Although they were not bicyclists when they began this year, Ron Rapaport, of Potomac, and his daughter Lauren, of Washington, D.C., are training weekly to bike 100 miles on July 30.
They are riding to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation which funds research in search of a cure for type 1 diabetes. The Ride to Cure Diabetes will take place July 28-31 in Burlington, Vt.
Rapaport, 66, and his wife, Barbara became involved with the foundation in 1979 when Lauren was diagnosed with the disease at age three. He came up with the idea of the father-daughter ride around New Years, he said.
I have learned that bicycling is not as easy as I thought it was, he said. Its really a whole culture by itself.
Lauren Rapaport, 35, also talks about going from neophyte cyclists to century riders, a name for those who go 100 miles in one day.
It was a huge learning curve. We bought our bikes in March and every weekend I build up, the first weekend was 25 miles, she said.
She said she agreed to the ride when she heard her father wanted them to do it together.
There was no question, there are not that many opportunities to do something like that with your dad, she said.
Together, the Rapaports have raised $23,000.
Im excited, Lauren Rapaport said. I am ready for the training part to be over. I want to be in the experience. JDRF had been pretty much my family for the last 30 years, its great to be giving back.
