Katie McClung to bicycle from Austin to Alaska

Katie McClung, a 2014 graduate of Incarnate Word Academy in Corpus Christi, is training for one of the longest annual charity bicycle rides in the world, which stretches roughly 4,500 from Austin to Anchorage, Alaska. There are about 80 students on the team, and each will take one of three different routes. McClung will take the Sierra route, which heads up the West Coast.
 
She is a member of Texas 4000 for Cancer, a student run organization at the University of Texas that helps in the fight against cancer. McClung is now training for the marathon ride, which includes cycling, volunteering in the Austin community and raising a minimum of $4,500, which is a dollar for every mile of the ride.
 
Every rider has a personal connection to cancer, but they all ride to spread hope, knowledge and charity, McClung said. Her inspiration to Texas 4000 comes from her dad.
 
“About 10 years ago, my dad's best friend Terry was diagnosed with bladder cancer,” she said. “After fighting and eventually being declared cancer-free, my dad, Terry and [another friend] Charlie set off on their motorcycles from Seattle to Halifax to celebrate. As you can see there is a lot of parallels between my dad's cross-country trip and the one I'm preparing for, but what's most important for me is that this is an active way to show I care and to make a tangible difference.
 
“My dad rode because of friendship, and so do I; for the friendships I've formed with my teammates who have lost people to cancer and for the friendships we will create with communities across the country during the ride. I think it's very easy for our generation to focus only on ourselves, but Texas 4000 has given me the opportunity to do something for others, something undeniably challenging. It is intimidating, but if not me, who?”
 
She said the students ride for hope, so that those affected by cancer can see how much people are fighting for them. She also rides for knowledge, because they spread awareness about the cause and the preventative actions people can take. Finally, they ride for charity because the funds raised go to grants at places like MD Anderson and UT's Biomedical Engineering department to fund cancer research.”
 
The bike ride will take 70 days. Along the way the bikers will camp, stay in host homes and in other community spaces.
 
“A big part of the how is the support we need from the community,” McClung said. “That's why I'm reaching out to the South Texas Catholic, because having been born and raised in Corpus, and having attended Catholic school my whole life, I would love to have a community that's so very important to me support me on this journey.”
 
McClung is in her senior year at the University of Texas, studying radio, television and film. After she graduates in May she will set off on the ride to Anchorage.
 
“People can reach out to me via email if there is anyone they want me to ride for,” McClung said.
 
People can donate online at Texas 4000 or by check made out to "Texas 4000" with "Katie McClung" in the memo line, mailed to: Texas 4000 for Cancer, P.O. Box 6459, Austin, TX 78762.