – I know she will be with you on race day!” I think she’s right. Since losing my mom, it’s on the bike where I’ve most felt her presence—in the birds, in the winds, in the sun, in the rain, in the clouds.
We humbly hope you’ll consider supporting us and more importantly, we hope you’ll support First Descents and the young adults they serve, by making tax-deductible donation to this cause. It’s simple, just click on the blue DONATE link and we’ll be one step closer to helping a young adult experience the power of outdoor adventure, while toeing the line at Leadville. I deeply appreciate your contribution to the cause.
I’ll keep you all posted on the podcast, blog and Instagram, regarding the training progress and fundraising efforts. I so appreciate your friendship, love and support. Mahalo nui loa for your generosity and goodness—and for taking the time to read my story.
Dig deep, lean in and stay true!
With nothin’ but love, Michael
My First Descents Fundraising Page
PS: I woke with a wicked migraine before stage 3 of the Breck Epic in 2023 (picture below) so I raced that day navigating the migraine maze as I often do. It helps when you have the best support crew in the business in these two.
