Cyclists and runners crossing country for Ulman 4k For Cancer stop by South Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A group of eighteen men and women are spending the summer running and cycling 4,000 miles across the country to raise awareness and funds for the Ulman Foundation. Their endeavor, 4K for Cancer, is a program of the foundation which is a non-profit organization that changes lives by creating a community of support for young adults, and their loved ones, impacted by cancer.

The team has spent two days in South Lake Tahoe as a break before they finish up the last 10 days of their journey that started in Maryland. Temple Bat Yam hosted the young men and women and will see them off on Friday morning as they head to San Francisco.

This year there are both cyclists and runners, all completing the same 4,000 miles. The six runners are dividing each day into a relay, so by the end of the 49 days each will have run 670 miles. The cyclists covering the route in 70 days. There are two support vans with the participants taking turns behind the wheel.

Jacqueline Deprey, who is originally from Rockville, Maryland and now living in New York is one of the leaders of the group. All 18 of the athletes are doing the trip for the first time, and they come from California, Kentucky, Arizona, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington, Texas, as well as New York.

Deprey is a senior product manager for Dropbox, and her employer gave her a paid sabbatical to go on the trip.

The 18 may have started as strangers, but it didn't take long to become great friends. Deprey said it surprised her they were all very close within the first week.

She said another surprising aspect of the trip was the generosity of local communities along the route. They not only provided meals and lodging but also donations. The team has raised over $100,000 so far on their trip.

Each rider and runner that participates must fundraise $5,000 prior to starting, then donations are collected both in person and online during their trip. (All donations received by August 12 will be doubled)

Along the journey, the cyclists have replaced many tires and tubes on their bikes, and in Utah, they all got new chains. Deprey said she's gone through two pairs of running shoes so far.

There was another group of cyclists that stopped at Hope Lutheran Church in June on their way from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean, Journey of Hope. The 4k for Cancer group crossed paths with them along the way.

When they arrive in San Francisco, Deprey says she can't wait to eat Asian food. Macy Lipkin from Massachusetts, who is a cyclist, says she can't wait to snuggle her dog. They both agreed that sleeping in their own beds will be wonderful, though for Lipkin that won't be for long. She's off to Ecuador.

Members of the Temple Bat Yam congregation fed the runners and cyclists, did their laundry, and organized showers at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation Center, as well as helped with any other needs on their layover.

Groups for Ulman 4k for Cancer have dwindled in numbers since COVID. The 2022 group that came through South Lake Tahoe had 34 participants, so if anyone is interested in next year's ride and run, visit https://ulmanfoundation.org/.