The Big Day

The LIVESTRONG Challenge event turned out to be everything I was hoping for and more. The morning started off early with the family rising at 5:30am and making it to the festival area by 7am. We had just enough time for a quick family photo under one of the yellow balloon arches before we had to get into position for our respective events.


I made my way over to the 100 mile staging area while Robin and the boys hung out by the stage area, which was not exactly where they needed to be. The 5K run/walk staging area was a few hundred yards and many, many bodies away from there. It turns out Robin knew what she was doing. A few minutes before they let the 100 mile riders go Lance rode less than 3 ft away from her and the boys on his way to the starting line. I looked on amazed and just a little bit jealous. Robin did her part by not interfering with Lance in any way.

The weather was nearly perfect all day. It started out cool, but short-sleeved cool with no need for arm warmers or a jacket of any kind. The San Jose Police closed the entire course for about the first 20 miles which was quite a thrill. Riding through red lights while the officers waved us through and held up traffic was more fun that it should have been. The rest stops were well stocked with natural food as well as the usual chemical concoctions that pass for energy food. I stuck with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, fruit and gatorade/water. I had a few rules that I set for myself on this century ride:

1. Be safe
2. Stop at every rest stop
3. Ride at my own pace
4. Have fun!

The roads were crowded at first, which required some attention, but they gradually thinned out the farther along I got. I was tempted to skip the first and third rest stops but I know from previous experience that frequent stops and small bites to eat is the best way to go on a ride of this duration. Riding at my own pace was pretty easy because I'm not into racing as much as I used to be. I saw lots of people go flying by and I caught up to many of them later. Metcalf arrived at mile 67 and there were lots of people struggling up it. I was still feeling pretty good at this point and although I sweated a lot, it really wasn't too bad. Having fun was pretty much a given. My training paid off so I felt pretty strong throughout, and seeing Lance out there, even if it was just at the beginning, was a highlight.

As I neared the finish and realized that I had made it through the day, I started to get increasingly more excited and happy about what I had accomplished. Robin and the boys, along with two good friends of mine, Jim and Wendy Olwell, were waiting for me at the finish. I almost collapsed when I saw them but that feeling wasn't from physical fatigue. It was a good thing I had my bike to hold me up. I wanted to give everyone a hug right then and there but I was a bit too sweaty.


What a great day! We're already talking about next year. In his speech to the crowd on Sunday, Lance said that San Jose set a record for attendance and fundraising for an inaugural LIVESTRONG Challenge event and they will definitely be back next year. It was truly a memorable experience.

Some final stats for the day:

Miles ridden: 95 (not sure if my odometer is off or not)
Time: 6 hours, 44 minutes (including time spent at each of the rest stops)

And overall:

Funds raised: $3570 (not including the approximately $500 of Adobe matching gifts)
Total miles ridden: 674.5
Dollars raised per mile: $5.29

Thank you again for all of your support. I hope you have enjoyed experiencing this adventure with me. Here's one last photo of Robin and I from the fundraising appreciation dinner. Her support of my effort from start to finish was instrumental in helping me reach my goals. Thanks my dear - you're the best!

Pre-day Festivities

Bright and early this morning Robin, the boys and I went down to the San Jose Convention Center to pick up our LIVESTRONG Challenge event materials. They're doing the run/walk so they got timing chips in addition to their event numbers. I got a hat, messenger bag, jersey and two tickets to the fundraising appreciation dinner. I wasn't sure what to expect from the dinner but to say it exceeded my expectations would be an understatement. I was hoping that Lance would get up and say a few words and by the time it was over he had been on stage for an hour and a half, talking about his foundation, handing out some awards and answering questions from the audience. Robin remarked afterward that he comes across as a very down-to-earth person. His demeanor in talking with the folks in attendance belied the level of his fame. You can tell he is even more passionate about his foundation than he was about racing in the Tour de France.

One interesting stat that Doug Ulman, president of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, shared with us is that 76 participants were invited to the dinner. Those 76 people represented 2% of the total number of participants in the event, yet they managed to raise 44% of the $1,500,000 raised for the San Jose event. The dinner was a great way to get ready for the task of riding 100 miles tomorrow.

I also managed to squeeze in an 18.5 mile ride today just to make sure the bike and my legs were still ready to go. My final training numbers are:

Training period: 42 days
Number of rides: 23
Total miles: 579.5
Time on the bike: 36 hours and 50 minutes

On the Home Stretch

With only a few days left before the Challenge event the excitement is building. I received an email today inviting me and a guest to the pre-event dinner on Saturday evening. Robin and I are planning to make a fun evening of that. The email indicated that Lance will indeed be addressing the attendees and I'm looking forward to hearing him speak.

We'll be heading to downtown San Jose earlier on Saturday to pick up all of our materials for the event. The street closure signs have been posted in and around downtown for the past week. It's shaping up to be a fun and action-packed weekend.

I'm continuing to rack up miles, with a 26.5 mile ride yesterday and a 24 mile ride today. Today's ride was a tough one because I climbed the north side of Hicks, easily one of the toughest hills in the area. I use this hill as a metric of my conditioning. Trying to do Hicks with insufficient miles in your legs is just asking for trouble. Even with 500+ miles in my legs over the past 5 weeks it was still a difficult climb. It didn't help that the only time I had to ride today was at lunch time so the temperature was warmer than I would have liked. It still felt great to be out riding, though, and the past two days brought my mileage total up to 561 with two more training days before the big event. I'm planning to take it easy on Saturday and haven't decided what's on tap for tomorrow. We'll see how I'm feeling in the morning.

I also received two more donations from co-workers and that's always a lift. My fundraising total is now $3,570. I've received more than $500 in donations from fellow Adobe employees, so with our company's generous matching gift program my final total will be over $4,000. I continue to find inspiration in the support I've received. Thanks again to everyone.


Mileage so far: 561
Days left: 2

I Am Ready

The three day weekend provided ample time for riding and I took advantage of it. After Friday's 35.5 mile ride left me feeling completely drained I have to admit that some doubts about my physical readiness and ability began to creep in. I decided to take it easy (easier, really) on Saturday and only rode 26.5 miles. I felt much better and my confidence returned. I still needed a much longer ride to convince myself that I really was ready for doing 100 miles in one day. Today was that ride. I left the house early because the afternoon temperatures have been getting up into the high 80's/low 90's and I wanted to avoid the affects of sun and heat exposure. I left around 8:30 with three energy bars and two large water bottles. I wanted to do 60 miles and figured I would have to stop somewhere along the route to restock my supplies, at least the water.

I rode down McKean Rd. to Willow Springs Rd. Both of these are on the LIVESTRONG Challenge route, though the route inserts quite a few miles in between where I turned to go onto Willow Springs Rd, but I still had plenty of miles ahead of me. Willow Springs Road is one of those lazy, south San Jose roads that I just can't get enough of. It's quiet, secluded, shaded and has plenty of wildlife flitting about. I could ride that road all day and never tire of it.

I then turned north on Hale to Bailey to head back to do Metcalf again. I wanted to do it one more time before the Challenge to make sure I could handle it. I felt really good today and got a kick out of meeting another rider who is planning to do the Challenge next weekend on the way up to the top. After Metcalf it was down the back side and a left turn on San Felipe Rd, another part of the Challenge course. San Felipe is right up there with Willow Springs for enjoyment factor. It's not quite as secluded but still I rode nearly 10 miles with only 1 car passing me. Sheer bliss.

As I was approaching home it was clear I wasn't going to log a full 60 miles, but I knew it would be over 50. I pulled up to the house with my odometer reading just over 54 miles. That will do, I thought. My legs felt great and I could have ridden for many more miles. Forty-six more? Well, I will have more and better rest stops during the Challenge ride, so yeah ... I'll be able to do all 100 next weekend. Bring it on!


Mileage so far: 510.5
Projected mileage: 596
Days left: 6

Go Natalie

I went for a fairly difficult ride this morning: 35.5 miles including two tough hills (Harry and Hicks) and two medium sized hills (Kennedy and Shannon). I then spent the 4th of July with my family and the cumulative effects of the ride and sun really wiped me out this evening. I think I've decided to do a shorter ride tomorrow to recover a bit and then do my long ride on Sunday.

On my ride today I rode past a rather uplifting sight. I don't know who Natalie is, but I'm happy to hear she's joined the list of cancer survivors. Click the photo for a larger version.


Mileage so far: 430
Projected mileage: 531
Days left: 8

A Family Affair

Robin, the boys and I got to talking this evening at the dinner table about the LIVESTRONG Challenge. I mentioned that there is a 5K Run/Walk option that only requires an entry fee (fundraising is optional). Robin thought this was a great idea and it didn't take too much to convince the boys it was something they wanted to do as well. After dinner I quickly logged on to the LIVESTRONG Challenge site and registered all 3 of them before they could change their minds. :-) Now we've got all four of us participating and I'm very excited about that. They will be done with their event long before I return from my ride but they're planning to meet me at the finish line upon my arrival. It's going to be an exciting day and I'm really looking forward to it.

I also made one final plea to a select few of my friends and I'm happy to report that I added another $300 to my fundraising total. Thanks everyone! This brings my new mileage goal up to 579 miles. I'm not really close to that pace at the moment but I do have a big weekend of riding planned. We'll see how close I can get to it. Thanks to everyone for helping to raise the bar.

Almost There

There are only ten days to go until the ride and I'm getting close on my mileage goal. I'm planning a couple of rides this weekend, one extra long, that should get me fairly close to my mileage goal. I want to taper off my riding in the final week so I'm fresh and ready to go on Sunday, July 13th.

I've also got 7 days left to raise funds for the ride, and while I've met my initial fundraising goal I'm still hoping to get a few more donations in this final week. It's a worthy cause and it means a lot to me. I'm very grateful for all of the support I've received so far.

I hope everyone has an enjoyable 4th of July!

Ridin' With SJBC

I participated in my club's training ride this evening. This is a weekly ride held every Tuesday evening. The course is a 2-mile loop with a 200 ft. hill on the backside. I did 14 laps this evening for a total of 28 miles and 2800 feet of climbing in one hour and 24 minutes. That works out to an average of 20 miles per hour, a pretty good pace for a training ride.

Am I ready for the Challenge ride? I'm not sure but I'm getting close. I'm a bit concerned that my longest ride has been last Saturday's 39 miler. I'm going to do something longer this weekend. Maybe as much as 60 miles.

I noticed today that my bike needs new tires. The ones I like, the Michelin Pro2 Race, cost almost as much as automobile tires and weigh about 1/50th as much. Talk about a small form factor premium!

Mileage so far: 394.5
Projected mileage: 534
Days left: 11

Metcalf

The LIVESTRONG Challenge route planners have a sadistic side to them or a twisted sense of humor. At about mile 75 (out of 100) they've decided to throw one of the tougher hills in our area at the riders. A fellow rider from my bike club told me that Metcalf, at about a mile and a half long and almost exactly 1000 ft difference from bottom to top, has about the same average steepness as many of the hills the Tour de France riders climb each year. Granted, the "hills" they climb are actually mountains and much, much longer. But still, climbing Metcalf does make you feel like you're suffering like some poor domestique trying to stay on the leader's wheel. (Image courtesy of Almaden Cycle Touring Club).

The weather today was spectacular, except for the haze that persists from the fires. It was a comfortable 82 degrees with a cool and gentle breeze blowing. I could have ridden all day if it were not for the other things I needed to get done. I did manage to get in 39 miles, my longest ride yet and I'm beginning to feel more ready for the 100 mile Challenge ride. I'm still not looking forward to Metcalf after having ridden 75 miles though. That really will be a challenge.

Mileage so far: 366.5
Projected mileage: 550
Days left: 14

Bees and Shining Eyes

There are quite a few fires raging in California right now and the air quality is rather poor. It makes for nice sunsets but not so great to ride in. I was coughing more than I'd like after Tuesday night's effort with my bike club which made me decide to take a couple of days off in preparation for riding this weekend. I will probably ride tomorrow (Friday) as well, time permitting.

This leaves me with some time to write about something a bit off-topic: parenting. A friend of mine, and supporter of my Challenge, sent me a link today that was one of the best things I've seen on the internet in quite a while. It's a 20 minute video of a talk titled "Classical Music With Shining Eyes" by Benjamin Zander, a classical music afficionado who enjoys increasing people's appreciation for classical music. As a parent of an 8-year who is learning to play the piano - and doing quite well I might add - this talk really connected with me. And there are some words of wisdom for everyone near the end. If you have 20 minutes to spare you will be glad you watched it. It left me with "shining eyes".

Another link that resonated with me as a parent of school-age children was "Animal School" published by the Raising Small Souls web site. It is difficult to think about our educational system the same way after watching this, and it will make you appreciate your children's differences. Forget the sitcoms tonight. Sit down in front of your computer and watch some thought-provoking videos on the web.

I'm off to go give my bees - I mean boys (watch the Animal School video and you'll understand) - a pat on the shoulder as they sleep. Oh, and I have to play tooth fairy for Weston (Shhhhhhh....).

Energized and Motivated

As I mentioned in an earlier post I wasn't sure what to expect going into this Challenge thing. I'm not the best at asking people for money, even if it's for a cause as worthy as fighting cancer. I can say now, three weeks into this, that it has been a truly rewarding experience and one that I would encourage anyone and everyone to do.

I had a few doubts about the physical part but since I've done century rides in the past I figured I would be able to handle that part OK. I set a mileage goal that was challenging but manageable. Twelve miles per day doesn't sound like a lot, especially to some of my cycling friends, but it is when you have a family and job to look after. If you miss a day, then guess what? You're looking at 24 miles the next day and so on. So far I have enjoyed the time on the bike so much that the miles have ticked away rather enjoyably.

The other part, the fundraising, was a big unknown to me. I've donated to many causes in the past so I knew it well enough from that side, but to get donations and words of encouragement from friends and family is really a big mental boost. In many ways it shows off the best of the human spirit, and it's impossible not to be moved and motivated by that. And some of the letters I've received along with the donations have satisfied the Jimmy V daily requirement #3. The health benefits are tangible now - 8 lbs. lost and counting - but it's the connections I've made (or re-made) and the names and stories I ride with in my head that are the true reward.

On the fundraising front I am excited to report that I met my primary goal today! It took me 16 days to do it and I'm looking forward to seeing how far I can exceed it in the remaining days. I've created an additional goal for myself to increase my training mileage 1 mile for every $5 over my goal that I receive, so if you've thought about donating then it's not too late. You can get me to ride more and help even more people in their fight against cancer. And a huge thank you to everyone who has helped me reach my initial fundrasing goal. You are the wind at my back.

I did ride today: a fast-paced 27 miles with the bike club I belong to. Thanks guys and gals for the quality, butt-kicking workout. I would not have ridden that hard without you.

Mileage so far: 310.5
Projected mileage: 543
Days left: 18

Pedaling On

Friday and Saturday were blistering hot but I rode anyhow. Today the temperature dipped almost 25 degrees and I was rewarded with some fabulous time on the bike. It's amazing how much the weather can affect the overall enjoyment of a ride. It also helps that my leg strength continues to improve and I've shed about 5 pounds already. It's time consuming riding this much but it has definite advantages. My challenge after this will be to keep riding and not let my work schedule interfere as much as I let it this past year.

It's about time for an updated graph to show where I am on my mileage goal:


I'm going to take the day off tomorrow and then ride my bike club's Tuesday night training ride which is always a fast paced workout and great for tuning up the cardio-vascular system.

Mileage so far: 283.5
Projected mileage: 513
Days left: 20

Strength Returning

I rode at lunchtime today (the 2008 summer solstice) which was a bit of a mistake. The weather reports put San Jose at a high of 102 degrees today and I think I pretty much hit it at or near the peak. You don't quite notice how hot it is while you're riding because of the wind, but it is quite evident when you stop riding and it takes you two hours - seriously - to return to a normal body temperature.

Despite the heat it felt great to be out there on the bike. I was able to clear the rollers (small hills) in my big chainring which I had not been able to do since resuming training, so that's an encouraging sign. Also, I climbed Camden which is a medium sized, gradual ascent hill in my big chainring and I was quite excited about that. Another 24.5 miles added to my log and I'm now almost exactly on pace. With some extra time for riding this weekend I should be ahead of the pace by Monday.

Mileage so far: 236.5
Projected mileage: 497
Days left: 22

Fundraising update

What do San Diego, the San Francisco Bay Area and The Netherlands all have in common? Locations from which I received donations today. This was the second best day of fundraising, bettered only by the first day. It's exciting and inspiring to get this support from family and friends. Thank you again to everyone who has helped put me in position to make my fundraising goal. I'm only $115 dollars away with three weeks to go and while I don't want to let up too much, it's looking pretty good for me to make the $3000 goal. So good, in fact, that I've decided to update my mileage goal. I'm going to challenge myself to maintain a $5/mile pace. This means for every $5 I raise over $3000 I will ride another mile in training for the LIVESTRONG Challenge century ride. So if you haven't donated yet here's your chance to make me get out and suffer ride even more! Go for it! I know I'm up for it. Are you?

Funds raised so far: $2,885.00
Funds left to go: $115
Days left: 23

Terrain of Truth

Like some cyclists I know I have a strange predilection for climbing hills, long steep hills. I refer to hills as the "terrain of truth" because there's no way to hide your weaknesses on a hill. I used to be a really strong climber, back in my younger days. Now I mostly struggle up them like the majority of cyclists, but this doesn't mean I like them any less. Almost every one of my training rides for the LIVESTRONG Challenge has included a hill (or two) of some kind.

Today, spurred on by a conversation with a colleague at work, I decided to try climbing Hicks Road, one of the real quad-busters in our area. The south side is less steep so I looped around through New Almaden, an interesting little town that time has mostly forgotten (except for a few multi-million dollar mansions that are popping up here and there). I figured I had put enough miles in my legs to not destroy my knees although this didn't make the climb any easier. Riding near my anaerobic threshold most of the way I could feel the lactic acid building up in my legs. Also, sunscreen-laced sweat ran into my eyes which were being simultaneously besieged by the infamous Hicks summer gnats. To say I was ready to turn around and take the long way back home on flatter roads would be something of an understatement. I persevered, however, and made it to the top cursing that blasted hill. The loop did give me some extra miles and I'm even closer to being back on track. And I received a donation from Tasmania today! Garrett, our 8-year old son, would say to that: "Maximum awesomeness!"

Mileage so far: 212
Projected mileage: 495
Days left: 24

Happy Birthday Robin

We returned from four fun-filled and exhausting days of outdoor fun at San Jose Family Camp yesterday. Everyone had a blast, the kids especially, and I hopped back into the regular swing of things today despite being a bit light-headed. I wasn't sure I was going to get in a ride today, seeing as how I was worn out and it was Robin's birthday. We had plans to take her out for dinner but she still allowed me to squeeze in an hour ride. She said to me last week when I wasn't feeling like riding: "Cancer doesn't take breaks, so you shouldn't either." That was more than enough motivation to get me on the bike then and those words echoed in my mind this evening as I headed out for a 1-hour, 17-mile ride. I needed another 15 miles to get back on track from my 4-day hiatus but I'll chip away at those miles this weekend.

On the fundraising front things have slowed a bit, but I am still receiving donations and encouraging words from friends and family. Thank you again to everyone who has helped so far. It's still too early to tell which is going to be the more difficult goal to reach: 600 total miles (including the event) or $3,000 raised.

Mileage so far: 189
Projected mileage: 467
Days left: 25

Funds raised so far: $2,035
Funds left to go: $965

Seven Straight

The title of this post does not refer to Lance's Tour de France victories but rather the number of consecutive days I've ridden. I've maintained a good pace this week and have gone from a projected total of 155 miles last Thursday to 602 today. Tomorrow we leave for four days of relaxation in the mountains and when I return my projected total will be down to 452. That will be more than enough motivation to hop back on the bike and get riding again. I'm definitely feeling faster, lighter and stronger ("Citius, Caudicarius, Fortius" - my own Olympic motto).

Mileage so far: 172
Projected mileage: 602
Days left: 30

Thank You!

As I mentioned previously I wasn't sure what to expect when I sent out my request for help. Well, my high school teacher taught me never, ever to use the phrase, "needless to say" ("If something is needless to say," she opined, "then why say it?"), but I'm going to eschew that advice and say that needless to say, I've got some amazing family members and friends. The outpouring of support has been truly inspiring. I got my first donation within 10 minutes of sending out my plea for help. That was a rush. Then the next day I received several more donations. I'm moved by the support I've received so far. Several of you have sent me emails mentioning people you know who are battling cancer. You and the people you care about are among the thoughts that run through my mind as I pedal toward my goal. Your support means a lot to me and I'm as motivated as ever to make this my most important century ride ever. Thank you again!

Funds raised so far: $1,675
Funds left to go: $1,325

On Track (for now)

I commuted to work yesterday (13.5 miles round trip) and participated in my bike club's weekly training ride this evening and for the first time since I started this venture I'm finally above the 500 mile pace mark. This is good news, but trouble looms... We're leaving Friday for a 4-day camping trip, which means 0 miles for those days. I need to ride 72 miles in the next two days to not leave myself in a mileage hole when we return. I don't think I've got 72 miles in me the next two days, particularly considering that I've now ridden 5 straight days to finally get on track. Next week will be another challenge for me to get back on track. The good news here is that I'm feeling in better shape than I've been in for quite a while.



Mileage so far: 120.5
Projected mileage: 508 (yes!)
Days left: 32

Weekend Wrap-up

On Friday things weren't looking too good for my mileage goal. Even after riding that day I was still on pace to make only half of my target miles. Two weekend rides that resulted in a couple of sun-burned arms* have positioned me closer to where I need to be. I'm still not there yet and I'm going camping next weekend (no riding) so it's still going to take some hard work to get fully on track. The daily projected mileage graph is trending in the right direction, however:


* I forgot to use sunscreen on Saturday but I lathered up on Sunday.

Mileage so far: 86.5
Projected mileage: 454
Days left: 34

Inspiration

With over 10 million Americans battling cancer the chances are pretty good that you know someone who is currently fighting cancer or has fought cancer in the past. I lost my Uncle Bob to cancer several years ago. Bob was one of the biggest-hearted people you could possibly meet. He lived in Wisconsin so I didn't get to see him that often but I remember our visits to the dairy state when I was a kid and young adult. Bob always had time for the nieces and nephews and taught me a lot of things that kids growing up in California may not be familiar with.

Another person whose fight against cancer has inspired me is David, a 12-year old San Jose kid who was on the robotics team I coached in 2006. David is a real trouper with an indomitable spirit that is truly inspiring. His determination and drive to be just like the other kids, while undergoing fairly aggressive chemo treatments, is something I think about sometimes when the going gets tough.

Two other people I never met but who have provided more inspiration for me are Jimmy Valvano and Randy Pausch. In 1993 Jimmy V, as he is often called, gave a moving speech at the ESPY awards. In this speech he said that everyone should strive to do three things every day:

• Laugh
• Think
• Cry ("have your emotions moved to tears")
  

"If you laugh, you think and you cry, that's a full day, that's a heck of a day," he said. The first two items on that list are easy. If you need any assistance with the third item then I recommend watching his 10 minute speech on YouTube. His cancer foundation's motto is: "Don't give up. Don't ever give up." Words to live by.

Randy Pausch is someone you may have heard about already. His Last Lecture video and book became internet sensations a few months ago, and for good reason. I first encountered his work when I downloaded Alice, a programming environment for kids that I was interested in as way to help my kids and robotics team members learn to program in a fun and engaging environment. Randy's group at Carnegie Mellon University was responsible for this great programming tool. More recently, however, Randy was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and he's chosen to spend his remaining days helping others achieve their childhood dreams through his words of wisdom. This 11 minute video from his Oprah appearance provides a short but inspiring glimpse of this amazing person. I've also read his Last Lecture book and highly recommend it. You can also follow Randy's journey on his personal information page.

If there is somebody you would like me to honor during my ride, please let me know. I will display a list of all honorees during my ride. I haven't figured out exactly how I'm going to do this yet, but the actual form of the list will depend on the number of names on it.

Fundraising

The LIVESTRONG Challenge is a benefit ride (or run) and requires participants to raise money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation. This is my first event of this type so I've never been on this side of the fundraising process. I'm not really sure what to expect but I set a personal goal of $3,000. I'm already a week into my training so that leaves only 5 weeks to go. Can I raise $600 per week, nearly $100 per day? We'll have to see. If you want to help you can go to my LIVESTRONG Challenge page:

Steve's LIVESTRONG Challenge Page

If your employer has a matching gift program then you will need to provide the following information for your matching gift to count towards my goal:

• Participant's name: Steve Dakin
• Challenge City: San Jose
• Participant ID: 223528977

The LIVESTRONG Challenge site has more information about the matching gift process. It can take several weeks for matching gifts to be applied to my account so if you are planning to take advantage of this please do so as early as possible. If you need any assistance with matching gifts just let me know and I'll be happy to do the paperwork for you.

Thank you!

Funds left to raise: $3,000
Days left: 35

Nobody Said It Would Be Easy

I said my project was wrapping up, but that doesn't mean I'm off the hook yet. I was pressed for time again this week so I found myself driving to work to save some extra time. Here it is Friday and I haven't ridden the bike since Sunday. Not a good omen. I decided to work from home so I could take a break in the afternoon for a repeat of Sunday's ride. Aside from a bee flying into my helmet, it was an uneventful ride. I saw the bugger heading for my head and I knew it was going to be a close call. I heard a slight thwack! on the side of my helmet and I wondered if he had managed to avoid the gaping vents on the side and top of my helmet. I reached up tentatively and heard him buzz like crazy. Oh-oh. Thankfully I learned to ride with no hands long ago so I sat up, removed my helmet, brushed out my hair and thanked my lucky stars that I didn't get stung.

Here's a chart that shows how this week affected my projected miles:


I've got a long ways to go...

Mileage so far: 37
Projected mileage: 259
Days left: 36

First Ride

I dusted off the cobwebs (metaphorically speaking) and took the bike out for an easy spin. I did my ol' standby, an 18.5 mile loop that comprises three medium sized hills. These hills are enough to get your heart rate up but not enough to bust your knees, a wise choice considering how long I've been off the bike.

Being a Sunday I was able to stop at the farmer's market on the way home and pick up some peaches. Nothing quite like peaches, I say. I picked out two nice looking ones and handed them to the woman behind the scale. She weighed them and announced the price as $1.50. I handed her $2 and told her to keep the change. She said, "Then you can grab another one." I saved $0.25 cents on that third peach! Sometimes it's the little things in life that really perk me up.

Total mileage so far: 18.5
Projected mileage at this rate: 777 (yeah, right!)
Days left: 41

Living a Little Stronger

I'm an avid cyclist but you would be forgiven for questioning this statement after seeing the dust build-up on my bikes. I've been focused on my project at work lately and now that it is wrapping up, I've decided to get back into a regular cycling regime. One thing that helps in such endeavors is to set a goal and work toward it. I've done quite a few century rides (100 miles in a day) in past years and thought that would be a good goal for this year. Shortly after making the decision to do a century ride an email arrived in my work inbox: Jim Sink, a colleague of mine at Adobe is organizing a team to ride in the LIVESTRONG Challenge on July 13th. This is sooner than I had hoped in that it doesn't give me as much time to prepare as I would like, but I'm always up for a good challenge. In addition to setting a goal to ride 500 training miles in 6 weeks so I can ride 100 miles in one day, I also need to figure out a way to raise money for the event. Jim has set a goal of 25 riders for the team and a total fundraising amount of $15,000. I've joined the team and you can view my personal challenge page here.