Twenty four hours ago Team South Jersey crossed the finish line of America's Most Beautiful Bicycle Ride, the Lake Tahoe Century we had trained so hard for. Sixteen weeks of pushing and challenging ourselves had paid off. Each of us rode proudly through the incredible finish gauntlet where we were greeted by hundreds of cheering supporters and participants.
To say this day is one of the most exciting days of my life could well be an understatement. It was a day when each curve in the road brought a new vista more breathtaking than the last. When each hill climbed led to another more challenging and where the camaraderie of eleven very special people was never more evident. It was a day we will all long remember and share with people who I am certain will be lifelong friends.
Lake Tahoe is quite possibly the most beautiful place on earth. Soaring mountains capped in snow surround an incredibly blue body of water. From hundreds of feet above one can look down from the cliffs and count the rocks on the lake bottom. Towering pines stand guard over sheer cliffs. Waterfalls carry the melting snow down from snow capped peaks.
Team South Jersey came prepared for the ride. Despite the thin air more than a mile above our usual habitat, we conquered our misgivings, expanded once again our physical abilities and met our challenge. This was the most difficult ride any of us had ever undertaken.
We rolled out of the start and cruised through the streets of South Lake Tahoe and turned our bicycles northward. Ahead lay our first ascent, the switchbacks leading to Emerald Bay. Through the pines we caught glimpses of the lake to our right as the road began to rise. The first stage of the climb was a long curve that left us wondering where the oxygen was. Passing the less prepared riders we entered the switchbacks, three hairpin turns connected by steeply pitched roadways. To one side a rock slide scarred cliff rose and on the other a sheer drop down to the road we had just covered. The turn arrows were "U" shaped with 5 mph speed warnings. We weren't going much faster! We reached the first summit, 850 feet higher than our start and were rewarded with the view of Emerald Bay glistening in the morning light. A fast descent and then another steep pitch and we were at 6950 elevation. Following a very fast descent we leveled out around 6200 feet. It did not seem like very long when we reached the Truckee River. We paralleled the river for nearly 14 miles, being once again treated to magnificent sights. After a stop for some snacks and then a photo op at the 1960 Winter Olympic site in Squaw Valley we headed back to the lake and several more 'easy' 200-300 foot hills. Time flew as the miles rolled away under our skinny tires. After a great lunch along the north shoreline we headed towards our final test.
Spooner Junction is the intersection of Nevada 28 and US 50, 7100 above the eastern shore. The road leading there starts in aptly named Incline Village and rises for nearly 1100 feet over nine miles. Not steep it remains a daunting ascent for even the most prepared riders. For an hour we turned our pedals nonstop, climbing steadily. Two small flats mislead you into thinking you have reached the top. Hop scotching other riders as we made our way to the summit we were thankfully distracted by magnificent views the length and breadth of that azure pond below us. Surprisingly our training had paid off. It was not easy by any means but when we reached the top we all expressed amazement that we had maintained a better speed than for most climbs. With a dozen miles to go Team South Jersey headed for home. The five mile descent was our reward for our hard work. We rode into a stiff headwind and still our cyclometers reached into the 30mph range. We sped through the Rock Cave Tunnel and though tired rode the last few hills back to South Lake Tahoe. The signs directing us to the finish appeared and with tear moistened eyes we passed under the FINISH banner. Hugs, high-fives and a bucket of ice water over Coach Frank’s head marked the end of our journey.
Thirty two hundred cyclists completed the 2009 AMBBR including more than 2000 members of Team In Training. The purple green and white team jerseys displayed the name of every state in the union and most Canadian provinces. These dedicated athletes raised nearly 7 million dollars to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Each cyclist benefits from knowing that not only have they participated one of the most incredible experiences of a lifetime, but also by knowing that their efforts bring us one step closer to finding a cure for blood related cancers. Each and every one is a hero in the battle against these diseases.
It has been my honor to have ridden with each member of our team. It was an even greater honor to see my name on their shirts as their "Hero". I will forever treasure the honor these wonderful, incredible and dedicated people bestowed on me. They were and will remain my inspiration. Stacie, Anna, Suzanne, Chris, Justine, Jim, Dustin, Joe, Deidre and Laura. I cannot express how proud I am to call you team mates and friends. You have accomplished so much both for yourselves and for many, many people who have heard the words "You have a blood cancer". Thank you for allowing me to be part of your success.
Click to Visit My TNT Fundraising Page
Monday, June 8, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
Details
The one detail that was missing throughout our four months of training was a sense of urgency. Yes, we knew what we were up againt, where we were heading, but that was way off in the future. The only urgency most of those days was getting warm. Yes our fundraising demands added tension to the equation, but with our challenge well off in the future we didnt worry too much about logistics.
This morning all that has changed. In just 4 days we will once again rouse ourselves at some predawn hour. We are used to that now. but on that morning we won't be heading to some frost rimed park for training. In 4 days we will be meeting at the airport to begin the final leg of our journey. We are HEADING TO TAHOE!!!!
The preparations are behind us. The fund raising worries are passed. It is time for Team South Jersey to join the 100's of other people who committed to complete one difficult task so that thay might participate in another. We have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support the Leukemia Lymphoma Society and in return we are rewarded with a chance to challenge ourselves in the mountains of California and Nevada.
This morning the details of our journey have a sense of urgency. Bags need to be packed. Weather forecasts need to be checked. All the incidentals of both a long journey and a long difficult bicycle ride need to be checked and double checked. The time has come and we are ready.
With this entry my training blog is complete. Team South Jersey is ready. Next week the epilogue will be a celebration of our accomplishments, the final detail!
This morning all that has changed. In just 4 days we will once again rouse ourselves at some predawn hour. We are used to that now. but on that morning we won't be heading to some frost rimed park for training. In 4 days we will be meeting at the airport to begin the final leg of our journey. We are HEADING TO TAHOE!!!!
The preparations are behind us. The fund raising worries are passed. It is time for Team South Jersey to join the 100's of other people who committed to complete one difficult task so that thay might participate in another. We have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to support the Leukemia Lymphoma Society and in return we are rewarded with a chance to challenge ourselves in the mountains of California and Nevada.
This morning the details of our journey have a sense of urgency. Bags need to be packed. Weather forecasts need to be checked. All the incidentals of both a long journey and a long difficult bicycle ride need to be checked and double checked. The time has come and we are ready.
With this entry my training blog is complete. Team South Jersey is ready. Next week the epilogue will be a celebration of our accomplishments, the final detail!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Heroes
Just two weeks from today Team South Jersey will head to our final test. For four months we have worked with unstinting dedication to prepare ourselves for what lies ahead. The greatest physical challenge most of us have ever faced.
Two years ago I faced another physical challenge. It didn’t involve a long winding course or towering mountains. My challenge was against a microscopic foe. Sometime ago my bone marrow mutated. The cells which produce lymphocytes, white blood cells, broke down. After a four year wait my oncologist chose to challenge these cells with five months of chemotherapy. We won, for now. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia is incurable.
There have been times during my training when the sheer enjoyment of riding my bicycle made me forgetful. I forgot the real reason my teammates and I undertook this challenge. I forgot that this trip, and the training we received to prepare us for it, were our reward for a far more important challenge we faced. The challenge to help the Leukemia Lymphoma Society with their never ending fight against Blood Cancer. We are helping to provide the funds that support the LLS and thier efforts to ease the suffering of the the nearly 900,000 Americans living with these diseases, and the scientific efforts to help cure them. I won't forget again!
When I head out on the course two weeks from Sunday I will have three small photos clipped to my bicycle. One will be a photo of my kids. These three awesome young people will serve to remind me of endurance, for they have endured with me for the last 6 years, supporting me while quietly worrying about my leukemia. They have been my strength so many times and I will call on them once more to support me. One will be a photo of my friend Geddy’s sister, Patti. Patti is in the middle of a difficult battle with breast cancer. When those climbs loom ahead I will think of the hills she faces, with a smile and unwavering determination to beat her cancer. The last one will be the photo of a stunning 5 year old girl who I have never met. Nor will I ever have a chance. News came through an online community of which I am a member, that sadly, her battle with blood cancer had ended. Despite the tremendous gains made in the past 50 years not all of those afflicted win their battles.
Yes we are about to embark on the ride of a lifetime. For the many thousands with blood cancer, their ride is one For Life and the battle to keep that life for one more day!
Two years ago I faced another physical challenge. It didn’t involve a long winding course or towering mountains. My challenge was against a microscopic foe. Sometime ago my bone marrow mutated. The cells which produce lymphocytes, white blood cells, broke down. After a four year wait my oncologist chose to challenge these cells with five months of chemotherapy. We won, for now. Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia is incurable.
There have been times during my training when the sheer enjoyment of riding my bicycle made me forgetful. I forgot the real reason my teammates and I undertook this challenge. I forgot that this trip, and the training we received to prepare us for it, were our reward for a far more important challenge we faced. The challenge to help the Leukemia Lymphoma Society with their never ending fight against Blood Cancer. We are helping to provide the funds that support the LLS and thier efforts to ease the suffering of the the nearly 900,000 Americans living with these diseases, and the scientific efforts to help cure them. I won't forget again!
When I head out on the course two weeks from Sunday I will have three small photos clipped to my bicycle. One will be a photo of my kids. These three awesome young people will serve to remind me of endurance, for they have endured with me for the last 6 years, supporting me while quietly worrying about my leukemia. They have been my strength so many times and I will call on them once more to support me. One will be a photo of my friend Geddy’s sister, Patti. Patti is in the middle of a difficult battle with breast cancer. When those climbs loom ahead I will think of the hills she faces, with a smile and unwavering determination to beat her cancer. The last one will be the photo of a stunning 5 year old girl who I have never met. Nor will I ever have a chance. News came through an online community of which I am a member, that sadly, her battle with blood cancer had ended. Despite the tremendous gains made in the past 50 years not all of those afflicted win their battles.
Yes we are about to embark on the ride of a lifetime. For the many thousands with blood cancer, their ride is one For Life and the battle to keep that life for one more day!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Training Complete
As we have for nearly four months Team South Jersey once again strapped our bikes into carriers and headed to training. Today was different. Today we were heading to our last serious ride. Only one more ride remains after this before we send our bikes out to await us in Lake Tahoe where we will join thousands of others for America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride. Today we were joining our colleagues from Team North Jersey for our final training ride.
The course was laid out with four major ascents of varying grades and elevations and countless smaller ones over 85 miles through some of New Jersey’s picturesque areas. Trout streams, canopied byways, hilltop mansions and long vistas greeted us as we rode up and over nearly 4600 feet of total elevation. Rest stops were at quaint country stores in small quiet villages. It was hard to believe we were only 45 miles from Times Square!
It was a long day, for most of the team the longest ever in both miles and time in the saddle. We faced steep inclines, long ascents and sharp technical descents all of which combined to test out ability and conditioning and, although lacking the altitude of the Sierras, provided a good model against which to measure our preparedness. Even our hosts, who train in and around these hills regularly, noted that this was a tough course. It was a test and we passed! We passed with flying colors! We all rode the course, we never flagged or dismounted. We proved to ourselves and our hosts that Team South Jersey is ready!
Nineteen days remain. Nineteen days of recovery, maintenance and packing. Tune ups for our bikes and bodies. We will ride together next weekend but our training is complete. From here on out Team South Jersey is simply keeping in tune.
Tahoe, Here We Come!
The course was laid out with four major ascents of varying grades and elevations and countless smaller ones over 85 miles through some of New Jersey’s picturesque areas. Trout streams, canopied byways, hilltop mansions and long vistas greeted us as we rode up and over nearly 4600 feet of total elevation. Rest stops were at quaint country stores in small quiet villages. It was hard to believe we were only 45 miles from Times Square!
It was a long day, for most of the team the longest ever in both miles and time in the saddle. We faced steep inclines, long ascents and sharp technical descents all of which combined to test out ability and conditioning and, although lacking the altitude of the Sierras, provided a good model against which to measure our preparedness. Even our hosts, who train in and around these hills regularly, noted that this was a tough course. It was a test and we passed! We passed with flying colors! We all rode the course, we never flagged or dismounted. We proved to ourselves and our hosts that Team South Jersey is ready!
Nineteen days remain. Nineteen days of recovery, maintenance and packing. Tune ups for our bikes and bodies. We will ride together next weekend but our training is complete. From here on out Team South Jersey is simply keeping in tune.
Tahoe, Here We Come!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Only A Few Weeks
It seems like only a few weeks ago that I wrote my first Team In Training blog. It really is hard to imagine that nearly 4 months and countless pedal cranks have passed since that first meeting in January. My cyclometer says I have ridden more than 1300 miles in preparation for the challenge that lies just 25 days ahead. By the end of next week our bikes will be readied for shipment to Nevada. By the end of next week we will be able to look up the long range forecast for Lake Tahoe on ride day. It’s almost here!
More amazing, but somehow not surprising is the preparation level of my teammates. This past Saturday many of Team South Jersey set new personal distance bests. A gorgeous day tarnished only by a steady wind we rode more than seventy miles. We rode in tight crisp pacelines with confidence and cooperation. Every single member of our team has improved to remarkable levels.
This weekend we will ride with Team North Jersey. This weekend we will be able to compare fitness, ability and technique. This will be our first test, a chance to see how we stack up with another group. While this is not a competition it’s hard not to want to compare. I have no doubt that each member of our team is equal to the task we face and will ride proudly this weekend.
It seems like only a few weeks, but in just a few more we will be heading off for the ride of a lifetime!
This weekend we will ride with Team North Jersey. This weekend we will be able to compare fitness, ability and technique. This will be our first test, a chance to see how we stack up with another group. While this is not a competition it’s hard not to want to compare. I have no doubt that each member of our team is equal to the task we face and will ride proudly this weekend.
It seems like only a few weeks, but in just a few more we will be heading off for the ride of a lifetime!
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Climbing Walls
The wet weather had everyone in the east trapped this past weekend. Housebound kids whose little league games were rained out drove parents who had looked forward to the weekend “up a wall”. Even the hardy members of Team South Jersey climbed the wall. No we didn’t miss our training. Our intrepid band not only ventured forth despite the drear, but crossed into nearby Philadelphia and pedaled toward the fabled Manayunk Wall.
Manayunk is a small neighborhood on the shore of the Schuylkill River. Nestled on the side of a cliff its narrow streets climb the wall with double digit grades. For the last twenty-five years it has been the scene of the Philadelphia International and we were riding in the tracks of some of the greatest names of the sport. Eric Heiden, George Hincapie and Lance Armstrong are just a few of those who have ground, grunted and spun up these streets and gone on to win their race.
We had already ridden nearly 20 miles. We had traversed the blight of Camden, and with the strains of “Rocky” in our heads passed the famous steps of the Art Museum and the boathouses along Kelly Drive. We had done a few repeats on Lemon Hill and were ready for the most difficult kilometer yet. We rode along Main Street and avoiding the traffic on Levering & Lyceum we turned up Green Lane. This was indeed the most difficult climb we have faced as a team. I will admit thinking about breaking it off. Instead I gritted my teeth and just ground out the last 100 yards or so. Frank waited at the top and encouraged each of us as we crested that last block. Turning around we coasted down, cheering on teammates still grinding up the 17% slope. We did it! We had climbed the Manayunk Wall!
On Sunday the weather was even worse. The weather man promised a dry morning with increasing rain in the afternoon. He lied to us and the other 30,000 people who cycled into lower Manhattan for the Five Boro Bike Tour. The tour, an annual event, was to be training for riding in crowds. Unfortunately the lack of planning by the organizers, a crowd of inexperienced riders, a rash of flat tires and a steady rain made for a less than pleasant experience. Yours truly was unable to finish. Even two years after chemo my digestive system can be delicate and easily upset. The rest of Team South Jersey can be proud, that despite terrible conditions that drove us “Up the Wall”, the Five Boro Tour is just one more item on the list of accomplishments for this dedicated group of people!
Four weeks to go! Tahoe here we come!
Manayunk is a small neighborhood on the shore of the Schuylkill River. Nestled on the side of a cliff its narrow streets climb the wall with double digit grades. For the last twenty-five years it has been the scene of the Philadelphia International and we were riding in the tracks of some of the greatest names of the sport. Eric Heiden, George Hincapie and Lance Armstrong are just a few of those who have ground, grunted and spun up these streets and gone on to win their race.
We had already ridden nearly 20 miles. We had traversed the blight of Camden, and with the strains of “Rocky” in our heads passed the famous steps of the Art Museum and the boathouses along Kelly Drive. We had done a few repeats on Lemon Hill and were ready for the most difficult kilometer yet. We rode along Main Street and avoiding the traffic on Levering & Lyceum we turned up Green Lane. This was indeed the most difficult climb we have faced as a team. I will admit thinking about breaking it off. Instead I gritted my teeth and just ground out the last 100 yards or so. Frank waited at the top and encouraged each of us as we crested that last block. Turning around we coasted down, cheering on teammates still grinding up the 17% slope. We did it! We had climbed the Manayunk Wall!
On Sunday the weather was even worse. The weather man promised a dry morning with increasing rain in the afternoon. He lied to us and the other 30,000 people who cycled into lower Manhattan for the Five Boro Bike Tour. The tour, an annual event, was to be training for riding in crowds. Unfortunately the lack of planning by the organizers, a crowd of inexperienced riders, a rash of flat tires and a steady rain made for a less than pleasant experience. Yours truly was unable to finish. Even two years after chemo my digestive system can be delicate and easily upset. The rest of Team South Jersey can be proud, that despite terrible conditions that drove us “Up the Wall”, the Five Boro Tour is just one more item on the list of accomplishments for this dedicated group of people!
Four weeks to go! Tahoe here we come!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
More Miles!
Another weekend, another team ride, another 75 miles under our wheels. Another week closer to our goal.
The sun rose early on Saturday and the mercury followed, as Team South Jersey pointed our wheels east along State Highway 70. The last time we were here the rain fell in sheets and the temperature hovered near 45. That morning the challenge was the rain and the chill. We rode 40 miles and proved to ourselves we could do it. This time the challenge was the distance and the August-like heat. For many of our teammates it would be their longest ride ever. Today’s plan was to ride 70 miles. As sun beat down, water bottles were refilled and the miles fell away. We spun along the highway under newly blossomed leaves. Despite the relatively flat terrain it was not an easy ride. The heat affected muscles and baked us despite the liberal applications of SPF, but once again the team rose to the challenge and by early afternoon we were lying in the grass stretching.
A little more than 2 months ago we rode in winter’s cold as we began to organize, train and prepare ourselves for the challenge of riding 100 miles in the mountains around Lake Tahoe. Now, with less than half dozen practices remaining we are focusing on distance and climbing speed. EVERYONE has become a better cyclist. EVERYONE has pushed themselves to new levels of fitness. EVERYONE has met the challenge of our training program. And EVERYONE has helped to forward the mission of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, raising funds and awareness of the fight to cure blood cancers.
In 5 weeks Team South Jersey will be making their last minute plans for the trip west. In just 5 weeks we will prove that all the hard work was worth it, as we once more point our wheels on a new course, face new challenges and overcome them together as a team.
The sun rose early on Saturday and the mercury followed, as Team South Jersey pointed our wheels east along State Highway 70. The last time we were here the rain fell in sheets and the temperature hovered near 45. That morning the challenge was the rain and the chill. We rode 40 miles and proved to ourselves we could do it. This time the challenge was the distance and the August-like heat. For many of our teammates it would be their longest ride ever. Today’s plan was to ride 70 miles. As sun beat down, water bottles were refilled and the miles fell away. We spun along the highway under newly blossomed leaves. Despite the relatively flat terrain it was not an easy ride. The heat affected muscles and baked us despite the liberal applications of SPF, but once again the team rose to the challenge and by early afternoon we were lying in the grass stretching.
A little more than 2 months ago we rode in winter’s cold as we began to organize, train and prepare ourselves for the challenge of riding 100 miles in the mountains around Lake Tahoe. Now, with less than half dozen practices remaining we are focusing on distance and climbing speed. EVERYONE has become a better cyclist. EVERYONE has pushed themselves to new levels of fitness. EVERYONE has met the challenge of our training program. And EVERYONE has helped to forward the mission of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, raising funds and awareness of the fight to cure blood cancers.
In 5 weeks Team South Jersey will be making their last minute plans for the trip west. In just 5 weeks we will prove that all the hard work was worth it, as we once more point our wheels on a new course, face new challenges and overcome them together as a team.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Miles and Hills and Finally Sun!
The sun finally arrived this weekend past as Team South Jersey rolled along the by ways of Monmouth and Middlesex counties. For sixty miles we rode up and down hills once again pushing our bodies as we prepare for our rendezvous with the switchbacks and long inclines of Lake Tahoe. Five practices remain before we ship the bikes west.
On a warm day back in late January I noted that my bicycle’s odometer was nearing the 900 mile mark. I wondered how long it would be before I hit 1000. That milestone came more than 700 miles ago (and a couple hundred more on the bike locked in my trainer). In the last two months we have racked up the miles as we count down the days ‘til our challenge.
I have ridden in two centuries completing the Seagull last October and breaking off the New York City in frustration after 82 miles of pedaling, walking and carrying bicycles along a poorly planned route. I know the miles are not the issue. It’s those damned hills. I am paying the price for a lifetime of indulgence. Growing up in the 50s with cigarette puffing idols it was inevitable. For nearly 40 years I puffed happlily, ignoring the warnings and in later years lacking the determination to stick with my quit plans. Even a diagnosis of Leukemia and 5 months of chemo 4 years later were not enough. It was not until I decided to sign on for this challenge that I actually stopped completely, and while I feel better and better each day I do not have the lung capacity of a non smoker. Of course being a smoker also means I ignored my cardiovascular fitness as well, so even though I can ride the flats at a good clip, I am going to be huffing and puffing as I grind it up those hills. But not as much as I used to. Hills I once had to shift four times on, then stop at the top to wait for my breath to catch up are now just slow steady grinds.
The finale is around the corner and the "rehearsals" are getting more and more intense. This week the coach laid out the plans for the remaining rides. Miles and Hills, Hills and Miles! I will remind myself half way up that never ending hill, or when the road ahead of me seems to stretch forever, of Frank's rule, "we train harder than we ride". For every mile I push through now.. Tahoe will be that much easier.
On a warm day back in late January I noted that my bicycle’s odometer was nearing the 900 mile mark. I wondered how long it would be before I hit 1000. That milestone came more than 700 miles ago (and a couple hundred more on the bike locked in my trainer). In the last two months we have racked up the miles as we count down the days ‘til our challenge.
I have ridden in two centuries completing the Seagull last October and breaking off the New York City in frustration after 82 miles of pedaling, walking and carrying bicycles along a poorly planned route. I know the miles are not the issue. It’s those damned hills. I am paying the price for a lifetime of indulgence. Growing up in the 50s with cigarette puffing idols it was inevitable. For nearly 40 years I puffed happlily, ignoring the warnings and in later years lacking the determination to stick with my quit plans. Even a diagnosis of Leukemia and 5 months of chemo 4 years later were not enough. It was not until I decided to sign on for this challenge that I actually stopped completely, and while I feel better and better each day I do not have the lung capacity of a non smoker. Of course being a smoker also means I ignored my cardiovascular fitness as well, so even though I can ride the flats at a good clip, I am going to be huffing and puffing as I grind it up those hills. But not as much as I used to. Hills I once had to shift four times on, then stop at the top to wait for my breath to catch up are now just slow steady grinds.
The finale is around the corner and the "rehearsals" are getting more and more intense. This week the coach laid out the plans for the remaining rides. Miles and Hills, Hills and Miles! I will remind myself half way up that never ending hill, or when the road ahead of me seems to stretch forever, of Frank's rule, "we train harder than we ride". For every mile I push through now.. Tahoe will be that much easier.
Monday, April 13, 2009
April Showers
There comes a time in every bicyclist’s life when Mother Nature plays an April fool’s joke on them. A gorgeous day that gives way to a thunderstorm is the way it usually happens. Or the odd time when you head out despite some vague warnings of a shower or two that turn out to be understatements. When it happens you take shelter, check the weather forecast if you can and make the call… finish or turn back. It’s usually an easy call. It never rains on you when you are close to home. Temperature is rarely an issue as most of us leave the bikes on the garage wall until at least the warmer days of spring, and only seldom, if ever, do we set out in the rain.
As with any situation there is always an exception. This past weekend our team proved they are not only an exception to the rule, but are actually some pretty exceptional people.
New Jersey State Highway 70 is like the belt that cinches New Jersey’s narrow waist, running from Camden to Point Pleasant. The area it crosses is known as the Pine Barrens, a basically flat coastal plain of scrub pine, sandy soils and cranberry bogs. Our plan was meet along the western third and ride east toward the ocean. Our goal was 36 miles away in Double Trouble State Park. The plan was a good one. Flat terrain would allow us to work on speed, technique and tighten the pace lines, as well as toughen our posteriors for the longer rides ahead.
We arrived at the meeting point, the Medport Diner. As expected several team mates were away so it was a small group. The weather forecast was for showers clearing by 9 or 10, becoming sunnier as the day progressed. Once again Mother Nature was determined to test out mettle. To this point we have braved sub-freezing temperatures, gale force winds and an occasional shower. Today was going to be no different.
The day was slate gray and gloomy. The rain came down steadily and we sat for an hour watching radar on our Blackberries and waiting for break. About 10 the skies lightened and the rain let up so we headed out. It was not a warm spring morning but we had dressed for it. We tucked in open cuffs and slipped on waterproof covers where appropriate, and headed east. The rain didn’t stop but remained light for the first four or five miles. Now, saner or perhaps less determined people were sitting in their cars as they sped by, or more reasonably still in bed on this dreary morn. Not us! As the rain once again steadied and the wind blew it in our face we rode along. Whether it was the novelty of the conditions or the somehow satisfying thought that the people dry and warm in their cars most likely considered us crazy, we pushed on. Occasionally horns gave us encouragement, or was it a warning to go home?
Once you get wet it really doesn’t matter how much wetter you are. We rode for about 18 miles and sought brief refuge in a convenience store. A few of the team got plastic deli gloves to line their now sopping bike gloves. Somehow the unduanting precipitation (wasn't this supposed to end TWO HOURS AGO?) had managed to snake its way under and around our rain gear leaving us damp at best and in a few cases thoroughly soaked. We decided to take a long loop back. About an hour or so later we arrived once again at the Medport Diner, wet, cold and very glad to be back. 38.7 miles in the rain! Yeah, we’re crazy and yeah we’re determined and yeah we probably will never again ride in those conditions! Certainly not intentionally! But once again this remarkable year, our awesome group can say WE DID IT!
As with any situation there is always an exception. This past weekend our team proved they are not only an exception to the rule, but are actually some pretty exceptional people.
New Jersey State Highway 70 is like the belt that cinches New Jersey’s narrow waist, running from Camden to Point Pleasant. The area it crosses is known as the Pine Barrens, a basically flat coastal plain of scrub pine, sandy soils and cranberry bogs. Our plan was meet along the western third and ride east toward the ocean. Our goal was 36 miles away in Double Trouble State Park. The plan was a good one. Flat terrain would allow us to work on speed, technique and tighten the pace lines, as well as toughen our posteriors for the longer rides ahead.
We arrived at the meeting point, the Medport Diner. As expected several team mates were away so it was a small group. The weather forecast was for showers clearing by 9 or 10, becoming sunnier as the day progressed. Once again Mother Nature was determined to test out mettle. To this point we have braved sub-freezing temperatures, gale force winds and an occasional shower. Today was going to be no different.
The day was slate gray and gloomy. The rain came down steadily and we sat for an hour watching radar on our Blackberries and waiting for break. About 10 the skies lightened and the rain let up so we headed out. It was not a warm spring morning but we had dressed for it. We tucked in open cuffs and slipped on waterproof covers where appropriate, and headed east. The rain didn’t stop but remained light for the first four or five miles. Now, saner or perhaps less determined people were sitting in their cars as they sped by, or more reasonably still in bed on this dreary morn. Not us! As the rain once again steadied and the wind blew it in our face we rode along. Whether it was the novelty of the conditions or the somehow satisfying thought that the people dry and warm in their cars most likely considered us crazy, we pushed on. Occasionally horns gave us encouragement, or was it a warning to go home?
Once you get wet it really doesn’t matter how much wetter you are. We rode for about 18 miles and sought brief refuge in a convenience store. A few of the team got plastic deli gloves to line their now sopping bike gloves. Somehow the unduanting precipitation (wasn't this supposed to end TWO HOURS AGO?) had managed to snake its way under and around our rain gear leaving us damp at best and in a few cases thoroughly soaked. We decided to take a long loop back. About an hour or so later we arrived once again at the Medport Diner, wet, cold and very glad to be back. 38.7 miles in the rain! Yeah, we’re crazy and yeah we’re determined and yeah we probably will never again ride in those conditions! Certainly not intentionally! But once again this remarkable year, our awesome group can say WE DID IT!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Challenges
It was a weekend of challenges. The lambs of April gave way to the lions we hoped we had left behind. Saturday dawned grey and foreboding with the sound of a turbine roaring outside my window. It was a howling west wind gusting to near gale force. My step brother, ever the, ahem, optimist, acted surprised when I chased him from his usual dawdling in the bathroom so I could get ready. “It’s a hurricane out there! You won’t be able to walk much less ride!”
I had been looking forward to this ride. I was leading the team on a 50 mile route through the hills of northeast Monmouth County. These are not the looming massifs of the eastern Sierra. They aren’t even the scale of those we rode last week in Pennsylvania. They are simply a ridge of rolling hills reaching two to three hundred feet from the coastal plain. I had planned a route that would take us up every possible ascent there was, a total of 2200 feet according to the elevation chart on Bikely.com. With the team coming to my turf I had decided I would ride to our jump off point. It didn’t take long to feel the effect of the wind. As I leaned into my first turn it pushed my bike upright and I struggled to avoid the curb. I had expected to ride the 5 or so miles in about 20 minutes. I was only a little late but I knew we were in for a workout. The wind can turn a 200 foot rise into a mountain and with the first half of our planned ride heading into the teeth of today’s zephyrs the highlands took on the appearance of the High Sierra in my mind.
As if the wind wasn’t enough for me I had to stir up another challenge last week. It began when I was forwarded a link by our TNT coordinator, Jessica. Our team’s territory is centered in an area served by Philadelphia media. I live on the northern edge, so I get mine from New York. Having grown up on Staten Island I consider myself a New Yorker. I cheer for the Giants, the Rangers and the Amazin’ Mets! While I do not relegate the Eagles to the same hated status of the Cowboys and the Skins, I none the less have little brotherly love for our rivals based across the Delaware. The link took me to Fox Philadelphia's Good Day homepage. The anchor, John Anderson was hosting a young man who had recovered from childhood leukemia. John talked about his own challenge to raise money for Team In Training as part of the Eastern Pennsylvania cycling team. I clicked a link to his bio and discovered that he has been working to help the Leukemia Lymphoma Society for many years. This will be his SIXTH Tahoe ride. Awesome! Fantastic! Having a bully pulpit on a major morning news show, this man has to have a huge amount in his fundraising account. OK, I have to add that I maybe jaded, having been fortunate to have raised an incredible amount of donations in a short time. As I have stated before my colleagues are one of the most generous groups of people you can imagine. When I looked at John’s total I was surprised to find it was less than recommitment levels. The seeds of a challenge had already been fermenting. Here was a chance to help John, help my teammates and most of all help the Society.
I sent an email via LLS and TNT channels and challenged John to catch up to me and to a friendly ‘race' during our ride. I pointed out that I am probably older, a novice at this ride, and a leukemia survivor. I didn’t hear anything right away but Friday I got another link and there in his blog was his response. While it was not an outright acceptance it was not rejection either. We did agree to a inter-city bet of a New York Pastrami on Rye versus a Philly Cheesesteak. How far beyond some words and a small snack for two hungry cyclists the challenge will develop remains to be seen. My ever enthusiastic coach (Frank, the Marquis de Sade) suggested a “Spin – Off” at some visible location to help raise funds and awareness. (Thanks Frank, you just love to see me suffer!) Whatever it is I am up for it. This is not about John or me. It’s not about food or mountains. This is about raising money to continue the battle to cure blood cancers. It is about saving lives and helping others.
We all face our challenges differently and we all have our own motivations, even when facing common goals. I look forward to a friendly competition with John as together we work toward our common goal!
You can follow John’s Fit To Ride blogs here: http://www.myfoxphilly.com/subindex/good_day_philadelphia/fit_to_ride
The challenge blog is here: http://affiliate.kickapps.com/_New-York-vs-Philly/BLOG/228166/80539.html?as=80539
I had been looking forward to this ride. I was leading the team on a 50 mile route through the hills of northeast Monmouth County. These are not the looming massifs of the eastern Sierra. They aren’t even the scale of those we rode last week in Pennsylvania. They are simply a ridge of rolling hills reaching two to three hundred feet from the coastal plain. I had planned a route that would take us up every possible ascent there was, a total of 2200 feet according to the elevation chart on Bikely.com. With the team coming to my turf I had decided I would ride to our jump off point. It didn’t take long to feel the effect of the wind. As I leaned into my first turn it pushed my bike upright and I struggled to avoid the curb. I had expected to ride the 5 or so miles in about 20 minutes. I was only a little late but I knew we were in for a workout. The wind can turn a 200 foot rise into a mountain and with the first half of our planned ride heading into the teeth of today’s zephyrs the highlands took on the appearance of the High Sierra in my mind.
As if the wind wasn’t enough for me I had to stir up another challenge last week. It began when I was forwarded a link by our TNT coordinator, Jessica. Our team’s territory is centered in an area served by Philadelphia media. I live on the northern edge, so I get mine from New York. Having grown up on Staten Island I consider myself a New Yorker. I cheer for the Giants, the Rangers and the Amazin’ Mets! While I do not relegate the Eagles to the same hated status of the Cowboys and the Skins, I none the less have little brotherly love for our rivals based across the Delaware. The link took me to Fox Philadelphia's Good Day homepage. The anchor, John Anderson was hosting a young man who had recovered from childhood leukemia. John talked about his own challenge to raise money for Team In Training as part of the Eastern Pennsylvania cycling team. I clicked a link to his bio and discovered that he has been working to help the Leukemia Lymphoma Society for many years. This will be his SIXTH Tahoe ride. Awesome! Fantastic! Having a bully pulpit on a major morning news show, this man has to have a huge amount in his fundraising account. OK, I have to add that I maybe jaded, having been fortunate to have raised an incredible amount of donations in a short time. As I have stated before my colleagues are one of the most generous groups of people you can imagine. When I looked at John’s total I was surprised to find it was less than recommitment levels. The seeds of a challenge had already been fermenting. Here was a chance to help John, help my teammates and most of all help the Society.
I sent an email via LLS and TNT channels and challenged John to catch up to me and to a friendly ‘race' during our ride. I pointed out that I am probably older, a novice at this ride, and a leukemia survivor. I didn’t hear anything right away but Friday I got another link and there in his blog was his response. While it was not an outright acceptance it was not rejection either. We did agree to a inter-city bet of a New York Pastrami on Rye versus a Philly Cheesesteak. How far beyond some words and a small snack for two hungry cyclists the challenge will develop remains to be seen. My ever enthusiastic coach (Frank, the Marquis de Sade) suggested a “Spin – Off” at some visible location to help raise funds and awareness. (Thanks Frank, you just love to see me suffer!) Whatever it is I am up for it. This is not about John or me. It’s not about food or mountains. This is about raising money to continue the battle to cure blood cancers. It is about saving lives and helping others.
We all face our challenges differently and we all have our own motivations, even when facing common goals. I look forward to a friendly competition with John as together we work toward our common goal!
You can follow John’s Fit To Ride blogs here: http://www.myfoxphilly.com/subindex/good_day_philadelphia/fit_to_ride
The challenge blog is here: http://affiliate.kickapps.com/_New-York-vs-Philly/BLOG/228166/80539.html?as=80539
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Why We Do It
As March wanes into April and the number of weeks until our Lake Tahoe adventure dwindle to single digits and we rachet up our training regimen, I stopped to remind myself the other day why we train so hard for Team In Training. Of course it is the ride. The opportunity to challenge our bodies and minds (and bikes) and push them to new heights, figuratively and literally. Without pushing our personal envelopes beyond their limits the 100 miles through and over the Sierra peaks around Lake Tahoe could prove to be beyond our abilities to overcome.
A little over two months ago I sat in a runners store with dozens of other extreme athletes who wanted to learn more about Team In Training. We heard about the accomplishments of alumni at various marathons, tri's and centuries. We heard about the friendships that develop as runners, swimmers and cyclists work as a team to prepare themselves. And then we got down to business.
Team In Training is afterall a fundraising activity of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Team In Training participants pledge to raise funds to fight Blood Cancers and help LLS provide services to patients, survivors and the families of those who have contracted these cancers. Each participant is asked make 2 commitments. To complete a training plan that will prepare them for the event they have chosen, and to raise money for LLS. Each competitor is required to reach a minimum amount of money by a certain date to remain on the team and then to reach a goal amount as the event approaches. As all of this was explained to us I could feel the energy levels ebbing in the room. I saw looks of concern on the faces of some people as it was explained that we each need to personally guarantee some of these funds. And then I saw my teammates. Those marathoners, triathletes and cyclists who listened to the details and picked up thier paperwork as they reached for thier credit cards. To thse people the financial aspect was just one more challenge they expected to overcome!
As we head into the second half of our training I am proud to say that the teammates we started off with on that cold morning in early February are still all together. We have all met our 'recommitment' amounts. Just as the pace line has grown tighter, the gaps between riders have gotten smaller and the hills seem to be getting a little easier because of the shared determination of our group, the Leukemia Lymphoma Society is being provided the funds it needs to continue its mission of helping blood cancer patients and thier families cope with these illnesses and providing researchers with additional funds to help us find a way to Cure Blood Cancer!
As a team we face challenges ahead, but can look back already on those we have overcome. And we are reminded each step along the way that no matter how tall our challenges seem to be, no matter how difficult that next climb is, no matter how far it is to the finish, our journey is far easier than the one faced by those who have heard the words"You have a blood cancer".
A little over two months ago I sat in a runners store with dozens of other extreme athletes who wanted to learn more about Team In Training. We heard about the accomplishments of alumni at various marathons, tri's and centuries. We heard about the friendships that develop as runners, swimmers and cyclists work as a team to prepare themselves. And then we got down to business.
Team In Training is afterall a fundraising activity of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society. Team In Training participants pledge to raise funds to fight Blood Cancers and help LLS provide services to patients, survivors and the families of those who have contracted these cancers. Each participant is asked make 2 commitments. To complete a training plan that will prepare them for the event they have chosen, and to raise money for LLS. Each competitor is required to reach a minimum amount of money by a certain date to remain on the team and then to reach a goal amount as the event approaches. As all of this was explained to us I could feel the energy levels ebbing in the room. I saw looks of concern on the faces of some people as it was explained that we each need to personally guarantee some of these funds. And then I saw my teammates. Those marathoners, triathletes and cyclists who listened to the details and picked up thier paperwork as they reached for thier credit cards. To thse people the financial aspect was just one more challenge they expected to overcome!
As we head into the second half of our training I am proud to say that the teammates we started off with on that cold morning in early February are still all together. We have all met our 'recommitment' amounts. Just as the pace line has grown tighter, the gaps between riders have gotten smaller and the hills seem to be getting a little easier because of the shared determination of our group, the Leukemia Lymphoma Society is being provided the funds it needs to continue its mission of helping blood cancer patients and thier families cope with these illnesses and providing researchers with additional funds to help us find a way to Cure Blood Cancer!
As a team we face challenges ahead, but can look back already on those we have overcome. And we are reminded each step along the way that no matter how tall our challenges seem to be, no matter how difficult that next climb is, no matter how far it is to the finish, our journey is far easier than the one faced by those who have heard the words"You have a blood cancer".
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Ups and Downs
Its been a busy and eventful two weeks since I last posted here. This time last week I was in the Smokey Mountains of western North Carolina on an unexpected trip. A wonderful woman who touched many lives in many ways left us. My Step Mother was 77 years young and suffered a massive cerebral aneurysm. Our families gathered to celebrate her life and all she gave to us. She will be missed, but as Father John said at her mass, she is probably already sitting with the Saints telling them what each one of us needs the most! We will miss her but each of us who had the pleasure to know her came away with something special.
Expecting the usual hurry up and wait of this type of gathering I made sure that my Felt was atop the car for the trip. The twelve hour drive is normally tedious, but still we arrived in early afternoon and the weather graced us with brightening clouds and barely a mist. As my kids settled into their rooms and located Aunts Uncles and cousins I slipped on my bike pants, grabbed my rain jacket and headed out for the 7 mile ride to my father's house.
Hendersonville is at the top of the Eastern Continental Divide, about 2700 feet above the fabled golf courses of the eastern North Carolina shore. I checked bikely.com for posted rides and the flattest one listed was a 30 mile loop with a mere 2900 total ascent! Even my short jaunt across town involved 2 climbs totalling more than 500 feet!
My training must be paying off. As I set out my son also set out, by car. He passed me as I spun up the first hill but I caught him at the light. Turning downhill I kept pace with the 35 mph traffic and even passed them at 2 succeeding stop lights. I was nearly half the way there when the tail lights disappeared from view. Two climbs and mile and half ride on an impossibly narrow shoulder and I pulled into Dad's driveway, less than 10 minutes behind my kids. And more surprising, not winded! After visiting a bit with family I headed out again. I had decided that as long as I was in the mountains it was time to ride!
Riding along I began to note some distinct differences from riding in my usual areas. Obviously there was NO Flat land! The shoulders were narrow and most of the time I was forced to ride on the left side of the white shoulder marker. In New Jersey that would be an invitation to horn honking, balled fists, hurled epithets and the occasional raised proclamation of an especially irate driver's IQ (Yeah Buddy, you're number one with me too!). I have had my share of right side mirror near misses and once cleaned a shoulder height streak along the side of a landscaper's box trailer. And all this on wider roads. As I made my way along NC-191 toward Asheville I glanced into my mirror and saw three or four cars pacing me but waiting to pass. I eased over and waved them by but they still hesitated until they could pass with room. The drivers weren't cursing or honking, they simply accepted the fact they were stuck behind a guy on a bike moving along about as fast as a John Deere tractor. When they got the chance to pass they did so, even waving and saying encouraging things as they went by! Maybe those Share the Road signs work!
I finished a 12 mile ride in about an hour. I had ascended a total of 1500 feet of the gorgeous Smokey Mountains. I had ridden awestruck at the scenery, and the blue tinged mountains that appeared around each new curve or over the next rise, and with the exception of one brutal section of aptly named Mountain Road, I came back to the house feeling like I might actually come to like hills! No don't get me wrong, I still hold to my previously espoused dictum, hill IS a four letter word. but as our training regimen moves forward and my leg strength and lung capacity increase they just don't seem as tall. Or was it my Step Mom, calling me by my full name, whispering encouragement in my ear?
My return home was in time to join the rest of my team Saturday for our weekly ride. Our coach Frank once again led us through hill technique and a series of drills meant to add options to our riding tool kit. The leg burn was back as we circled the same hill and even tried some 'cycle-cross' riding our skinny tires up a grassy sledding hill. The Southern NJ/Shore TNT Cycle team is such a great group of people. They are positive, friendly and determined. We encourage each other in both training and fundraising. We are what a team should be, and I am very lucky to be part of this awesome group of people!
This week is Recommitment Week. This is the point of no return. Team In Training is based on fundraising. A small part of our fundraising comes back to the team to underwrite our expenses. It is LLS's way of saying thank you and obviously goal oriented campaigns are more successful than just asking for a donation. This week is the first step. This week members will be asked to make up the difference between the minimum amount expected by this date or leave the team. I have been fortunate that my colleagues are among the most generous group of people ever. I sent in my order forms, reservation papers and waivers knowing I will be going to Tahoe. As we came back to the park it was my turn to whisper. I asked my Step Mom, "Help these great people stick together with the team Maureen!". I know she heard me, I hope my team mates hear her. I look forward to riding that last mile on June 7th with all of the great people I have come to know!
Expecting the usual hurry up and wait of this type of gathering I made sure that my Felt was atop the car for the trip. The twelve hour drive is normally tedious, but still we arrived in early afternoon and the weather graced us with brightening clouds and barely a mist. As my kids settled into their rooms and located Aunts Uncles and cousins I slipped on my bike pants, grabbed my rain jacket and headed out for the 7 mile ride to my father's house.
Hendersonville is at the top of the Eastern Continental Divide, about 2700 feet above the fabled golf courses of the eastern North Carolina shore. I checked bikely.com for posted rides and the flattest one listed was a 30 mile loop with a mere 2900 total ascent! Even my short jaunt across town involved 2 climbs totalling more than 500 feet!
My training must be paying off. As I set out my son also set out, by car. He passed me as I spun up the first hill but I caught him at the light. Turning downhill I kept pace with the 35 mph traffic and even passed them at 2 succeeding stop lights. I was nearly half the way there when the tail lights disappeared from view. Two climbs and mile and half ride on an impossibly narrow shoulder and I pulled into Dad's driveway, less than 10 minutes behind my kids. And more surprising, not winded! After visiting a bit with family I headed out again. I had decided that as long as I was in the mountains it was time to ride!
Riding along I began to note some distinct differences from riding in my usual areas. Obviously there was NO Flat land! The shoulders were narrow and most of the time I was forced to ride on the left side of the white shoulder marker. In New Jersey that would be an invitation to horn honking, balled fists, hurled epithets and the occasional raised proclamation of an especially irate driver's IQ (Yeah Buddy, you're number one with me too!). I have had my share of right side mirror near misses and once cleaned a shoulder height streak along the side of a landscaper's box trailer. And all this on wider roads. As I made my way along NC-191 toward Asheville I glanced into my mirror and saw three or four cars pacing me but waiting to pass. I eased over and waved them by but they still hesitated until they could pass with room. The drivers weren't cursing or honking, they simply accepted the fact they were stuck behind a guy on a bike moving along about as fast as a John Deere tractor. When they got the chance to pass they did so, even waving and saying encouraging things as they went by! Maybe those Share the Road signs work!
I finished a 12 mile ride in about an hour. I had ascended a total of 1500 feet of the gorgeous Smokey Mountains. I had ridden awestruck at the scenery, and the blue tinged mountains that appeared around each new curve or over the next rise, and with the exception of one brutal section of aptly named Mountain Road, I came back to the house feeling like I might actually come to like hills! No don't get me wrong, I still hold to my previously espoused dictum, hill IS a four letter word. but as our training regimen moves forward and my leg strength and lung capacity increase they just don't seem as tall. Or was it my Step Mom, calling me by my full name, whispering encouragement in my ear?
My return home was in time to join the rest of my team Saturday for our weekly ride. Our coach Frank once again led us through hill technique and a series of drills meant to add options to our riding tool kit. The leg burn was back as we circled the same hill and even tried some 'cycle-cross' riding our skinny tires up a grassy sledding hill. The Southern NJ/Shore TNT Cycle team is such a great group of people. They are positive, friendly and determined. We encourage each other in both training and fundraising. We are what a team should be, and I am very lucky to be part of this awesome group of people!
This week is Recommitment Week. This is the point of no return. Team In Training is based on fundraising. A small part of our fundraising comes back to the team to underwrite our expenses. It is LLS's way of saying thank you and obviously goal oriented campaigns are more successful than just asking for a donation. This week is the first step. This week members will be asked to make up the difference between the minimum amount expected by this date or leave the team. I have been fortunate that my colleagues are among the most generous group of people ever. I sent in my order forms, reservation papers and waivers knowing I will be going to Tahoe. As we came back to the park it was my turn to whisper. I asked my Step Mom, "Help these great people stick together with the team Maureen!". I know she heard me, I hope my team mates hear her. I look forward to riding that last mile on June 7th with all of the great people I have come to know!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Hill is a Four Letter Word
In some of my earlier posts I think I may have given my followers the indication that I am not all that fond of riding UP hills. Lets clarify that point then. I am neither fond, enthralled nor excited by hills. Despite that fact that I love feeling the wind rushing by as I reach for my drops and watch my speed climb, I do not look forward to the effort it takes to get to the top. I have often thought a rope tow or T-Bar for bikes would be a fantastic idea! But alas such is not the state of affairs in cycling. Hell, hills are the reason I do not ski cross-country. Put simply, HILLS SUCK!
Seriously, hills are just another challenge we all face whether we are casual riders on a weekend ride, or a pro team rider scaling les Alpes. They require technique, training and determination. As my teammates and I prepare for our Lake Tahoe adventure the prospect of over 4000 feet of ascents looms large. As does the need to train!
Although I live on the Jersey Shore and for the most part the dunes along Sandy Hook are the biggest climbs, you do not have to wander far inland to find a few short but steep hills. OK, compared to the Sierra they are mere speed bumps in elevation, but the grades are up there with some of the steepest Tahoe offers.
Beginning this afternoon I plan to take advantage of the added hour of evening daylight. Within a few rpms of my home are several 100-150 ft hills. Not the 7100 of Spooner Junction with its 9 mile ascent but some small steep hills. I have put together a series of loops that will take me up and down them 6 times in a 10 mile circle. I plan to start with 2 loops and add 1 a week until I can do them without burn and without losing cadence. I know the coaches have plans for some of the major ascents in the nearby mountains of north west New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania which i both look forward to and dread, but I plan to be prepared when we get to them.
When the going gets tough I will just have to remind myself of why I joined Team In Training. No matter how high the hill, 0r how much my legs burn or lungs ache, this is a far easier course than life with blood cancer. I know that one too, and while I was lucky with my leukemia, too many can not say the same. And many are so young they can not even express if for themselves or even comprehend what is going on. When my legs burn on those hills I will think of them and that thought will get me over the top, just as your support will get us closer to the top of the fight against Leukemia, Lymphoma and other blood cancers.
Seriously, hills are just another challenge we all face whether we are casual riders on a weekend ride, or a pro team rider scaling les Alpes. They require technique, training and determination. As my teammates and I prepare for our Lake Tahoe adventure the prospect of over 4000 feet of ascents looms large. As does the need to train!
Although I live on the Jersey Shore and for the most part the dunes along Sandy Hook are the biggest climbs, you do not have to wander far inland to find a few short but steep hills. OK, compared to the Sierra they are mere speed bumps in elevation, but the grades are up there with some of the steepest Tahoe offers.
Beginning this afternoon I plan to take advantage of the added hour of evening daylight. Within a few rpms of my home are several 100-150 ft hills. Not the 7100 of Spooner Junction with its 9 mile ascent but some small steep hills. I have put together a series of loops that will take me up and down them 6 times in a 10 mile circle. I plan to start with 2 loops and add 1 a week until I can do them without burn and without losing cadence. I know the coaches have plans for some of the major ascents in the nearby mountains of north west New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania which i both look forward to and dread, but I plan to be prepared when we get to them.
When the going gets tough I will just have to remind myself of why I joined Team In Training. No matter how high the hill, 0r how much my legs burn or lungs ache, this is a far easier course than life with blood cancer. I know that one too, and while I was lucky with my leukemia, too many can not say the same. And many are so young they can not even express if for themselves or even comprehend what is going on. When my legs burn on those hills I will think of them and that thought will get me over the top, just as your support will get us closer to the top of the fight against Leukemia, Lymphoma and other blood cancers.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Warmer Weather + Brighter Skies = More Miles
March is a such cruel month. Flip the calendar and there are the notations. "Daylight Savings Begins" "First Day of Spring" sometimes even "Easter Sunday".
The harbingers of spring! The new year really begins in March. Then of course you look out the window, snow flakes falling heavily. Turn on the tv and the smiling blonde says "wind chills in the single digits"! So much for springtime! And then it all changes. The pendulum swings and we have turned the corner.
Sunday morning we stole an hour from morning and tacked it on to the evening for the next seven months. For early risers it means flicking the headlights on after a 2 or 3 week tease of early morning sunlight. For Team In Training cyclists it is worth the sacrifice. The trainer gets packed away in favor of after work rides.
I have taken a few post work rides on warmer (not as cold??)afternoons. It feels great to be out, instead of spinning in front of a movie or late afternoon talk show. But it’s scary. Riding streets are always a challenge. Despite reflective clothing and multiple blinking lights, the cars just never seem to see you. Any cyclist can tell you about a near miss on virtually every ride, but in winter they seem to get more numerous.. and closer! Perhaps it’s the waning sunlight or maybe it’s the fact most drivers don't expect to see a cyclist when the thermometer says hot cocoa in front of a fireplace. What ever the reason, that extra hour of sunlight hopefully means I will be far more visible to those cellphone wielding, lead footed commuters who don't seem to notice the guy in the bright yellow, reflective striped jacket or the bicycle with the LED flashers fore and aft.
This weekend though, warmth and daylight all came together! Saturdaydawned bright and glorious with the temperature already around 50. For the first time in 6 months I was forced not to decide how many layers towear, but instead how few! I actually debated shorts or tights, and took a 2nd water bottle!
The Team rode 40 miles together. The time flew by. My teammates are a determined group of people. Not everyone is a strong or experienced rider, but we all have two things in common: We are going to Conquer Lake Tahoe and Fight Blood Cancer! With the help of Frank and Brian, our awesome coaches, the Southern New Jersey/Shore Region Team In Training Cycling Team will come into that last mile in a tight coordinated paceline on June 7th!
The harbingers of spring! The new year really begins in March. Then of course you look out the window, snow flakes falling heavily. Turn on the tv and the smiling blonde says "wind chills in the single digits"! So much for springtime! And then it all changes. The pendulum swings and we have turned the corner.
Sunday morning we stole an hour from morning and tacked it on to the evening for the next seven months. For early risers it means flicking the headlights on after a 2 or 3 week tease of early morning sunlight. For Team In Training cyclists it is worth the sacrifice. The trainer gets packed away in favor of after work rides.
I have taken a few post work rides on warmer (not as cold??)afternoons. It feels great to be out, instead of spinning in front of a movie or late afternoon talk show. But it’s scary. Riding streets are always a challenge. Despite reflective clothing and multiple blinking lights, the cars just never seem to see you. Any cyclist can tell you about a near miss on virtually every ride, but in winter they seem to get more numerous.. and closer! Perhaps it’s the waning sunlight or maybe it’s the fact most drivers don't expect to see a cyclist when the thermometer says hot cocoa in front of a fireplace. What ever the reason, that extra hour of sunlight hopefully means I will be far more visible to those cellphone wielding, lead footed commuters who don't seem to notice the guy in the bright yellow, reflective striped jacket or the bicycle with the LED flashers fore and aft.
This weekend though, warmth and daylight all came together! Saturdaydawned bright and glorious with the temperature already around 50. For the first time in 6 months I was forced not to decide how many layers towear, but instead how few! I actually debated shorts or tights, and took a 2nd water bottle!
The Team rode 40 miles together. The time flew by. My teammates are a determined group of people. Not everyone is a strong or experienced rider, but we all have two things in common: We are going to Conquer Lake Tahoe and Fight Blood Cancer! With the help of Frank and Brian, our awesome coaches, the Southern New Jersey/Shore Region Team In Training Cycling Team will come into that last mile in a tight coordinated paceline on June 7th!
Monday, March 2, 2009
Fourteen Weeks to Tahoe!
Only three pages cover that big red circle on the calendar. June 7th is now only 98 days away, 14 weeks til we clip into our pedals, mount our bikes and head out to challenge the Sierra Nevada around Lake Tahoe. In 1960 these mountains were full of Olympians competing for the honor of thier nations at the VIII Winter Games at Squaw Valley. This June the mountains will echo the words "Go Team" as 3000 Team In Training cyclists take up a different challenge... the challenge to find a cure for blood cancers while meeting thier own personal physical challenges. For me the challenge is not the distance. I have ridden 2 centuries and take long rides regularly, but I am a 'Flatlander'. The bumps around Lake Tahoe are bigger than the 300 foot hills around the Jersey Shore. My challenge is the combined 4100 feet of ascents and the altitude we will be riding at.
The team is coming together. After only 2 weeks of riding together we have begun to sort out the team. I am more than certain things will change as we move from flat land to hills, but for now we have our riding groups and the relationships that go along with riding with someone are developing. We even had a paceline working together in the wind, pulling and drafting and keeping the tempo and speed during this past weekend's ride. The road always feels shorter when you have others to ride with, the more the merrier! Perhaps the hills won't feel as long or high with a group as well. We will find out in the coming weeks. Longer and more challenging rides are in the immediate future and I for one am looking forward to it. In the mean time its to be a combination of distance, cardio and core.
The team is coming together. After only 2 weeks of riding together we have begun to sort out the team. I am more than certain things will change as we move from flat land to hills, but for now we have our riding groups and the relationships that go along with riding with someone are developing. We even had a paceline working together in the wind, pulling and drafting and keeping the tempo and speed during this past weekend's ride. The road always feels shorter when you have others to ride with, the more the merrier! Perhaps the hills won't feel as long or high with a group as well. We will find out in the coming weeks. Longer and more challenging rides are in the immediate future and I for one am looking forward to it. In the mean time its to be a combination of distance, cardio and core.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Friday, February 20, 2009
Stability Balls.. Nothing Stable about them!
I have managed to reach 57 years old without feeling or even thinking of age as a major factor in my life. I maybe be heading toward what are called the "Golden Years" but I have always felt as if I were still in my salad days. One of my most pleasant memories come from a comment my son Jeff made to me. We were at a girls softball game and admittedly a bit bored and decided to wander about. We reached a rail fence at the far end of the field and I took 2 or 3 easy steps and hurdled the fence. Jeff who was probably 10 or 11 looked at me and said with pride "Dad, You are the biggest kid I know!"
It is perhaps a dozen or so years since then but I cherish that day. I am the biggest kid I KNOW! I try never to let a physical challenge pass but I do it with discretion these days. I have always felt like I was in good shape and I hate to admit I have never paid much attention to my physical condition. Daily activity and riding bicycles, skiing, skating and all have kept me in relatively good shape. Now that I have embarked on this challenge I have decided to take my conditioning a step further. I have quit smoking totally, I am eating better and am working on breathing exercises to help offset the torture I have put my lungs through. And I bought a stability ball!
It is perhaps a dozen or so years since then but I cherish that day. I am the biggest kid I KNOW! I try never to let a physical challenge pass but I do it with discretion these days. I have always felt like I was in good shape and I hate to admit I have never paid much attention to my physical condition. Daily activity and riding bicycles, skiing, skating and all have kept me in relatively good shape. Now that I have embarked on this challenge I have decided to take my conditioning a step further. I have quit smoking totally, I am eating better and am working on breathing exercises to help offset the torture I have put my lungs through. And I bought a stability ball!
WHO NAMED THIS THING?! At this moment a big red ball lurks in the corner of my room where it has made its home. I looks at me each time I walk by. It waits for another chance to humiliate me, to push me over the edge, to remind me I am no longer that big kid. I have conquered smoking and beaten blood cancer only to find myself held hostage by a big red ball!
Now this is not your typical red rubber ball.. its not the ball of whom the Cyrkle sang in 1964.. it is not a ball you would give a 3 yr old at the beach. No this is a ball that is determined to bring me to my knees figuratively and literally! It is obviously a device crafted by the Marquis de Sade's own personal trainer. Rumors abound that the President has banned its use at Guantanamo!
I tried to use it for core strengthening. "They are Great!" I was told by one 'friend', "You will get so much from it Dad, and with a LOT less soreness" said my former gymnast son, "Go for it!". Lies and propaganda! I tried to sit on it, to bounce on it gently, to become one with this unstable squishy torture device. It tossed me from side to side, it rolled me across the floor and during one "Easy stretch" it unceremoniously rolled me over tossed me up in the air and left me flat on my face in a corner after I completed a back layout with 1/2 twist onto the hardwood floor of my apartment, as it, my oppressor, rolled gleefully into the corner, where it now sits awaiting the opportunity to once again remind me of my impending dotage.
Who ever named these things stability balls must have been the same person who came up with Jumbo Shrimp, Military Intelligence and Educational Television. There's nothing stable about it!
On a saner note, I met the rest of my team this wekeend and we went for our first ride. I am really looking forward to spending more time with them. It was 28 degrees (Fahrenheit - don't get me started on Metric) and here were a dozen people as determined as I am to both conquer blood cancers and the mountains of Nevada and California. We rode together, finding our riding partners and making friends. I am very excited to be part of this wonderful group and look forward to spending the next 4 months and hopefully well beyond riding and becoming friends with these great people!
My fundraising continues to amaze and astonish me, my teammates and even the LLS, and I once again find it hard to express my gratitude for your support! I learned this past weekend that YOU are the 9th most generous group of sponsors in the entire nation! Only a corporate team of 8 has raised more funds than I have. Thank you and congratulations!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Spinning Closer to Tahoe - Week 2 Fourteen to go!
The weather is slowly turning better, except it seems on the days I plan on a ride. Layers and underarmor again!
And bronchitis!! UGH I hate colds!!
It really hard to ride when you fight for that extra breath. Ok, I am a former smoker, the former aspect a recently added adjective. That said its easy to recognize where my concerns for our ride comes. My legs can handle the lactic burn, the hills will hurt no doubt but by June the muscles will be ready. If there is one concern that will be with me until I coast down the last hill and make that turn back into the Horizon I am going to worry about my lungs.
I got to watch some of the Tour of California yesterday. I watched the riders struggle up Sierra Rd and again over Peterson. I have driven the 580 and 205 and I know those hills! They are formidable, and to watch the best riders in the world struggle along at 12-14 mph I could feel thier burn. Again I felt MY Lungs ache, and I ride at Sea Level! I listened to the commentary as the talked about the difficulty of today's leg south through the Sierra Nevada above 2000 ft. Tahoe is at 6200 and Spooner Junction climbs to more than 7000. I do hope I cant see them breathing hard!
Tomorrow is supposed to be blustery. We don't have very big hills here so I will point my front wheel into the wind. As any cyclist knows wind is the hill that Never Ends, and as I train for Tahoe its going to be my mountain simulator.
Once again I want to say thank you to all my supporters. No matter how hard my training is, no matter how thin the air is or how much my chest aches. No matter how difficult the headwinds, I have one secret weapon in my bag, I have YOU!
And bronchitis!! UGH I hate colds!!
It really hard to ride when you fight for that extra breath. Ok, I am a former smoker, the former aspect a recently added adjective. That said its easy to recognize where my concerns for our ride comes. My legs can handle the lactic burn, the hills will hurt no doubt but by June the muscles will be ready. If there is one concern that will be with me until I coast down the last hill and make that turn back into the Horizon I am going to worry about my lungs.
I got to watch some of the Tour of California yesterday. I watched the riders struggle up Sierra Rd and again over Peterson. I have driven the 580 and 205 and I know those hills! They are formidable, and to watch the best riders in the world struggle along at 12-14 mph I could feel thier burn. Again I felt MY Lungs ache, and I ride at Sea Level! I listened to the commentary as the talked about the difficulty of today's leg south through the Sierra Nevada above 2000 ft. Tahoe is at 6200 and Spooner Junction climbs to more than 7000. I do hope I cant see them breathing hard!
Tomorrow is supposed to be blustery. We don't have very big hills here so I will point my front wheel into the wind. As any cyclist knows wind is the hill that Never Ends, and as I train for Tahoe its going to be my mountain simulator.
Once again I want to say thank you to all my supporters. No matter how hard my training is, no matter how thin the air is or how much my chest aches. No matter how difficult the headwinds, I have one secret weapon in my bag, I have YOU!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
The First Summit is Behind Me! - A Thank You!
When I think about the ride I am training for, the AMBBR 09 - Lake Tahoe Century, I think of hills. The 800 foot climb through the switchbacks on the way up to Emerald Bay and the 1000 foot 9 mile pull up to Spooner seem to be the toughest. But there is another one, and thanks to the support and generosity of my friends and colleagues I am over the top of that first critical hill!
About 2 hours ago my son Daniel and my future (hopefully) daughter in law Becky made the donation to my fundraising page that put me over the $4800 minimum goal required to be part of the team.
My personal goal is to raise as much as WE can for this effort to fight Blood Cancers, and I hope that those of you who have not had the chance yet to make a donation still do so. No matter how big the hills are that I face, or have faced during my own journey with leukemia, blood cancers are the biggest hill of all. That summit is still in the distance, and we won't cross it until we have eliminated them all!
Thank you all for supporting me both through this and through my fight. Words can not begin to express how much your friendship and support have meant to me!
About 2 hours ago my son Daniel and my future (hopefully) daughter in law Becky made the donation to my fundraising page that put me over the $4800 minimum goal required to be part of the team.
My personal goal is to raise as much as WE can for this effort to fight Blood Cancers, and I hope that those of you who have not had the chance yet to make a donation still do so. No matter how big the hills are that I face, or have faced during my own journey with leukemia, blood cancers are the biggest hill of all. That summit is still in the distance, and we won't cross it until we have eliminated them all!
Thank you all for supporting me both through this and through my fight. Words can not begin to express how much your friendship and support have meant to me!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Weekend 1 in the Mirror 15 more til Tahoe
Mother Nature cooperated this week! I put the cabin fever aside, dusted off the gears and proceeded to over do it!
Actually 2 rides for about eighty miles total isn't overdoing in my book. and with the ambitious conclusion to this 16 week training I have embarked upon it really is just a warm up.
Last week we kicked off the 09 TNT training season. Even though a snowstorm delayed us 1 day team members got together and got their training schedules.
Now lets stop for a moment here... I am a cyclist but I have never maintained any specific fitness regimen. My occasional gym memberships have gone wasted. I would rather go for a long hike, walk 18 holes or ride 50 miles than do 3 sets of 10 reps of some mindless exercise. That said the idea of riding a century at 1 mile plus above sea level has made me a bit more conscious of the need to prepare. So I have begun to do a few of those sets and reps. I have started to eat better and I am riding harder!
Actually 2 rides for about eighty miles total isn't overdoing in my book. and with the ambitious conclusion to this 16 week training I have embarked upon it really is just a warm up.
Last week we kicked off the 09 TNT training season. Even though a snowstorm delayed us 1 day team members got together and got their training schedules.
Now lets stop for a moment here... I am a cyclist but I have never maintained any specific fitness regimen. My occasional gym memberships have gone wasted. I would rather go for a long hike, walk 18 holes or ride 50 miles than do 3 sets of 10 reps of some mindless exercise. That said the idea of riding a century at 1 mile plus above sea level has made me a bit more conscious of the need to prepare. So I have begun to do a few of those sets and reps. I have started to eat better and I am riding harder!
OK so I muddled through the core training Thursday afternoon.. took Friday off to let my muscles stop throbbing and woke up Saturday with the idea of a good hilly ride. I live on the Jersey Shore. Hills for us are mostly what other people consider bumps but with some planning I was able to plan a 43 mile loop with some pretty good ones. I use bikely.com to plan and map my rides and the elevation profile there is a great tool. While the biggest hills were 150-300 ft. there are a few pretty steep ones (150 ft in 1/2mile for example) and the hilly sections totalled 1600 + feet.
Sunday the weather was even better! Temps were in the 50s at 9am and heading into the 60s. No UnderArmor today! We took off from Swedesboro in south west NJ and headed east toward Parvin State Park.. a 50 mile loop on flat country roads. They said by afternoon the winds would pick up but our plan was to be back by then. The best laid plans.... by noon the winds were howling.. westerlies.. and our cars were 18 miles west! We decided to break off the ride about 8 miles short of our goal and head back. I later learned the winds were steady at 25 with gusts to 45. There were times it felt as if the bike hit a wall. Speeds and cadences dropped as we climbed small rises only to be greeted with gale force gusts as we crested each successive rise. It was like a hill that never ended. I imagine this is what the 9 mile climb up Spooner is like.
This weekend is our first Team ride. In between is Core and cardio and a couple of short rides. The weather doesn't look promising for Saturday a chance of rain or snow they say, but I will be there.
**Fundraising Note: I just send off a check for a few cash donations. With pending matching funds, a likely corporate sponsorship and the check I just mailed my first hurdle is behind me. I am on the Team! I AM GOING TO TAHOE! I can not express often enough my gratitude for the generosity of my family, friends and colleagues. Not only does having the fundraising aspect complete allow me to focus on training, but you have provided a boost to my motivation that is beyond words. Thank You Thank You Thank You
Thursday, February 5, 2009
16 Weeks and Spinning!
Four Months from today the SNJ Team will be meeting at the airport and heading off to put our training to the test.. the Sierra Nevada and the AMBBR - Lake Tahoe Century.
Its there.. the light at the end of the tunnel. At kick offs across southern New Jersey last night and tonite my team mates got their packets and training schedules. Mother Nature promises to help this weekend with comfortable cycling temperatures (its 9F as I write this) and the off cycle training has been laid out for us. Sunday is Day 1 of Week 1. 102 days to prepare.
My fundraising has almost reached the target so I can focus now. Thanks to many generous friends and colleagues I can concentrate on legs and lungs so when that first hill rises up I am ready to rise to the challenge.
Go Team!
Its there.. the light at the end of the tunnel. At kick offs across southern New Jersey last night and tonite my team mates got their packets and training schedules. Mother Nature promises to help this weekend with comfortable cycling temperatures (its 9F as I write this) and the off cycle training has been laid out for us. Sunday is Day 1 of Week 1. 102 days to prepare.
My fundraising has almost reached the target so I can focus now. Thanks to many generous friends and colleagues I can concentrate on legs and lungs so when that first hill rises up I am ready to rise to the challenge.
Go Team!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
I Used to Like Snow
I just had a chance to look out the window at work. Where I work the view is awesome. The exchange is located on the west side of downtown Manhattan, on the Hudson River. Normally looking out the front windows offers a view of New York harbor, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island and more. Today all I see is snow flakes!
Tonite IS the TNT kickoff so an afterwork ride was not on the agenda, but I really dont want to ride my trainer the rest of the week. Sunday's ride gave me the urge.. primed the pumps.. made me long for good riding weather. And that darn rodent says 6 more weeks of this?!?!
I know I have a long way to go til I am ready for Spooner and the switchbacks and I am getting impatient. The weatherman says this weekend will be warm and sunny so I will focus on that and try to get an hour on the trainer between now and then.
And to think... I really used to like snow!!!!
Tonite IS the TNT kickoff so an afterwork ride was not on the agenda, but I really dont want to ride my trainer the rest of the week. Sunday's ride gave me the urge.. primed the pumps.. made me long for good riding weather. And that darn rodent says 6 more weeks of this?!?!
I know I have a long way to go til I am ready for Spooner and the switchbacks and I am getting impatient. The weatherman says this weekend will be warm and sunny so I will focus on that and try to get an hour on the trainer between now and then.
And to think... I really used to like snow!!!!
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Feb 1 - My Training Kick Off
The weather cooperated today with sunny skies and warm(er) temps.
My legs may have been rusty and the course was not the Sierra, but I got on the bike today and pulled a 17 mile run. (If you're interested I will list all my routes on Bikely.Com -CLICK HERE -search for Gene990)
Only some small hills, but with a steady wind in my face for most of the ride I got a good workout.
When the lactic acid burn hit and I thought about breaking off the ride and heading home I thought about the generosity of my friends and pushed on.
On a fundraising note I again want to thank all of you for your support! Our official Team in Training Kick Off isnt for 2 more days yet and I am at 80% of my minimum goal! Thank You again from the bottom of my heart!
My legs may have been rusty and the course was not the Sierra, but I got on the bike today and pulled a 17 mile run. (If you're interested I will list all my routes on Bikely.Com -CLICK HERE -search for Gene990)
Only some small hills, but with a steady wind in my face for most of the ride I got a good workout.
When the lactic acid burn hit and I thought about breaking off the ride and heading home I thought about the generosity of my friends and pushed on.
On a fundraising note I again want to thank all of you for your support! Our official Team in Training Kick Off isnt for 2 more days yet and I am at 80% of my minimum goal! Thank You again from the bottom of my heart!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Getting Ready For Tahoe
Keep an Eye Out Here
I am going to try to blog my training
I am a terrible blogger but I promise to give it a try!
--Gene
I am going to try to blog my training
I am a terrible blogger but I promise to give it a try!
--Gene
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