Cyclist’s Katy Trail run raised over $3,000 for St. Jude hospital

By Jay Nies

Who knew the mile markers on the Katy Trail could work like Rosary beads? "If you get into a rhythm, you can pray a Rosary in four miles," said cycling enthusiast Barry Lindenbusch, a member of St. Martin parish and Knights of Columbus Council 7194 in St. Martins. Mr. Lindenbusch rediscovered the ancient prayer's power on a soggy day last spring while riding the entire length of the Katy Trail to raise money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis.

"It helped me keep my mind off the fact that I was doing only three and a half miles an hour," he said. "I did 43 miles that day, but it felt like 100. "I almost called it quits," he said. "I had my rain gear on, which just acts like a kite with the wind hitting you. But I trudged on, and the praying really helped!"

Pedal power

Mr. Lindenbusch's four-day ride down the former route of the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad generated $6,080 in pledges from 87 people - mostly clients of the tax-preparation service that he and his wife, Dedra, operate. Half of the money went to the St. Martin School Foundation; the other half went to last year's St. Jude Walk-a-thon in Jefferson City.

This year's event will be held from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, May 10, at the Helias Interparish High School track. The rain date is May 17. The Walk-a-thon's main sponsors are the Knights of Columbus Father Helias and Bishop Michael F. McAuliffe councils in Jefferson City, the K of C St. Michael Council in Russellville, the K of C St. Martin Council in St. Martins, and Schulte's Fresh Foods grocery store in Jefferson City. Participants will raise money for the hospital by soliciting and collecting pledges for each lap they walk.

Out on the rail trail

Mr. Lindenbusch's Katy odyssey was his second along the 225-mile length of Missouri's largest state park. "I rode it in 2006 from Clinton to St. Charles to see if I could do it," he said. "Once I saw that I could, I decided to try it for a fundraiser." That same month, Mr. and Mrs. Lindenbusch motorcycled down to Memphis and toured St. Jude Hospital. "It brought tears to our eyes," said Mr. Lindenbusch. "Some of those tears are joyful, some aren't. Some of the kids down there really struggle. It makes me want to do more when I'm able."

The Lindenbusches also checked out the Danny Thomas Museum, which tells the story of a Catholic comedian who wanted to find the best way to thank God for his success in show business. The result is St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which is internationally recognized for its pioneering work in finding cures and saving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. It has the world's largest childhood cancer research center and freely shares its scientific and medical discoveries. All patients accepted for treatment at St. Jude are treated without regard to the family's ability to pay. "It's quite an institution," said Mr. Lindenbusch. "I'm really sold on it." Boyhood obsession Mr. Lindenbusch got his first bicycle at age 9.

"I just lived on the thing when I was a kid," he said. "I probably put thousands of miles on it." He decided in 2006 to fall back into his favorite childhood activity as way to improve his health. "I've got to get back in shape or I'm in trouble," he said. "Bad hearts run in my family." He bought a trail bike with wide tires and 21 gear settings. He started setting and meeting goals along the Katy Trail, logging close to 1,000 miles in the process.

When his daughter has soccer practice near the Jefferson City stretch of the trail, Mr. Lindenbusch drops her off, hops onto his bike and makes the 21-mile round trip to Hartsburg. "When I go back to pick her up, I'm more exhausted than she is, and she's been running like six miles on the field," he said. "We both get a good workout."

Spinning his wheels

Building up endurance takes a lot of training on the trail and at home on a stationary bike. But Mr. Lindenbusch said cycling is easier on his joints than jogging. "I'd probably break something if I tried to run," he said. Besides, he enjoys soaking up the scenery and history along the trail. "You find a lot of Lewis and Clark documentation, where they camped and so forth," he said. "About 35 or 40 miles of the trail, you had Lewis and Clark tramping along the same route. There are markers to show where."

He prefers riding east rather than west from Jefferson City. "Heading toward Clinton, you're going against the river, and you start to increase the gradient around Boonville or Pilot Grove," he said. "A lot of people say the other way is easy because it's downhill. But you're losing only about 10 feet of elevation in 10 miles. Let me tell you, when you quit peddling, you do not coast."

Lightening up

Mr. Lindenbusch said time on the trail is becoming more comfortable for him as he inches back down to his ideal weight. "I do not have a biker's body. I look more like a football player," he said, noting that he is now about 50 pounds lighter than he was when he started.

Ride of the century

Mr. Lindenbusch's record for most miles in one day came last year when he rode 86 miles from Jefferson City to Sedalia. It took 10 hours. "I had visions of going out to dinner and bragging on myself when I got there," he said. "That didn't work. I was a bag of bones and dragging mightily when they picked me up."

Next year, he hopes to break that record while achieving the elusive "century mark," a one-day milestone that "separates the men from the boys." "It's 103 miles from Jefferson City to St. Charles," he said. "So I plan on trying to do that in one day. "While he's at it, he hopes to gather pledges to support the 2009 St. Jude Walk-a-thon. "I like killing two birds with one stone: raising a little money and getting into shape," he said. Some people still express disbelief when they hear Mr. Lindenbusch has conquered the Katy Trail twice. "I say, 'Come and ride along with me next time, and we'll do it together!'" he said. That way, they can also pray the Rosary anti-phonally.

Call Robert Haslag at (573) 584-3525 for information about volunteering, participating or making a private or corporate donation to the St. Jude Walk-a-thon, or e-mail: bobhaslag@juno.com. www.stjude.org