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.
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Tuesday, April 28, 2009
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
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