3 days and counting

We’re down to 3 days before our departure. It’s an incredible feeling to be so close to such a grand adventure. Bonding with the people associated with this Challenge to Conquer Cancer has been a big highlight of the last several years.


It is amazing to meet such a group of selfless individuals. Many of the people associated with the Challenge to Conquer Cancer spend A LOT of hours preparing for fundraising events. Of course these folks have families, jobs and other activities they are involved with. It just happens that fighting cancer is something they have a passion for, and they are tireless in their efforts.
 
Tonight we gathered at the Brown Street Club for the Jazz Jam to Conquer Cancer. Of course it was an excellent time, and Montana Skies rocked the house. It was really great to see everyone. We are so ready to make this journey.

I hope everyone follows along with these blogs. And please, make comments on the blogs – it really means a lot to us when we hear from you.

Next post will be from the road. See you there!
jd

A letter to my Challenge to Conquer Cancer Sponsors

We have only 2 weeks before the Challenge to Conquer Cancer team departs from the Greenville Hospital System's Cancer Center. We will roll out at 3pm sharp! Here's a map of the GHS campus with some info on our assembly area and route.


Directions:
Take Faris Road to Doctor's Drive and turn towards the Cancer center. In year's past, the parking area up and to the right has been opened for family and friends to park while sending us off. I believe that will be the case this year as well. We'd love to have a big sendoff, so please mark your calendars to attend.

Our training rides are starting to wind down. Yesterday (Sept 24) and Friday (Sept 23), Most of the teams went out and got a good ride. I joined several others for a 75 mile ride from Furman to Saluda and back. We included a number of fun climbs along the way - Packs Mt, Callahan Mt and the watershed. These are very classic climbs for this area, and we enjoyed ourselves along the route. With the beautiful fall weather we had, we saw many other riders out on the road. It was a great day of riding. I think all of the riders are physically ready for this ride.

Last night, we had a team meeting where everyone got together to talk about logistics, the route, packing lists and various other topics. The route will be similar to the route we rode in 2009, although there was some distance added in 2010, and some other small modifications for 2011. I'll try to find a link to our route and send it out when I do.

Another big highlight of last night was the distribution of the team jerseys. Every year the jerseys have a similar look to maintain some continuity, although each year there are small changes to make the jerseys uniquely identifiable for the year. This year, we have a Texas flag on the back, and a SC flag on the front. Also, to memorialize a very good friend who passed away in 2010, we have a small polka dot on the collar with his initials. It is a good looking jersey and I'll be proud to wear it to Texas this year. In the link below, I've included several photos of the jersey.

A task that I've performed for the last couple of weekends is preparing the magnets for your loved ones. A few of the local folks have taken magnets home with them to personalize. PLEASE get these magnets back to me before our departure. I've included photos of the magnets (along with the jersey) in the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2212243278255.116606.1612725450&l=091ead4471&type=1

If you have asked me for a magnet and do not see your loved one's name in the photo(s), PLEASE contact me so I can make sure I honor or memorialize your loved one. I try to keep things organized, but I'm human, and mistakes are possible. Please contact me If I have missed a name.

Fundraising; I've nearly reached my goal. Thanks to the awesome generosity of my family, friends and co-workers I am only about $150 short of my goal. There is still time to make a donation, and I encourage you to make the donation you may have intended, regardless of how much I have remaining to meet my goal. Remember, your donations go towards cancer research and survivorship programs on both a local Upstate South Carolina (Greenville Hospital System and Anderson Cancer Center) as well as a national (The Lance Armstrong Foundation and Amgen's Breakaway from Cancer) level. Meeting my goal simply ensures me a spot on the ride to Austin. Your donations mean a whole lot more to the many folks who benefit from these programs. So, please take a moment and make that donation you would like to make - remember, even a $5 donation helps.

Donate through this link: http://goo.gl/5fwwV Thank you!

Blogs: Folks have started blogging on the www.ridetoaustin.com blog. You'll start to see more and more as we get closer, and once the ride starts, there will be a big increase in participation. Please follow us through the blog. You'll also see a 'Where are they now' link to the upper right - this is a 'SPOT' tracker that we'll carry along in the bus. That tracker will be active when we depart, and will stay active throughout the ride to Austin. It will stay with the team that is riding throughout the trip.

I'll also post to my personal blog all of the entries I make along the way. You can follow me at http://windinmyhairbugsinmyteeth.blogspot.com/

Again, thank you very much for your generosity, it means a great deal to a lot of people, especially to me.

jd

2011 - A new Challenge to Conquer Cancer

Two years ago, I signed on to participate in an incredible event. I became a fundraiser for a local Greenville 501C3 charitable organization - The Palmetto Peloton Project (P3). P3 raises money that benefits local Upstate Cancer research centers as well as National efforts to battle the effects of cancer.

The way P3 raises money is through cycling events. Every year since 2008, one of those cycling events has been the Challenge to Conquer Cancer. Five teams set out on an October Sunday from Greenville Hospital System's Cancer Center and ride relay style to Austin, Texas. Bikes are on the road 24 hours a day. The point is to raise awareness and money to help in the fight against cancer.

When I rode with this group in 2009, I had never really done anything quite like it before. It was a challenge, but perhaps not for the more obvious reasons. Those being the challenge of riding my bicycle in 6 hour shifts for a week or raising the funds required to participate. No, the biggest challenge for me was dealing with the emotions experienced throughout the journey.

Well, I've committed to riding to Austin again for 2011. I've spent some time thinking about why I am doing this. I have only one answer. I can. In fact, this is a quote stolen from one of my 2009 team-mates. I ride because there are others out there who cannot.

In 2009 I didn't really have a personal connection to Cancer. Really, what that means is I didn't have any immediate family or very close friends who had suffered the effects of cancer. Well, in 2011, that is completely changed. Many of my very best friends are battling cancer, or have a loved one who is battling cancer. Some of those friends (or their loved ones) have been lost to cancer since my 2009 ride.

Here's my list of who I will be riding for this year. I hope this list doesn't grow, but I know it will as this journey continues:

In Honor of the following Cancer Warriors:
James (10yo son of a friend)
Jeni (riding partner and friend)
Kathy (riding partner and friend)
Rene (riding partner and friend)
Dustin (riding partner and friend)
Marty (co-worker, riding partner and friend)
Jeannette (Aunt)
Valorie (co-worker and friend)
Rachel (co-worker and friend)
David (co-worker and friend)

In Memory of:
Donna (co-worker)
Pip's dad Bill
Kip's uncle Bob
Bo's Uncle Buddy
Jeni's Aunt Barb

Because I can, I'll also ride in honor of or in memory of your loved one. Help me raise my funds and I will be his or her representative on this journey. Here's a direct link to the page where you can donate towards my fundraising goals: http://goo.gl/5fwwV.

The total amount I need to raise is $5250. I have already donated $250 as part of my registration as a rider. I am committed to personally donating another $1000 towards my goal so that 100% of your donation goes towards the battle against cancer.

After you make your donation in my name, please let me know the name of your loved one (send an email to me: madworks@earthling.net). If you donate $100, I will put their name on an 'In honor of' or 'In Memory Of' magnet which will be placed on our team van. Your loved one will ride to Austin with us.

Thank you for supporting a great cause.

Assault on the Carolinas - 2011

I've ridden these roads before, many times. Today I did it from a little different direction. The assault on the Carolinas is a benefit ride where the monies go to various charities in Transylvania county. It really turned out to be an awesome day for a ride, I'm glad I signed up. It didn't hurt that the metric century(ish) route included Hwy 178 from the NC side, and Caesars Head from the SC side.

There were about 800 riders present amongst the three rides (100k, 60k and 40k). Of course, I did the 100k ride to make sure I was able to get in the climbing. It was a great ride, a large pack lead the route for most of the ride. I dropped off the back on the first climb - a short but steep bump on Walnut Hollow Road. I hooked up with a number of guys and we set off in pursuit mode. Wouldn't you know it, we caught the pack just before they turned on to Hwy 178 (and more climbing).

I set my own pace up the climb, staying near some of the guys who chased back on with me. When we got to the Continental divide, a clydesdale got out front and started pushing the downhill pace. This happens to be an awesome descent, and when we went through a couple of turns, I could see that he wasn't quite as good in the turns as I am - you know I had to pass him!

The descent was AWESOME! I did have a couple of guys follow me into the first turn after passing the clydesdale, but by the 3rd turn, there was no longer anyone behind me! I love descending! Bending through the turns just makes me smile HUGE!

It flattens out a bit (well, it rolls really), and the group started to re-form. We rode a paceline until we got to the next descent section, and of course, I was by myself after a couple of turns. But of course, they caught me when the terrain went back to rolling. No problem, I fell in with the small pack (maybe 10 guys) and we went to work.

We could see the big pack ahead of us as we rode along hwy 288. We just about caught them as we started the ascent of Caesars head. I helped in the chase, but as we got close, I backed off a little as I knew they were going to leave me on the climb. Better to save what I could for the climb I thought.

Although the climb started around mile 42 (and 42 hard miles it was), I am still pleased with my 42ish minute ascent to the state park. A little slow compared to my best, but considering the terrain we had already covered, I feel good about it.

Some folks passed me on the ascent, and I passed some others. At the top, I ended up riding by myself for quite a number of miles. Just as we turned off of Hwy 276 on Barclay road, a small group of about 6 (who I had ridden with earlier in the ride) caught me. I grabbed on to their wheels and we rotated for the last several miles.

I feel pretty good about the 3hour, 21 minute time for the 65 miles that this ride covers. Me and a number of peeps rode hard and the climbing was tough. The organization of the ride, the volunteers and the SAG stops (although I didn't take advantage of them) were awesome!

I met a number of guys who had been riding in the area for the past week. This was their last ride before they got in their cars for the ride back to New Brunswick (Canada!). A bunch of great guys, who can really ride a bike.

Hard to beat a day like today. Hope everyone else had a great day as well.

Spinners Represent @ SCTAC for opening night!

Sounds like it was a great ride tonight @ SCTAC for the peeps in the A
group. I spoke briefly with Randy after the ride and he said that
there was a number of Spinners out there including him, Allen and
Abhay. Sorry if I have forgotten someone, but sounds like the A race
contingent did well with a strong showing.

Brian F, Bo Z and I took on the C1 country loop. The
pace always starts fast in this group, and Bo, being the consummate
gentleman, stopped to help a damsel in distress when she had a mechanical about 10 miles into the ride, thus having the luxury of riding the remainder of the ride with two lovely
ladies (that's not to say they didn't push it, they worked hard to try to regain the group).

Meanwhile, Brian and I continued on with the group. This is not a 'no
drop' ride, so whatever happens, happens. Brian did some monster
pulls out there, and drove the pace when it was necessary. Seems like
there were some folks a little timid about getting out in front.

We had an awesome time throughout the ride and especially on Holly
Road. This is a narrow, twisting road through some beautiful farm
country. About 3/4 of the way through the road, there is a very steep
drop follow by a short (but steep) climb. Almost immediately after we
turned onto this road, he waved me up next to him and said "trade 10
second pulls with me". Hell, I'm game, so I told him to go.

We began trading pulls and quickly pulled a gap on the rest of the
group. At one point, about half way along the road, as I was pulling
alongside to take my turn, I told him I wasn't sure I was going to be
able to keep that pace. Thankfully, he still had his head on straight
(because I was totally red-lined and no longer thinking straight), and
told me to bring it back a notch. I did, and we continued trading
pulls.

I hadn't really looked back once we started trading pulls, but when we
got close to the dip in the road, I did look back. We had pulled a
pretty big gap on the field (about 8-10 guys or so). After descending
into the dip in full race mode, we practically coasted the remainder
of the way to the stop sign (about a 1/4 mile or maybe a little more)
and were still in front of the pack. We killed it! Such a great
time.

Our average over the 30ish miles was 21.5 mph. Perhaps not a
staggering figure by any means, but part of the pride we take in this
particular ride is the stopping at the stop signs AND carrying this
average speed. We finished with 8 or 10 guys out of about 20 to 25
who started with us. The decelerations and re-accelerations really
take a toll on the average speed. I've seen as much as 0.3 mph change
in average speed in a single stop sign! It takes one hell of an
effort to bring that average back up.

So, great seeing a number of my Spinners team-mates and many of my peeps out there tonight. Congrats to the A group contingent for an excellent showing and Thanks to Bo and Brian for helping me represent on the C-1 group.

finishing

Finishing a race, sometimes that is all one can hope for. That was my day today. Today was Race 5 of the Greenville Spring Series and it was held @ the River Falls course. This is a great course, but today was a horrible day for bike racing.

The forecast called for about a 40% chance of rain at Noon as of last night. I thought "well, that means 60% chance of no rain!". We got the 40% all right, in fact, it rained for the entire cat 4 race, and it seemed that it rained for all the previous races as well (and the following!).

The Greenville Spinners Racing Team had a great showing in the peloton today. Seven of us (Randy, Peter, Brian, Abhay, Plantec, Moser and me) lined up for the start. We had a plan and the goal was to put Randy or Peter or Brian on the podium. We all had assignments, the question was how well were things going to play out?

The start line for this race is at the top of a hill, so of course you go downhill almost immediately. Worse, at the bottom of the hill there is a right hand turn that seems to be more than 90degrees. Worse than that, add in wet brakes that really weren't working at all going down that hill and you had a recipe for disaster! Thankfully, no-one went down and the peloton made it through unscathed.

Almost immediately, there were attacks off the front. All along Devils Fork Road there was a group attacking the front. Abhay was up there in the mix and Peter and Randy were playing it safe near the front of the main peloton. I was a little further back in the peloton with Brian, George and Plantec.

Devils Fork Road rolls alongside a river. It has a couple of rolling hills but overall you are descending from the turn off of Gap Creek Road (at the bottom of the hill). As we came down from the first of the rollers, I found a path towards the front along the right side of the road. I took advantage and advanced many positions. I was now in front of Peter and Randy, and could see Abhay working the front, trying to establish a break.

The peloton was not letting a break get away, so we were slowly gaining on those 5 or so individuals who were trying to break. We pulled them back in as we came up to the Tankersly Lake. I had a clear path, so I took a lead position. I was surprised to be pulling away slightly, so after the right turn onto River Falls Road, I put down the hammer a little. I began to pull a gap. I was pretty surprised by this, my intention was not to make a break, but to push the pace.

However, since I was out there, I decided to make them work for it. I did my best to stay out front, and soon Peter came up behind me. We worked together for a ways, and as we neared the right turn for Gap Creek Road, another rider came up next to us. He got in the mix and did some work. We were quickly approaching the 1/2 mile climb up to the start / finish line, and I knew I didn't have the fitness to stay with them. I watched as the peloton swallowed me, then quickly closed on Peter and this other guy.

The pack set a solid pace up the climb, and I didn't have enough to hold it, despite my efforts. I fell off the back and briefly thought my race was over. I wasn't going to give up this time, after all, the conditions were really nasty, and I kept thinking to myself "This is Ranger weather"!

I chased, and chased and chased. I could see the pack again when we got to the rollers on Devils Fork Road. They were mostly together, but there was a small group of about 6 who were falling off the back. I managed to get in with them, and a couple of guys in there worked a little harder, then the peloton slowed to turn onto River Falls Road. We caught back on to the pack.

I worked my way up in the pack until I got up next to Brian. If nothing else, I wanted to offer encouragement to those guys. I didn't have enough in the tank to get out and drive the pace, but if I could show them I was still in, maybe it would help. No clue if it did anything for those guys.

Peter and Randy were looking strong in the pack as we rolled up and over the climb for the 2nd time. Brian was still in the mix, and I think I saw Abhay mixing it up at the front! Over the top, and descend to turn right on Devils Fork Road. I dropped back in the pack as we came up the climb, but managed to stay on the tail end of it as we descended.

It actually takes a lot of effort to stay at the back of a peloton. The constant accelerations due to the accordion effect play hell with you. If you are already hurting, these accelerations slowly break you down. I was at the back as we turned onto River Falls and was watching as small gaps opened up in front of me, only to be closed with another acceleration. I was back there with Brian and Abhay. I think George and Plantec may have dropped back by this time.

As we made the 3rd lap turn onto Gap Creek Road and approached the ascent, I worked my way back up near Peter and Randy. Again, I wanted to give those guys some encouragement. This time, I was able to chat briefly with them. Of course, the pace had picked up as we began the climb, and I quickly fell towards the back.

I tried to stay with the pack. My poor legs just didn't have it. Those guys were blistering up that hill, and despite my best efforts, I couldn't hold the pace. I could hear Duke (moto-ref) behind me, and finally, I waved him around. Thanks Duke for the kind words as I dropped off the back of the peloton. I was hoping that Randy and Peter were going to be able to stick with the pack - they were our remaining hopes for a good result.

Although I was no longer in the mix, I decided that I was going to finish the race. No dropping out like I did last week, if I was going to suffer, I might as well get a workout! At the top of the ascent, I got into the drops and into the big ring, and started in my time-trial mode.

The next three laps was all about me and finding the zone. I stamped out a solid cadence and tried to keep anyone from passing me. In that I was successful - I passed maybe 4 or 6 other guys who fell off of the back, and no-one passed me.

It was cold out there. I was having trouble shifting with how stiff my hands had become. I could barely wave as I passed the corner workers. I knew it was just as bad for the other guys in the peloton.

As I approached the final climb, a single rider - a pro /1/2 rider, turned around in his warm-up to ascend the hill. I used him as my rabbit to keep me motivated up the hill. I don't think he was going all that hard, although I was pushing for everything I had. I wanted to finish this race, and I was going to do it as if it really counted.

Welcome back to racing - in a big way!

Today was my first race for the season. It was my first race since my surgery. I'm just over 5 weeks out from the surgery, and only about 3 weeks of getting in some hard riding. I had to get out there today as I was going nuts watching all my team-mates mixing it up. My plan today was to just hang in the pack and ride it out, but like most plans, it just never seems to work out that way.

I was a little nervous as we lined up behind the Pro 1/2, and the Cat 3 peletons. Big George came out again to give the Pro 1/2 group some lessons on how to race. Man can that guy ride. Great to see him out there rubbing elbows with the common man.

Poppa gave us his speach, with plenty of seriousness and a little humor thrown in for good measure. We waited a few minutes after the Cat 3 peleton before he set us off. Immediately, two guys went off the front. The peleton reacted, but it didn't seem to be a serious threat.

I was lined up pretty far back, further than I had really planned, but again, plans don't ever seem to work out. No problem, we set off with a pretty good pace and the pack got strung out through the rollers leading up to golf course hill. I took advantage of this and moved towards the front. The only place to be in a race is near the front. Otherwise, you're like a sitting duck, the front is where everything happens.

At the top of golf course hill, we absorbed the two guys, and the pace continued at a serious clip. Not at all unmanageable, but a little faster than a 'group ride' pace. As we rolled along the back side, I tried to stay protected from the wind and stay near the front. Because I had done a full lap of warm-up, I knew where the wind was blowing and I knew it would be coming directly into our faces as we turned to go up 3m hill.

The wind was a factor today. For sure. On the back side, I stayed to the left side of the peleton to take advantage of the protection and while we ascended 3m hill, I moved laterally across the peleton to the center. As we neared the top of 3m hill, I was positioned pretty well - on the right side (for wind protection) and in the top 10 (to watch / cover any breaks).

Sure enough, as we rounded the corner at the top of the hill, two guys went off the front. I don't know if it was the same two, but they hit it hard and a number of us set off in chase. We had a bit of a cross, but slightly tail wind as we went through this section. I was pushing hard, and calling out to get the guys around me to organize to chase the break.

It was working. Several of us started to get organized, although some of them dropped off pretty quickly. A two person chase group had now gotten a little gap and I was in the 2nd chase group (which was pretty much the entire peleton). Granger came up and gave me a good pull to help me get closer to that second chase group that were gaining on the 2 man break. I sat on his wheel for a little while but came around and started to chase on my own. Granger told me later that he sat up after I went around, as the entire peleton was on his wheel.

I was able to bridge up to form a 3 person chase group. I thought I was sitting pretty - the three of us were bridging up to the breakaway and we were working together. Each of us was taking a short pull before we handed it off to the next guy. We switched off a number of times, and we were making great progress when a fourth guy pulled into the chase group.

By this time, I was really starting to feel it. Although I don't have a heart rate monitor, I could tell I was at or above redline. I tried to stay with these guys, but couldn't hold their wheel when I switched out after a short pull. I kept pushing, some crazy belief that I might be able to bring them back. A couple of other guys pulled up alongside and I tried to catch their wheels, but alas, I was burning matches left and right and I was running out!

As we crossed the start / finish line at the end of lap 1, the break had about 6 guys, I was behind about 20 yards and chasing and the peleton was getting shattered behind me. I made the right turn at the stop sign and looked back. I needed the protection of the peleton, I was out of gas.

They absorbed me as we rolled through the terrain leading up to golf course hill. At the top of the hill, I was a bit disappointed that the pace seemed to slow. It almost seemed like this was going to turn into another group ride. I was still recovering, so my heart wasn't too broken by that!

As we came through the rollers on the back side of the course, I felt several times a handlebar rubbing me on the rear end. That is real racing. Nobody got upset by it, and the racing was clean. I was trying to stay near the front again just to see if there was something I could do.

As we approached 3m hill, I had had enough of the group ride pace, so I attacked - uphill and into the wind. How smart is that? I did open a bit of a gap, but my match supply was really low, and I had just burned a couple that I didn't really need to burn.

The attack did what I wanted it to do - drive the pace. Once they re-absorbed me, the pace was brutal! I stayed with the pack, now strung out single file for the rest of the 2nd lap. I was basically just hanging on for dear life! Remember that cross / tail wind (seemed like more cross than tail!)? It was really taking it's toll on me.

I was with them through the start / finish at the end of lap 2, and stayed with them through the rollers near the golf course, but I popped about half way up the golf course hill. I just didn't have anything left. So much for staying with the pack, although there was nothing in my plan about trying to chase and grab that break.

I'm certain that is what did me in. Although, I do feel that is what I needed to do. Even though it was just my first race back, and I knew my fitness was in question, I needed to see what I had in the tank. Now I know.

What I am really glad of is that I have the instinct to see things forming at the front. Not only to see them, but I also feel I have the ability to react to them. I'm totally comfortable to ride near the front of the pack and to make things happen out there. Now I just need to get my fitness up to speed so I can stick with it through the entire race.

So, I didn't race my plan. I had to improvise on the fly. I feel I reacted well, although with my current level of fitness it definitely turned out to be the wrong move. Next time, I'll stick with my plan!