Local // Houston

The ride of their lives

Annual fundraiser holds a special meaning for participants with MS

Amy Jann was and is a hardcore athlete. She completed more than 100 marathons in 10 years. She knows what it feels like to push her body to the limit and beyond. The ragged burning in her lungs. The push and pull of her muscles and the soreness and ache that follow.

One day, seven years ago, Jann was on a treadmill, getting a run in when she felt something new. Her legs went numb and she tumbled down. The fall led to doctors visits, which led to a diagnosis. Amy Jann had multiple sclerosis, also known as MS.

The disease causes a person's immune system to damage the nerves in the body. The most common symptoms of MS is fatigue, numbness and balance issues, but the disease strikes people in a variety of ways.

Jann refused to slow down. She kept up running until the fatigue and other issues became too much. She "progressed down" to bike riding.

"I hit the snooze button more than I hit the gym now," the 46-year-old said with a laugh.

On a warm spring morning, with the sun just starting to peek over the horizon, Jann was gathered with thousands of other riders for the BP MS 150, a charity bike ride benefitting the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. This would be Jann's fourth time in the ride and her 11th MS charity ride.

Jann looked like a lot of the riders surrounding her. Helmeted heads, brightly colored jerseys announcing riding teams, numbers pinned on. Her number had one small difference, an orange band across the top saying, "I ride with MS." More than 100 riders identified as having MS.

"I need everyone here in case I fall," Jann said. "There's a lot of support. They make sure I'm not left behind."

The support comes from her team, Audrey's Heroes. The team is a group of 50 cyclists organized around Audrey Blank, an Austin resident diagnosed with MS in 2007. Audrey's Heroes raised more than $150,000 this year in various MS Society events.

Blank is the master of ceremonies at the BP MS 150. She buzzes about the riders, microphone in hand, asking people how much they raised, where they're from, getting them excited for the long 100-mile ride from Houston to La Grange.

Blank isn't riding, but she feels the need to be there. Her daughter, Caitlin, was 3 when Blank was diagnosed. Now, she's 13 and a top fundraiser for the event. Her brother, T.J., is riding in the event for the second time. He sang the national anthem before riders took off. Blank's husband, Damon, is a volunteer. It's important to her to be here, to let people know she appreciates the sweat and tears.

"There's no greater honor than to say thank you to all these people," Blank said. "They're all here to create a world free of MS."

Normally a two-day event, the charity ride was shortened to one due to forecasts for extreme weather on Sunday. This is the second consecutive year that the event was curtailed. The first day of the ride was canceled last year. Despite the shorter ride, organizers expect millions to be raised in the event. Long after the bike ride, participants fundraise until the end of July.

Last year's event raised $20.3 million, a record amount. Close to 100 riders have already raised more than $10,000 on their own.

The ride itself is a challenge. The first 50 miles are fairly flat but rolling hills hit riders around Bellville.

For Jann, fatigue beyond muscle cramping and soreness is inevitable. But she feels the need to be there on her bike. Riding with her team. Riding for herself. Riding for others.

"This is the only good weekend to have MS," Jann said.