The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is taking a large Team In Training contingent to the annual “Wildflower” Triathlon May 1 on Lake San Antonio near King City to raise money for research and patient support in the battle against blood-related cancers.

Eight Silicon Valley honorees - survivors of one of the forms of leukemia, such as multiple myeloma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Type B or chronic myelogenous leukemia - will participate in the triathlon along with other members of the team. The Silicon Valley Team In Training dedicated this season to honoree Johnathan White, who died at the age of 23 in March.

“Our motto is ‘No Complaining,’ because no matter how painful the event may be (swim one mile, bike 25 miles, run six miles, in less than four hours), it does not compare with the agony our honorees are enduring,” said Rich Larsen, a Los Altos resident who volunteers for the society’s Silicon Valley team.

Larsen was inspired to join Team In Training when a friend was diagnosed with leukemia.

“Many of us also have personal honorees who will not participate in the race. My honoree, for instance, without an immune system, is in a ‘clean room’ for the next 90 days,” he said.

Larsen competed in the San Jose Triathlon four times in the late 1990s, but injuries and the time and effort needed to prepare for the grueling events eventually convinced him to stop.

“I have been a runner and biker all of my life, but the swim is a real challenge for me!” Larsen said.

He has created a blog to chronicle the workouts that move him from the February blahs to his May peak. Readers can log on to svtrispr05.tntteam.com/ and click on Journals.

“I have blogged every workout that I have done since we started in February,” Larsen said. (My blog) describes the highs and lows of the swimming, biking and running workouts that I have been doing. There are coached workouts twice a week, which are closed by a current honoree or recovering patient who describes what they have been through. They remind us all what we are really doing this for.”

Larsen’s share of the Silicon Valley team’s fund-raising goal is $5,000. The fund-raising deadline is May 10, and Larsen has $3,500 left to raise. He is accepting donations at www.active.com/donate/forbruce. All donations are fully tax deductible and go directly to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

“Last year the Northern California Team In Training raised $12 million for leukemia research and support, and we hope to exceed that this year,” he said.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s mission is “to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families.”