Gene's Team In Training Blog: I Used to Like Snow

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!!!!

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Why I Ride for TNT

I have been asked a few times, ok more than a few times, why a Century and why Tahoe?

Its easy to answer that.. Because it is a challenge to me and in the last couple of years since my diagnosis with CLL this one seems pretty daunting, but an achievable goal.

Two years ago today I laid in a hospital bed fighting fevers like I had never had before. It was 2 weeks since my first round of chemo, a 4 day binge of Rituxin, Cytoxan, and Fludarabene and an assortment of pills all meant to purge those damn little white blood cells from my veins. It wasn't so bad actually! I kinda remember some nasty hangovers that more than gave the worst side effects a run for the money.

I went into work for 1 day and then looked forward to a relaxing weekend. It was not to be! I woke in the middle of the night with chills, spent the next day alternately shivering and sweating and by 1o that night I was in Jersey Shore Medical Center where I would remain for the better part of the next 2 weeks. It seems I had gotten an inflammation of the veins in my arms. I made the decision to get a PortaCath when I was able to.

I also made another decision during that time.. that when I got out it was time to REALLY take care of Gene. For the past 20 or so years my job my kids my family all came first. Yes I did the civic duty and parental duty without reserve. I served for more than a decade in our local goverment and coached more than my share of youth sports. I didn't miss school plays or class trips when I could sneak the time from work. But I had forgotten about Gene. Not that I regret it. My kids are the brightest stars in my sky. My time spent GIVING was well worth the effort. Nothing feels better than walking through the mall and having a young man come up to me and say Hi Coach, and when I see some of the things I implemented during my time in borough hall I stand proud to have had the chance. And anyone who knows me knows the immense pride I have in all three of the fantastic young people my kids have grown to become.

Before the kids came I used to ride avidly. Living on Staten Island I was able to commute to my job, a commodity trader in the World Trade Center, by riding my bicycle to the ferry and into Manhattan. Weekends were spent on 2 wheels.. riding over the hills down the middle of the island becuase I could! That all changed with Dan Jeff and Shannon. Not that we didnt ride, but its hard to tow 3 kids along on a 40 or 50 mile spin. My bikes got hung in the garage and forgotten for the most part.

I completed my chemo in May, the daily neupogen visits were the worst part of it and I felt lucky. Normal CBCs and an ok to get active again. Not that I hadn't been. Those friends on whom I leaned during my treatments will tell you I am stubborn. Despite the advice to go and relax, take a nap, save your strength. Despite the leg pain from the damn neupogen I didnt miss work and I didnt miss a tee time. I didnt make it to the 18th hole everytime but I was out there! It kept me sane during the mind numbing routines of chemo and neupogen and it kept my mind active and off the discomforts I was feeling.

I had made my mind up way back at the beginning that I was going to do something special when I kicked this thing into remission.... I was going to get back on 2 wheels again!

I got a Trek 7.3FX and started to ride. I did ok, remembering technique and working on stamina and strength. I rode all summer and even did a couple of group rides. I was managing to hold a 75 cadence and ride about 13 mph and I HATED riding hills. I didn't ride during the winter but come this past spring I was out there. I upgraded to a better fitted 7.5FX and rode 3-4 times each week. the cadence was up to 80+ and the speed over 15. I rode the NY City Century and then the SeaGull Century. I was so happy to be back on 2 wheels!

It was during the SeaGull that I got to talk to some of the many TNT riders among the 6500 cyclists messing up traffic all around the DelMarVa that gorgeous October saturday. I had read about the AMBBR on the web and of course being a survivor of CLL the combination seemed to be a natural. I bought a road bike (the Trek is great, but kinda rough for those long distance rides), a Felt z35! A steed compared to my tank!

I contacted my chapter a few days after the SeaGull and counted the days til the kick off meeting. I rode and trained, my fantastic kids having gotten me a magnetic trainer for christmas.

Two weeks ago the long awaited email came. I signed up, paid my fee, customized my TNT page and asked for support from my colleagues and friends! These awesome, amazing, generouso people have not let me down! In ONE WEEK they have sponsored nearly 85% of my minimum goal and thier words of encouragement and charity have left me with tears in my eyes on more than a few occassions!

When those switchbacks loom ahead, and I start that long pull up to the top of Spooner each of my sponsors will be with me.. behind me giving me that extra push, providing a tail wind and reminding me that I cant stop!

Well that brings us to today and I still haven't answered the Why.

WHY do I ride for TNT, WHY is this so important.

Thats obvious to me. I AM A LEUKEMIA SURVIVOR because people helped LLS to fund research and because that research led to the cocktail that has kept me in remission for the last 20 odd months.

NOW its my turn to do the same. NOW its my time to fight back not against my blood cancer but against ALL BLOOD CANCERS.

I love to ride, I love a challenge and I firmly beleive we all have a obligation to leave a little more than we take from life, to pay our dues and to make the world a little bit better than it was before we came here. TNT allows me to put it all together in one place, and because I am willing to make the commitment to train and fundraise I will get to take an incredible bike ride.

AND I MIGHT EVEN START TO LIKE HILLS!

Gene's Team In Training Blog

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

I Used to Like Snow

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