New Rider on the Purple Stage: June 2007

Following are excerpts from an email to my sponsors recapping the big day:

Dear friends and sponsors,

My team and I made it! On Sunday, we completed the 100-mile long "America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride" around Lake Tahoe! Read on for details of the ride and a fundraising recap.

Riding Success

The weather was perfect: chilly at the start, no significant wind, and not too warm at the end. All my preparations, and I did a lot of worry and preparation, paid off. I woke up on time, was ready on time, and my beloved bike performed perfectly.

There were two substantial climbs on the route, at the beginning and at the end. I hardly remember climbing over Emerald Bay at the beginning! It was cool, my legs were fresh, and the adrenaline was pumping. We were joking around and savoring the fast downhill after the crest.
As we rode along the West shore of Lake Tahoe, I marveled at both Nature's magnificence, and the spectacle of 2,000+ colorful bicyclists from all around the country riding together on the highway. I saw so many Team in Training (TNT) jersies, from New York, New Jersey, Florida, Michigan, Texas, and even Nebraska. I think some of these folks had never trained on or even seen a mountain before, and it would show later in the day. Our team of eight rode in "paceline" and enjoyed the camaraderie that we'd developed over the season. Not all on our team were having a great day, but we waited for each other and regrouped regularly on the route.

We rolled into Kings Beach on the North shore for lunch. It was a beautiful location, and we'd worked up hearty appetites. I had kept my family apprised of my progress, and they were waiting for me. It was a joy to see them cheering us on as we rolled in. And my team graciously let me lead the group into lunch, to make a good impression on my wife and kids. :-) The best thing about the lunch stop is that we had already completed 70 miles of the course. Only 30 more miles to go, which didn't seem like much.

The next leg of our journey took us through Incline Village, Nevada. This is a really beautiful area, with lots of lakeside estates. Riding our bikes between the lake and the mountains reminded me of the bike races along the Italian Riviera that I've seen on television. This area was a nice break before the final big climb of the day, to Spooner Junction.

This Too Shall Pass

The final climb is similar in elevation gain to the first one at Emerald Bay, but it was much more challenging. The climb to Spooner Junction is 8+ miles long, the weather was warmer, and we weren't as energetic as at the start. It was a grind! Our group got separated and we were each on our own until we regrouped at the top. Our Coach, Kevin, was a superb leader. He gave us strategy and encouragement, and then he rode back down the hill to accompany our last rider. I gritted my teeth and alternated through different riding positions to ease the discomfort in my legs and bottom. Finally, as I approached the top, my family pulled up alongside me! It was great to visit with them at the top as we waited for our team to regroup.

Going To California
Of course, the best part of cycling is the "dessert" after a long climb! That would be a fast descent down Highway 50 back to the California state line! It's quite a rush to be riding 40-50 mph in the lane of a highway -- on your bike. That felt good, and made the finish line approach even faster. As the road leveled out, we did some final regrouping as we rode back to "civilization" and our finish at the Horizon Casino. We lined up and crossed the finish line together, with big smiles on our faces!

What now?

A nice thing about riding a Century vs. running a marathon is that after you get off your bike, the pain stops! No need for an ice bath as I need after a long run. I was very tired, and very much in need of a shower! After cleaning up and resting, I was ready to enjoy Embassy Suites Happy Hour with my teammates and family.

It was a great weekend, one that I won't forget. I achieved a long-held dream, made some great friends, learned a lot more about a sport I love, and helped raise awareness and funds for a great cause (see below). I plan to continue riding, getting together with my teammates whenever we can. I haven't picked out my next TNT event, but that can wait. People are suggesting a triathlon, but it will take a while for me to swim competently! For now, I'm grateful for a great season, and deeply appreciative of your financial and moral support in this endeavor.

Thanks to your generous contributions to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, my fundraising total stands at $6,455!!! That's well over the goal I set at the beginning of the season. Your donations are already at work helping to fight blood cancers via research and services for patients.

Other fun fundraising facts: during my three TNT seasons' fundraising campaigns, my personal sponsors have donated more than $24,000 to the LLS. And this season alone, our Silicon Valley Cycle Team has raised $322,000 and counting! And adding together all the chapters nationwide, Team In Training raised over $8.5 million in Lake Tahoe last weekend!!! Isn't that awesome? TNT is a great force in helping people.

THANK YOU AND GO TEAM!