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MS Patient Trains To Ride In Bike MS For First Time

CASTLE ROCK, Colo (CBS4) – More than 3,000 cyclists do Bike MS to raise money for the Colorado/Wyoming Chapter of the National MS Society. Some ride alone, but 70 percent ride with a team. Crankin' for a Cure is a friends and family team, which rides to support Hans Schmidt. For the first time this year, Schmidt is joining the team. He has a three-wheel bike that he's been training on.

"It's been awesome. It's been great," Schmidt told CBS4.

Crankin for the Cure
(credit CBS)

Schmidt was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2002. Symptoms like numbness and pain on his left side, as well as balance issues, have kept him from riding a two-wheel bike.

"It's like you've had too much to drink," he said.

But the new bike gives him new freedom, allowing him to ride a bike for the first time in 10 years.

LINK: Donate to Hans Schmidt for Bike MS

"It's just been a blast riding bikes with the kids and my wife," Schmidt explained.

"This year, we're really hoping to ride together at least for the first 20 miles, just to enjoy riding with Hans," said Kristin Schmidt.

"Pretty good chance she won't be able to keep up the first 20 is what she's saying, so I'll try to slow down for everyone," Hans said with a laugh.

Humor is how Schmidt handles his disease, and with dogged determination.

Crankin for the Cure 2
(credit CBS)

"I would say the biggest thing I've probably learned is you keep pushing on. There's no stopping," he explained.

There's no stopping Team Crankin' for a Cure. Over the last 9 years, the team has raised more than $300,000.

"It feels great, because it's not us out there begging, hitting the streets, hitting the community that's worn out. It's just our friends and family showing up," Kristin added.

Friends and family show up to one big fundraiser called "Party for the Cure." Individual team members raise the rest of the money.

Hans Schmidt
(credit Crankin for a Cure)

"Makes you feel really good about attacking the cause and helping fight it," Schmidt added.

He fights MS every day, mostly by not giving in to it.

"You just have to push through it," Schmidt said.

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