My Space

No. Not a blog post about a dead social media site. (Oh! Sorry! MySpace is still operational?!? Why?!?)

No. Just a chance to show off a room in the house. We've been here for 6 mos. and finally got around to decorating it and moving some boxes that were in there into the storage room.

So, as you know, I've kind of gotten a little obsessive about cycling. (No, I'm not apologizing for it!). And over the last 3 years I've collected a few posters. That have sat in the tubes and flats they were mailed in.

This weekend a chain arts & crafts store had their poster frames on sale. So, I (finally) spent the money to get the frames. Got home, unpacked the prints, and put them in.

Finally, I cleaned out the room and hung the prints. What do you think?


Vive Le Tour - set of three prints by Adam Turman (adamturman.com).  He is an artist out of the Twin Cities and has a lot of great work, not all of it cycling related.  These were a Christmas gift from the kids.



These two prints represent my commitment to LIVESTRONG.  The print on the left is by Shepard Fairey (of the Obama HOPE poster fame).  This was something I received from the Foundation for being one of the top three fundraisers for the RAGBRAI TeamLIVESTRONG in 2010.  The print on the right is by Austin, TX artist Bobby Dix, available on ETSY under the name Kollective Fusion.  He also some some real cool non-cycling posters as well (BACON!)



RAGBRAI posters from 2010 and 2012, the two years that I completed the whole route.  I did save space on the wall for the 2013 poster, as I am planning or riding all week again this year.  (Registered and, yes, doing my fundraising for LIVESTRONG already - help me reach my goal.)

And yes, that's my bike up on the trainer. I have tried to ride some this winter.

Update: 4/19 - Just ordered these two prints from Mark Fairhurst.  Can't wait to get them!


Ahh, the Spring Classics.  Where bike racers ride across the ancient cobbled roads of northern Europe.

This one reminds me of both LeTour as well as (surprise!) RAGBRAI.



Stomach of Anger

You may have noticed the logo to the right that was added to my page layout not too long ago. It's actually a linked logo, so if you click on it, you'll go to the SOA website. Which I strongly advise, if you want to order some really cool cycling-themed t-shirts. (Full disclosure, I own four of them already.)

The reason that logo is there is that the guys at SOA have agreed to sponsor me on my big one-day rides this year. Yes, me, a middle-aged slightly over-weight weekend warrior cyclist just trying to carve out enough time to ride so that my body can actually withstand the rigors of a timed 100-mi ride. Pretty cool, huh?

So the deal is, SOA is sending me a kit (that's what they call the jersey and shorts together) to wear at these events (the Ironman Ride MN, the Wisconsin Triple Crown, the UPAF Ride for the Arts (MKE) and the iGranFondo). I wear the kit and promote the brand (and hopefully don't embarrass myself or them with my performances).

And, while they haven't asked me to, I will be sharing information about any promos they're running, etc. Which, btw, they have right now: $12.00 t-shirts for 2011 & 2012 designs. Click on the link and happy shopping!

Maybe next year, I can get them to pay my entry fees to these rides, too.

You, too, can sponsor me. By clicking on the LIVESTRONG logo at the top of the page, you can donate to the Foundation and support my fundraising efforts to ride with the TeamLIVESTRONG on RAGBRAI again this summer. The Foundation does great work supporting patients and their loved ones at the start of their fight against cancer. Educational materials, connecting patients to clinical trials, assistance with insurance issues, etc. LIVESTRONG is there, in te corner for patients, when things are the craziest as they're just learning what hey are up against.

My goal this year is is to raise $5.00 for every mile of this year's RAGBRAI, or just over $2000. I appreciate your support!

World Cancer Day

 

Today is World Cancer Day. Seems to be an appropriate day to begin in earnest my fundraising efforts for LIVESTRONG as I prepare to join about 100 teammates and 20,000 other cyclists for a week long ride across Iowa this July.

For 41 years now, RAGBRAI has crossed Iowa from the Missouri to the Mississippi. This will be my third year of riding the whole week (I also rode the last two days in 2011). In that time, colleagues, co-workers, friends and family have generously donated more than $10,000 to the LIVESTRONG Foundation. This year, I am at it again, and am asking you to join my team in the fight against cancer.

I’ve been asked a few times about the impact of the Lance news on LIVESTRONG. My short answer is that LIVESTRONG is not about Lance – yes, it was his foundation, but he’s stepped away from it now – it’s about providing services and resources to cancer patients and their support teams (friends, family, loved ones) during their fig...ht. LIVESTRONG does not fund research for a cure – important work that others are doing, but work that doesn’t fit its mission of helping people now. (My long answer appears on this post from November (before the Oprah interview).)

I would greatly appreciate your support. You can donate on-line on my fundraising page.

If, however, you feel that you cannot support LIVESTRONG because of Lance, I understand. I only ask that you consider donating to another organization fighting the cancer war instead.

Thank you for your consideration!

Insanity

So, last time I talked about my possible ride schedule for the year.  Since then, I have registered for the Wisconsin Triple Crown series - three rides in hilly western Wisconsin, one in May, one in June and one in August.  Each of the rides has multiple distance options.  I signed up for 100K-100K-150K (62 mi - 62 mi - 93 mi).  It'll be a real challenge.  One that I look forward to.

But looking back the last two years, I noticed that the two big rides I did early in the season - the MGF in 2011 and Feed the Need in 2012 - were tough rides, in part because I don't think I was as ready physically for them as I should have been or wanted to be.  That proved out as I nearly dropped out of one and I didn't finish the other.  The first of the Triple Crown rides is only two weeks after these other rides.

(Sad note: I was thinking of riding the Feed the Need again this year, but a shorter route, as a tune up for the Arcadia Brute.  I e-mailed to check on registration and was disappointed to hear that the ride is cancelled.  It was too much work with too little return to donate to the food pantry.)

So, I need to step up my training.  I think I need to do more than riding the trainer and I need to start earlier.  I need to be stronger in early May.  The Arcadia Brute will be a hilly 100 km.  And if the weather is like what its been the last two years....

What to do?

I am starting the Insanity DVD workout series.  Fortunately, we have it already, so I didn't need to order it.  I'm not expecting any miracles.  But I am hoping to lose a few pounds, shed a few inches and improve my strength as well as prep myself aerobically. 

So, here's my accountability.  I started with the Fit Test on Monday, January 28.  At this time, I weigh 217.6 with 25.0% body fat (according to our scale - see pic below).  And here are my goals - one level I will be satisfeid with on April 1 and two others with increasing enthusiasm if when I surpass the initial goal.

GOALS	WEIGHT	BF %
Satisfied	205	17.5
Happy	200	15.0
Ecstatic	195	12.5

Wish me luck! After two days, I'm already sore. 

Edit: This morning was day three. I was tired during the warm-up and had a hard time keeping up. (Maybe not enough sleep last night had something to do with it.)  Finally gave up about half-way through the day's workout.  But I don't feel bad about that.  I will come back tomorrow and repeat it. 

I am not worried about, nor is it my goal to, getting six-pack abs and be ripped like the hard bodies they have working out behind the instructor.  My goal is to improve my overall health and fitness.  This includes losing some weight and inches. (A flat stomach would be nice, but ripped? Let's be realistic.) I want to be stronger for the hills of Triple Crown and improve my cardio and circulatory systems.  So if the 60-day system turns into 90, who cares?  It's results that I am interested in.

BEFORE PICS - skip if you're squeamish!

Before





WARNING - not exactly a pretty picture!

Before - ugh!

2013 Event Schedule

Welcome back! Hope you had a wonderful holiday season. I haven't had a lot to write about since November. I did put Candi up on the CycleOps trainer and have even been on it a few times before the holidays.

But, the holidays have kept me busy and then I've been sick for the last two weeks and haven't ridden.

So, as I lay here with a heating pad on my back, I've been thinking about what I want to do this year in terms of riding. Of course, I'm doing RAGBRAI in July (21-27). And the iGranFondo ride is the day before RAGBRAI starts.

Then there is the UPAF Ride for the Arts in Milwaukee the first Sunday in June. I've done this ride the last three years, with different distances each year. Last year, I rocked (for me) the 75-mi course at over 18 mph. Flat and fast. And fun. It's a must do ride.

Two years ago I rode the Minnesota Gran Fondo (MGF) / Ironman Bike Ride.  That was maybe the hardest day / event I've ever done on a bike.  68 miles, temps in the low 30s, some precipitation and the first 23 miles were into a nasty headwind.  But I persevered. This year, unfortunately, the ride is scheduled on Drake Relays weekend (April 28). I went college at Drake and Relays is like our Homecoming - only bigger - and I haven't been back since 2005. I miss my friends. Hmmm. What to do.

That weekend is also the weekend for the "Feed the Need" Ride in Highland, WI.  Last year I did this ride, and if the 2010 MGF wasn't the hardest ride, then this ride was. Temps in the 30s, lots of wind and hills, a wrong turn, and getting SAG'd back because I couldn't finish it.  I signed up to ride the 100 mi course, but ended up only going 53.  (Needed to start my training earlier to do the century.) Yeah. That was the hardest ride I ever did. It's a small ride, but a fund raiser for the local foodbanks in SW WI. 

I think I will probably do one of these rides and skip Relays (again).  But which one?

What else is out there? Well, last year on the iGranFondo I saw a few riders wearing "Wisconsin Triple Crown" rides. It turns out it's a three event series, with a ride in May, the second in June and the last in August. That works well around the others. And, looking at the website, it looks really challenging. Multiple distances but LOTS of hills. Interestingly, it is limited to only 500 riders.  Which seems that it will attract high caliber riders.  Not sure I fit that category.  But they are rides, not races.  And, really, the object here is to challenge myself, to push myself further, not to see how I stack up against others.  Even if I were the last finisher at each of the rides, if I finish, it's still a win in my books.

Then, at the end of August, there's another ride, the LT Gran Fondo, up in the Twin Cities. I haven't ridden that one (weekend closest to my daughter's birthday). So, I probably should not plan on it this year either.

Possible Schedule:
1) April 27: Feed the Need ride (Highland, WI): 50, 75, or 100 mi - OR -
April 28: MGF (Twin Cities): 68 or 100 mi
2) May 18: Arcadia's Brute, part of the Triple Crown (Arcadia, WI): 50,100, or 150 km
3) June 2: UPAF Ride (Milwaukee): 50 or 75 mi
4) June 22: Kickapoo Kicker, Triple Crown (Viroqua, WI): 100, 150, or 200 km
5) July 20: iGranFondo (Sioux City, IA): 100 mi
6) July 21-27: RAGBRAI (Iowa): 7 days, 450-500 mi
7) August 10: Dairyland Dare, Triple Crown (Dodgeville, WI): 100, 150, or 200 km
8) August 25: LT Gran Fondo (Twin Cities): 100 mi (But probably not.)

I don't want to miss any of those rides, except for one of the April rides occurring on the same weekend.

So, should I register for them all (7 or 8)? It'll be a challenge. But they are all do-able. And they're scheduled far enough apart that I could do them all.

What do you think? Go for it? Or scale it back? Do I need to do more than I did last year (Feed the Need, UPAF, iGranFondo, & RAGBRAI)? I am really intrigued by the Triple Crown rides. Hmmm....

And then, of course, there is the matter of this being ok with my better half!  Since the rides are all (except RAGBRAI) local and don't involve being gone for more than a day, I'm hoping that this will be ok.  I'll let you know.

The Baby & the Bathwater

Over the last couple months I have been thinking about my relationship with LIVESTRONG. I think many of us that have fundraised for the organization have done so. I think the work the foundation does is excellent and really needed. I've met amazing people from Austin. I've met families that have benefitted from its services.

But I also know that there are many other nonprofits out there engaged in the fight against cancer. And they aren't tainted by their founder's disgrace.

Let me step back a moment. As you know LIVESTRONG was founded by Lance Armstrong. It was created in 1997. Before he "won" any Tours de France and as he came out of his own fight with testicular cancer. LIVESTRONG has now raised over $500M in its 15 years. Most of it on the account of Lance's fame and notoriety.

As we know now, that fame (& fortune) were ill-gotten gains. And while "everyone was doing it" and he never tested positive in any of the "hundreds of tests," the fact remains he doped. He cheated to win those yellow jerseys. And his fame from those "victories" made LIVESTRONG what it is today. (The details are laid out in this report by the US Anti-Doping Agency - a report that Lance has chose not to contest.)

I've seen five basic responses to the Lance news as it relates to LIVESTRONG:

1. The die-hard supporters who are 100% behind the Foundation and Lance and still call him a 7-time TdF Champion.  They believe that the USADA report was a "witch hunt" and the fact that he "never" tested positive is proof of his innocence.
2. The supporters who are behind the Foundation and, while accepting that the Tour victories have been erased, say that the good Lance has done as a cancer warrior outweighs whatever "bad" there is in his cycling career.  Therefore they continue to support LIVESTRONG and support Lance.  He has had a major and sometimes direct positive impact on people's lives.
3. People who support LIVESTRONG and its work and want to separate the Foundation from the controversy surrounding Lance. This post on Huffington Post is a great example that comes from the author's personal experience.
4. Some people are, understandably and reasonably, pulling away from the Foundation and shifting their efforts/support to other organizations. Here is a blog post from someone's personal blog laying out their reasons for doing so. And
5. Lance's long-time critics who have also been critical of the Foundation and view it is a front to benefit it's founder, even before this summer's news.

Oh, and no, LIVESTRONG does not fund cancer research. Instead, it has focused where few other orgs have - on providing support and information to those who are just starting their fight against the disease. This work is important to patients and families that are shell shocked by the news that they have cancer. For more information, go here:

So, do you give up on a good organization because of the misdeeds of its founder? Do you throw the baby (LIVESTRONG) out with the bathwater (Lance and his cycling "accomplishments")? Some will say "yes, absolutely yes." Some will say "as long as he is still connected to the org, then yes." And some will say "no, I continue to support the work of the organization."

(For the record, Lance has not only resigned as Chairman of the Board, but also from the Board of Directors. In addition, the organization had also changed its name this last week from the Lance Armstrong Foundation to the LIVESTRONG Foundation. Lance is no longer connected formally with the Foundation.)

As for me, I'm not giving up on the Foundation. I am going to continue my fundraising for LIVESTRONG. Unless the Foundation itself is mismanaging its resources. But there is no evidence of that. In fact, LIVESTRONG is a 4-star (its highest rating) charity according to Charity Navigator. See this link for the CharityNav rating and here for how the Foundation spends its money.

So, why am I sticking with the Foundation? Three reasons. The first is my sister Julie. The reason I started in 2010. (Miss you Sis!) Here's a link to my post in 2010 about why I chose LIVESTRONG when I started.

Julia Avery, 1961-1982

The other two reasons are two courageous young men I've met during the last couple of years while riding with the LIVESTRONG team on RAGBRAI: Drew Wall and Jack Hoeger. These boys have been fighting for years. And LIVESTRONG has been there for them. They and their families are witness to the positive work the Foundation does.  

  

Here is a video about Jack:

And a link to a previous post I wrote about these young men.

I guess I belong to the third group above.  So, no, I'm not throwing the baby out with the bathwater. And I haven't cut my bracelet off either.  I will continue to work to raise money for LIVESTRONG through the RAGBRAI ride fundraising effort.  So when I call on you in the next few months, I hope that you will consider supporting my efforts. If you cannot because of your feelings about Lance, I hope you consider donating to another organization instead. It won't help my fundraising, but it's not about my fundraising. It's about doing good and helping. And bringing an end to cancer.

Thank you for your time!

Ghost Bike: R.I.P. Carrie Pete

This morning was perfect for early ride before getting ready for work.  I woke up before my 4:15 alarm and checked the weather on my iPhone.  63°F and partly cloudy.  I got dressed and took the dogs out before heading out.  The air was calm, if a bit humid, but it was nice out.  I decided to go only with shorts and jersey - no base layers or arm warmers today!  There'll be plenty of days for those coming up.

At 4:35, I mounted up and headed out.  (I use two headlights - a stronger one to see and another I set on flash mode to be seen.  I also have a flashing taillight and a light strapped to the back of my helmet so I'm visibile.)

When you first start out on mornings like this you get a bit chilled until you get your motor warmed up.  It usually takes a mile or so.  Before you're warmed up, you second guess your clothing options.  I thought about turning around to get arm warmers.  But didn't.

This morning, there were some patchy areas of light fog.  Nothing too bad.  I could certainly see and be seen.

County Highway M is a nice road to ride, I think.  Recently repaved, with wide shoulders (at least 4'), its pretty smooth.  I was riding west on Cty M from Highway 113 to Middleton.  About 2 miles from Hwy 113, just past Cty K, the road bends left and goes up a hill as you pass Governor Nelson State Park.  The climb is about 70' - pretty easy (but remember, that's about the height of a 7-story building).  As I'm riding, I'm focused on the patch of shoulder illuminated by my headlight and also paying attention to the car traffic. 

Near the top of the hill, just as I ride past it, I notice something on my right. In the patchy fog, I recognize it - a bicycle painted all white.  A ghost bike.

It was recently left there, chained to the speed limit sign post.  I continued my ride, but kept thinking about the ghost bike (which, in the fog and early morning darkness appeared like a ghost) and the news stories I read about a recent accident in this area.  My route took me back to the intersection of Cty K and Cty M just north of the ghost bike.  Instead of turning left to head back towards home, I turned right.  I wanted to get a pic.  I wanted to write this post.

The sign attached to the top tube reads "RIP Carrie Pete."  Carrie was struck by a pickup truck on October 8 at about 11:40 a.m.  The driver had fallen asleep.  (News stories are linked here.)

I don't know Carrie.  Never met her.  But I do know that she is a special person to someone else.  She is someone's daughter.  And/or someone's wife, and/or sister, and/or mother, and/or  friend.  (Obit here)

Carrie Jo Pete

What I do know is that she died senselessly.  I'm sure the driver didn't mean to hit her.  And I'd bet that it is tearing him up.  Ironically, she may have saved his life - the collision may have prevented him from going into the ditch and wrecking.

So, this is a plea, dear readers (both of you).  Share the road. Drive attentively.  Don't drive drunk or (just as bad) when you're sleepy.  And share the road.  Cyclists DO have a right to ride on the roads (we do not belong on sidewalks).  And remember, when you see a cyclist, he or she is not an inanimate object.  He or she is someone's child.  Someone's lover.  Someone's friend.  Someone's Carrie.

Rest in peace, Carrie.