Gayle Allen discovered the lump in her breast about six years ago. She didn't believe what was happening to her. "I was very surprised when I was diagnosed," she said. "Breast Cancer? Me? But I never freaked out about it."

A cyclist, she was used to pedaling nearly everywhere she went. She even rode her bike to the biopsy. Allen never let go of her love for bicycling. She endured the treatment, she kept riding and today she is cancer free and the lead chairperson for the new Susan G. Komen Ride For the Cure, scheduled for July 16. The ride will begin at Pikes Peak International Raceway.

This new ride, a fundraiser to help those battling breast cancer in El Paso, Pueblo and Teller counties, was Allen's idea. She rode in a similar event in Aspen in 2009, then asked the question "Why not here." A quick conversation with Stacy Poore, Susan G. Komen for the Cure Southeastern Colorado executive director, and Allen was on her way.
We managed to lure her away from her bike long enough to ask a few questions. Here's the interview.

You are a cyclist and a breast cancer survivor and the new Susan G. Komen Ride for the Cure is your idea. Tell us about the moment, or the inspiration you felt when you thought, "I have to do this."
The inspiration for our event came after I participated in the Aspen Ride for the Cure in 2009. This Ride has been in existence for a number of years and actually was the first Komen (cycling) event of it's kind in the country. I thought it was a pretty cool and fun event, not to mention that they raised a lot of money for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
After the Aspen Ride I thought, "Why not here?" There already was a popular route on the plains of eastern El Paso County, with little traffic volume, no traffic lights, and a few hills to make it interesting. Whenever I rode it I started at PPIR, and I thought it would be a fine venue for staging the event and having a festival.

Click here to register for the Susan G. Komen Ride for the Cure

Another big factor was that a long-distance cycling event had not yet been established in our part of Colorado. I thought if there weren't mandatory fund-raising, though certainly it would be encouraged, we could draw more participants.
Last, but not least, I knew that there was a huge cycling presence in Colorado Springs and I thought we could marshall a lot of support for this kind of event. Soon after, I was volunteering at the Race for the Cure in the Garden of the Gods and I started talking to a few Komen folks about the idea, never really thinking it would take off. But the Affiliate Executive Director, Stacy Poore, contacted me, and off we went!

Tell us the story of when you discovered you had breast cancer and the treatment and recovery that followed.
I discovered the lump in August, 2005, the same day I participated in the rather grueling 50th Pikes Peak Ascent. The race didn't really have anything to do with it; it's just a sort of odd connection and memory for me.
Honestly, I didn't do anything about it at first because I was working on getting health insurance at the time, but hadn't been approved yet. But I "confessed" to a friend of mine who is a nurse, and she was sufficiently concerned that she dragged me off to the Memorial Hospital Breast Care Center.
Everyone that I had contact with there was wonderful. Things went very fast after that - a mammogram which revealed that I actually had two lumps, biopsies, surgical lumpectomies and lymph node dissection; then radiation and oral chemotherapy.
I did pretty well with the treatment except for some shortness of breath and fatigue for a few months after I finished the course of radiation. I'm five years out now and the prognosis is excellent. Even the hot flashes have subsided!

What did cycling add to your recovery?
I tried to keep up my normal level of activity throughout the whole process. I remember that I even rode my bicycle to my appointment for the biopsy. I rode as often as I could (it was winter) to the radiation sessions.
Yes, I was very surprised when I was diagnosed. Breast Cancer? Me? But I never freaked out about it. I went through the process one step at a time, and didn't project an outcome. Certainly it helps to stay present to one's normal activities and level of fitness. I stayed on track with this as much as I could. Eventually the side effects faded and I was back to my old self.

What advice would you give to someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer?
Any advice I would give to someone newly diagnosed mirrors my general belief in the power of staying present. Our lives are not enhanced by regret for the past, or worry and fear about what may happen in the future.
Truly, I believe that all we ever have is this moment, right now, and one way or another everything takes care of itself. Certainly, we all have to weigh facts, and make decisions, but it doesn't help anything to worry or second-guess oneself. As simplistic as this may seem, I really do think that our "mission" is to experience joy, however we can find it.

Since your diagnosis, what has been the most fun thing you've done in cycling?
In the last five years I've done quite a few "organized" rides, mainly to experience riding in interesting places with challenging conditions.
A couple of years ago I did the Triple Bypass, or I should say, it did me, because I was out there so long that I had plenty of time to think about how I never needed to ride 120 miles again!
In the last few years, though, I really think I've found my niche in "credit card tours." These are multi-day trips in which one carries rain gear, a tooth brush, a credit card, and not much else. The routes are loops, such as the San Juan Skyway, allowing one to lodge and take meals in a different town every night. As it turned out on the San Juan Skyway loop there was a microbrewery in every town we stayed in, so it became a "Tour de Brew" which was really fun and provided a daily goal.

For you, why is it important that cyclists take part in the Ride for the Cure?
A lot of planning has gone into making the Ride for the Cure a quality event which will be the vehicle for raising funds for breast cancer research, support, and treatment. Almost everyone has been touched by this disease in some way. In order to attract as many cyclists as possible we have kept the entry fee reasonably low, but we hope the entrants will greatly participate in the various on-line opportunities for fund-raising, and support Susan G. Komen for the Cure in our mission to end breast cancer forever!