A native of Honolulu who moved to the Bronx last year, Schultz decided to enter the bikathon in part because several of her friends have died from the disease. As it turned out, the hardest part was not the trip itself but raising the $1,700 each participant needed to enter the event.

Schultz turned to family, friends, co-workers in their offices and even to her local Post Office as she struggled to reach her goal. One of her strongest supporters was Dr. Sheryl Jacobson of the Lehman staff, who provided encouragement as well as a contribution.

Having competed in races in Hawaii as well as in the 2000 New York Century 106-mile race, Schultz succeeded in biking 86 miles on the first day of the three-day ride. "I carried with me a powerful image from the opening ceremonies," she recalled, "of four runners pushing an empty bike, symbolizing all those who have died from AIDS."

The one thing she'll remember most about the ride, however, was the emphasis on having fun. With no monetary reward for the winners, it was common to see riders talking to one another and stopping to help fellow bikers in distress. Altogether, over 2,100 men and women took part in the event.

Besides her interest in biking, Schultz is spending part of this semester doing clinical work toward her nursing degree at the Beth Abraham Long-Term Facility. Two days a week, she also divides her time between the young and the old at St. Philip Neri School in Bedford Park - teaching elementary-school students how to pursue a healthy lifestyle while at the same time preparing to start an exercise class for senior citizens.

Schultz intends to enter the ride again next year, even though the individual fund-raising goal has been raised to $2000. After finishing her nursing studies, she plans to work in a hospital as well as pursue her master's degree at Lehman.