My name is Laurel MacKenzie, from Washington NC, and Amelia Island will be my first century ride. Though there have been local distance rides in which I could have participated, I have yet to be as motivated as I am to ride in support of JDRF!  As a dietitian and certified diabetes educator working for Medtronic, I see the daily struggles that people with diabetes face. I am honored to be able to share their journey to better control with new therapies that Medtronic has to offer; but we long for a day without Type 1 Diabetes. I started riding in 2014 when I began training for a sprint distance triathlon. To prepare, I continued running, started swimming and borrowed a bike. Santa delivered a bike that Christmas though I admit to being a fare-weather-only rider.  I am so excited to join the local Triangle JDRF chapter and Medtronic riding teams at the Amelia Island ride! I chose this ride because it’s closest to home and because it’s flat like eastern NC!  I look forward to new experiences, new friendships and getting us closer to Type None!