90 miles...I really did it!!!!!!!!!

All the training, hard work and time in the saddle paid off on Oct.25, 2009. Yes, I completed the Lance Armstrong Challenge of 90 miles on a bike. I made it in a little over 6 hours. Not too bad for a rookie!

The weather was sunny with winds up 20-25 mph. No matter how hard the wind blew, I was not about to give up. Cancer may have taken a part of my body, but it wasn't going to take me down...not today. This day was all about kicking cancer’s butt.

The LAF weekend was a huge success. I met people from all over the world and the U.S. The weekend was life changing for me and more importantly...life changing for others. Another amazing thing was that this weekend raised over 4 million dollars for the foundation.

As the old Chinese proverb says, “One picture is worth ten thousand words.” So, I will let the photos tell the story.

This is at packet pick-up. I got to meet Chris Carmichael, Lance's trainer. This was a huge thrill for me.

Elisha and I at the LiveSTRONG appreciation dinner the night before the event. Yes, "Mellow Johnny" himself was there! What a great time for all.

New friends at our table...Blair, Marty and Dana. We met at the LAF dinner. Blair and Marty are from CA and Dana's from Dallas, TX. The girls did the 5k and Marty did the 90 mile ride.

Here, I just unloaded my bike. I got up at 4:30 am WITHOUT an alarm...can you believe it? I guess I had a little adrenaline pumpin' in the ole' body this morning!

At the Starting Line getting a good place in crowd. Almost 4,000 bikes - YIKES!!!! What a big event for my first one? You know me...not afraid of taking on giants.

Mellow Johnny himself...Lance! A few words of inspiration from the host. I think he got us all pumped up for the challenge. My pulse was racing now...and I wasn't even on the bike!

And we're OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mile 52 and pedaling hard to the next "Power Station" on the route. My butt is starting to feel the pain and getting off the bike to get a banana and Gatorade is just around the bend. OMG - I can hardly wait!






Guess who showed up at the next Power Station???? Elisha and RICH (my s on-he's been away at college and surprised me last night before the dinner-what a awesome gift it was)!!!!!!

Here I come... .....all I have to do is finish!

I can't believe it...I did it!!!!!!!!!! I guess something is not really a challenge unless you have a little doubt. ;)








Getting my survivor Yellow Rose rocked! I have in vase at home now...it's one special rose :) I did it!!!!

Thank you all for your support, prayers and good wishes!!!! On Oct. 25th I kicked CANCER in the ASS!!!!!

and road my bike to tell everyone about it.

Two Days Away...GAME ON!

It’s now two days away and I did my last training ride before the big ride yesterday with my friend Beth. Yes, I am still feeling a few butterflies, but Beth has a way of making me feel so ready. She’s always telling “you’ll do great…you have put in the training and that’s what it’s all about.” It is so great to ride with such a positive friend that can pump you up when you are feeling a little self-doubt.

If you read this Beth…TY for all your encouragement and helpful advice…you rock!

Now, it is time for my mental preparation and time to get on my game face.

Lance once said, “Through my illness I learned rejection. I was written off. That was the moment I thought, Okay, game on. No prisoners. Everybody's going down.” That’s kind of how I felt too during my chemo. It’s the attitude you must have to get through the pain you are about to endure.

My battle with cancer taught me that when you train your mind, your body will follow. Your mind can be your best friend or your worst enemy. That is why it is paramount that I focus on how far I have come in my quest. What started out at 6 miles has evolved to 66 and 70 miles. That in itself is a huge accomplishment.

Sure, there have been many times that I would have preferred staying in bed and sleeping in or sitting on the couch with a glass of wine and watching a movie versus going out and training. The difference was my inner voice. The internal influence that always tells me that there are no short cuts to reaching goals and that I have never regretted a workout or training session.

This year, my goal is to finish the 90 mile ride and not be routed off to a shorter course. Next year, I can strive for a new PR!

Leavin’ for Austin tomorrow morning!

The Final Week Countdown

Today begins my final week of training leading up to my big bike ride in the Lance Armstrong Challenge (LAC). The LAC is the 90 mile ride I have been training for in Austin,, Texas happening this Saturday. All the money raised goes to the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

My good friends and ride buddies keep telling me that you don't get in any better shape the final week before an event. You have to work with how far you've come, and that this week is for light training and almost more importantly REST!!!

So keeping all their sage advice in mind, I will only ride twice this week. Tuesday will be a short ride outdoors, trying to keep my distance down around 25 miles. On Thursday afternoon I'm hoping to get the bike out for one last 20 mile ride. And then Friday and Saturday will be off days, with the ride at 8am on this Sunday.

It's also an important week for eating for me. My diet will include plenty of protein and carbs, and water. I have to make sure I stay well hydrated because I will be going through plenty of liquids on Sunday. So, this week will be early to bed, eating right, and no alcohol.

All in all, a very lackluster week for me.

Good thing that we have the AT&T Champions Tour event going on in my backyard this week. At least, I can get outside and watch some great golf on the course at Oak Hills Country Club. This distraction will take my mind off the ride as I am starting to get a little anxious about the big event.

Memorial Ride

Last night, there was an 'Honor Guard Bicycle Ride' to honor and show support for a couple who were killed in an accident. Greg’s father, Gary Bruehler, had asked the cycling community to show their support in an email he sent to a friend. Myself, and about 300 hundred area cyclists showed up to ride.

Gregory Bruehler, 42, and his wife, Alexandra, 36, were riding tandem on Texas 16, about three miles north of Helotes at about 10:45 am, when a pickup that veered off the highway and plowed into them. The driver dragged the cyclists for about 200 feet before stopping. The accident killed Alexandria instantly and Greg died about an hour later after he was air lifted to an area hospital. The couple left behind a 7 year old daughter, Kylie.

The biggest insult to this story is that the driver was not charged, nor even received so much as a traffic ticket for his actions. This is truly tragic. These two seem to have so much to give and so much to live for.

Was he texting? Was he on the phone? What was the issue? Why was he distracted? Why did he go off the road? Driver inattention...is basically what it amounts to. I am outraged there's nothing we can do about drivers not paying attention here in Texas.

Last night I could not hold back my tears as I shook Gary’s hand. Greg’s father personally went down the line shaking everyone’s hand that showed up last night for the ride. It broke my heart to see little Kylie there in tears at the memorial service.

I did not personally know the couple, but wanted to show my support to the family. You can’t help but think that the next time this could be you. You can take all the precautions needed when out riding, but it will not matter if drivers do not keep their eyes on the road.

Putting in Saddle Time

What a difference cool weather makes when you are riding a bike. It makes the miles fly by as well as makes those big hills a lot easier t o climb. Yes, I am still bathing in the ether of my morning ride today…35 miles of 70 something weather...ah, what a great time of year to ride in the Texas hill country!

I don’t mind riding alone in weather like this. Even if I’m running late to a meeting and there is a ruthless headwind, I am happy. If I get soaked by a sneak rain shower attack, I swear, laugh and keep on pedaling. When I get to ride with a friend, it’s double the fun.

So, how’s my training going? Super! I am right on schedule for my upcoming Lance Armstrong Challenge this month in Austin, TX. It’s less than four weeks away now and I feel that I will be ready for the 90 mile test.

To date, I have put well over 2,000 miles on my bike since mid April. As with most sports, proficiency only comes when you have spent hours and hours “in the saddle.” The time I have put in has translated into muscle memory for future use and improved performance. Can you imagine the hours the tour riders spend in their saddles developing extreme fitness and mental concentration?

As I approach the end of my big mileage phase in preparation for the LAC, I can certainly feel how my relationship with my bike has evolved. I now feel totally “at one” with my bike. When I hop on my bike, I feel in sync, smooth and confident—I can grip a corner, hop a bump, climb a big hill, and power along the flats like never before.

Must be all those hours in the saddle!

Cycling-No Matter What

First of all, I apologize for the not blogging for a while. I have been getting in my rides. It’s just that my work has really kept me pretty busy these last couple of weeks.

Today I had to do the last 10 miles of my training ride in the rain. Quite frankly, I kind of liked it. There's an odd sense of quiet when I ride in the rain and my tires make a kind of hissing noise as they cut through the water that I kind of like. It’s a very peaceful calming feeling.

Of course, there are a few safety things that you should keep in mind when riding in the rain. One, you need to pump your breaks and allow yourself a longer amount of time to stop. Two, be aware of cars for the same reason – they can’t stop as easily either. Three, you are more susceptible to flats in the rain since rubber rolling over broken glass punctures more easily when it's wet than when dry.

Additionally, I like the fact that riding in the rain makes me feel serious. I know I am really committed to reaching my goal when I do it. I get home, dry off and feel exhilarated for having done something that most people regard as a horrible undertaking. So there's a bit of headstrong glee in it.

Let’s face it; we bicyclists are a strange lot. We are outdoorsy, healthy and hearty. At the same time we are intensely independent. Yes, we sometimes ride in packs; but we are still riding on our bike alone. It’s that feeling of “me against me” that we all enjoy.

This weekend I am going for 70 miles on the “Is this the Last Hill?” ride through the Texas hill country. God, I hope we get a little rain!

Another Freakin’ Bee Sting - OUCH!

Last Saturday, I got stung again on another ride! I can’t believe it. What are the odds? O.K., I guess that I should go out and by a lotto ticket now.

After my first sting about a month ago, I did a lot of research. Some websites suggested carrying Benadryl or Calamine Lotion in your saddle bag. Others cyclists I talked to suggested other insect sting topical ointments that you can find in your local drug stores. All of which, were said to help but not cure.

Somehow my “sting incident” came up in a conversation I was having with a friend of mine from Mexico the other day. Her suggestion was garlic. Yes, GARLIC. She said that when she got stung as a child that they put a smashed clove of garlic on the sting and that the garlic drew out the insect poison. My friend swore by this old remedy and so I thought it was worth a try.

Well, ever since that conversation I have been riding my bike with a couple of large cloves of garlic wrapped in cellophane in my saddle bag. You know…just in case.

This last Saturday about 30 miles into my 60 mile ride…ZAP, I got stung on my leg near my knee. I screamed…“CRAP, I got stung again!!!!” and then yelled to my cycling buddy that I was stopping to get out my garlic. “Garlic?” he said, “What’s with the garlic?” So, I told him the story about my friend as I was getting it unwrapped from the cellophane.

First, I pulled out the stinger since I could still see it. Then I smashed a clove with my shoe on the road and put the smashed innards on the sting and sting area (you gotta hold the garlic on the sting the entire time). At first, it just hurt like heck and then all of the sudden the pain started to subside. Within about two minutes, all you could see was the small point where the stinger was pulled out of my leg.

After this episode, I got comments like...“you have to ride in the back now, no one wants to ride down wind of the garlic.” Yes, my garlic cure was the material for a few more jokes along the ride that day. However, every time I showed someone the sting area they were amazed at the result.

When I got home I told my husband about the incident and showed him my leg. It was truly amazing! The last time I got stung the area had welted up to a 4 inch red swollen bump. Burning and itching for about a week.

All I can say is that garlic is just as important as an extra tube on my rides!

FY I- Next week, I am going for 65 miles!