I’ve been keeping my road bike in the trainer lately and commuting on the mountain bike. That is until yesterday when my pedal and crank had a falling out – more on that in another post. February training in Seattle isn’t the best but thanks to some drainage issues I now have a room in the basement all to myself. Check it out:
Note the fancy new drainage system where the wall meets the floor.
The stool in front is where the laptop goes to play the training DVD, it’s a nice setup really and the wintery breeze with the windows open keeps everything nice and cool. If you’ve never ridden on a trainer I’ll have you know it’s very hot since you aren’t actually moving meaning there is no air moving over you.
Team Bear riders after finishing 65 miles… some would say, the cutest couple on the course!Lucifer and some pals…
The bike was sometimes the rock star in the crowded field… with almost 4,000 bikes, it certainly was the most unique. Team Bear, 6 riders strong, had a great time in the hill country outside of Austin. The Austin LiveStrong Challenge and the Ride for the Roses brought in a little over $4million dollars with a total of $10.1 million raised in all four cities total. Team Bear in Seattle was the number 4 team with $25,689 raised. Kevin brought in $17,649 to the Lance Armstrong Foundation and was honored by being invited to ride in the front group of the Austin LiveStrong Challenge and Ride for the Roses. While I didn’t get a chance to actually meet Lance, I was privileged to attend several events where many, many special guests were honored for their efforts to help the Livestrong movement.
We met lots of great people throughout the weekend and look forward to continuing some of those friendships. There were people from around the world there.
We also learned that Seattle will again host a LiveStrong Challenge in 2010! June 18-20 Seattle will play host to a great event and Team Bear will ride, run and walk again! Stay in touch if you might be interested in joining us, and get out there and ride your bike!
Just back from a 24 mile ride, trying to shake out some of the cobwebs in my head. Last couple of days have been miserable sometimes as memories and emotion flood my mind. I had to get out and focus on the road ahead of me, literally. Not that riding keeps me out of my head, it just slows the rest down as I have to concentrate on what the next 10ft, 100 yards, and 2-3 miles bring me. Map and stats of the ride here.
Speaking of goals ahead:
October 23-25 Team Bear will be traveling to Austin, TX for the Ride for the Roses and the Austin LiveSTRONG Challenge.
At this point I have received my invitation to ride with Lance in the Ride for the Roses that weekend, once I reach the $15,000 mark I am provided a friend invitation and Michael will be joining me. Marc has purchased tickets and has committed to extending his fundraising efforts to qualify him for the Austin Challenge event that same weekend. Marc has also taken on the task of recruiting the other Team Bear members in joining us! So here we go again!
I am really looking forward to heading down there, and having as many Team Bear members join us in Austin is going to make it that much better! The Ride for the Roses is going to rock, as we will be peddling along with 7 time Tour de France winner and as of today 3rd place winner of the 2009 Tour de France, Lance Armstrong! Go Lance! With less than a year of racing, Lance’s comeback is something else!
Kevin and I went on a mini but sweaty and tough uphill ride this evening. Ugh. Warmer air, car exhaust and traffic made me feel pretty vulnerable to the upcoming 70 miles. I keep chanting, it’s a ride-not a race, it’s a ride-not a race. It’s a sort-of Little Engine that Could chant. I have to think too that, I am healthy and capable. No matter how slow or hard riding the bike is, it’s a lot easier than what my brother and Beth are doing.
Beth returned from her trip to Geneva and dramatically lost some physical capabilities. Because the chemo therapies are not working, her tumor is growing and therefore putting pressure on areas of her brain. This has caused her to loose the ability to move her right arm and leg. She is now unable to walk or move from place to place without assistance from Kevin, me or someone else. So, I have to think 70miles-no big deal. I’m healthy and capable to do almost anything all by myself, and I’m thankful and humbled by that.
I’m leaving Sitka tomorrow to be with Beth and Kevin. I finished my last ride (39 miles) here before packing up the bike for Seattle. The ride was free of my ipod and cell phone, leaving me only with the thoughts of landing at their doorstep. Beth returned from her trip and I think they have had some difficult days. I’m looking forward to being with them.
Here are some pictures of Beth. I just wanted to post them. This ride and trip is about her, so here she is.
Kevin and I headed out for a 50 mile ride Tuesday along the Green River. We kept up a hard pace on the way out and worked just as hard on the way back into a head-wind. After about 40 miles the legs were showing some wear just in time for a climb up California Way from Elliott bay – about 300 vertical feet.. Honestly after the climb my legs felt better than before so I think the ride up Village Park Drive at mile 36 in the LIVESTRONG Challenge will help refresh the legs. Kevin posed the question in a previous post and now I can say I feel ready.
Of course a ride with Kevin wouldn’t be complete without the camera. He is surprisingly good at keeping it still while riding
Just went for a 12 miler around West Seattle. Started up California to the Admiral then down Admiral, reversed course at the bottom of the hill and cruised Alki, back around the bend past Colman Pool, around Lincoln Park and back up the hill to the house.
Good ride until I headed back up the hill and the bike would not stay in one gear! ARRH! The lower gears kept skipping around, jumping back and forth! Made for a frustrating ride those last 3 miles! So on arriving at the house I packed up the bike, drove up to the shop where I just had the rear cassette replaced two days ago so they could take a look… well, 45 minutes later guy asks, did you have a 8 or 9 speed on this before? Well, its an 8 speed shifter so it needs to be an 8 speed cassette right?! Needless to say, tomorrows ride will be on a 9 speed while the 8 speed is ordered. They were very nice and apologized several times for the mistake but I don’t really have time for this!
Well, tonight I will dream of the Renovo R2 I am sure!
Just returned from a 51.6 mile ride from West Seattle – along the Duwamish River and the Green River – down to South Kent and back. Great spin! I hadn’t put in that many miles in almost three weeks with the trip to Alaska and then getting that cold that still isn’t completely gone. Kept the average effort low just to keep the cadence up and not have to cut the time short. At just over 16 mph average that 50 miles was done in 3:05:17.
The plan over the next week while Beth is traveling is to put in several long rides. I would like to do at least two, maybe three more that are over 3 hours. With that I think I will be in good shape for the Challenge. Erika is going to come into town early that week so that we might get out on a couple of rides for her to preview some of the course and to get out as a group too. I am really excited for her to be here and get out on the road!
I just got a message from the travelers and they are having a great time. They are in Provence, France staying at Katherine’s (travel partner and great friend from Seattle) Dad’s Inn. Not sure what day they are leaving but the plan was to head out to the North Coast of Italy, maybe Portofino.
Here’s a little video from the ride. Not as fun doing these when you are by yourself… but none the less here you go.
So I have been battling a cold and allergies for the past week plus and haven’t been out on my bike. Its killing me! I plan to get on the saddle tomorrow morning when I head in for an appointment down near Pike Market. Looking very much forward to spinning my wheels a little.
Things around here have been good, although challenging. We had a great weekend with a Saturday picnic (read more on Beth’s new blog http://www.offthetopofmyhead.org ), and a productive day around the house today and some fun running around with Beth this afternoon. Things have recently gotten a little harder for Beth as she has more right side weakness in her arm, hand and leg. She also has had more difficulty with her speech, particularly when she is tired. My heart aches a lot more these days and I find that I am a bit more tired too…
You may notice that we have gone far past our fundraising goal as a team. Thank you to everyone who has put a little something forward in our salute to our incredible Beth. I am only a few steps away from making my goal. I just so wish that somehow we find what is necessary to reach a goal for Beth in halting the tumor growth. We will continue to fight and will never give up hope for Beth!
thanks again for everyone’s support! We love you all!
I woke up early yesterday, Memorial Day, and used the extra time for a solo ride around the North loop of Lake Washington. I was supposed to call Kevin about a ride but that seemed inappropriate at 5:30am. I spent some time lost near the UW where the only vehicles out were garbage trucks moving our disposables about as if it were any other day.
I felt good about the ride which ended up being 48.5 miles. I try not to look at millage while riding otherwise I might have spun around the block until the computer said 50. I was able to average over 14 mph which isn’t too bad given the 2900 feet of climbing. I’ll get a map up once my phone is willing to upload it. The route is interesting where I got lost in Laurelhurst and avoided the speed trap on the Burke-Gilman in Lake Forest Park. Yes, there is an officer on a Motorcycle clocking cyclists and will give tickets.
Kevin did this loop a couple weeks ago and wrote about motivation. One thing clear to me is the motivation provided by hatred for cancer. Cycling affords time to concentrate, relax and release some anger all in one package. Sometimes a solo ride is just the ticket, until you get caught talking to yourself.
